Before the Pac-12 disappears: Our picks for each school’s basketball Mt. Rushmore (players and coaches)
In two weeks, the Pac-12 will cease to exist in recognizable form. At the close of business on Aug. 1, the 10 departing schools will end their membership in the century-old conference, leaving Washington State and Oregon State behind to rebuild or move on.
To commemorate the occasion, the Hotline presents our Mt. Rushmore selections: The greatest men’s basketball players to grace the court for each Pac-12 school.
Important disclaimers:
— We selected four players and included the names of five more who were considered.
— Performance in the NBA was not part of the calculation.
— We did not consider players who competed for Arizona, ASU, Colorado and Utah before their schools joined the Pac-12.
(Our Mt. Rushmore selections for Pac-12 football are here.)
Arizona
Coach: Lute Olson
Players: F Sean Elliott, G Miles Simon, G Damon Stoudamire, F Derrick Williams
Also considered: G Mike Bibby, G Jason Gardner, G Steve Kerr, F Chris Mills, G Jason Terry
Comment: The lineup of elite players over 40-something seasons, especially on the perimeter, generated several difficult decisions and relegated the likes of T.J. McConnell, Luke Walton, Michael Dickerson and Pete Williams to the third tier. We opted against one-and-done players (for all schools) and therefore did not consider Deandre Ayton.
Arizona State
Coach: Ned Wulk
Players: F Ike Diogu, G James Harden, G Eddie House, G Lafayette Lever
Also considered: C Isaac Austin, F Mario Bennett, C Alton Lister, G Byron Scott, G Stevin Smith
Comment: The Sun Devils had more players worthy of consideration than we initially expected, largely because of the talent underpinning their powerhouse teams from the early 1980s. Jeff Pendergraph (now Ayres) and Jeremy Veal just missed the cut for final consideration while star guard Lionel Hollins played just before ASU joined the conference.
Cal
Coach: Pete Newell
Players: C Darrall Imhoff, G Kevin Johnson, G Jason Kidd, C Bob McKeen
Also considered: G Ed Gray, F Brian Hendrick, F Sean Lampley, G Jerome Randle, F Leon Powe
Comment: The coach was an easy selection — Newell warrants a spot on the NCAA’s pantheon — and the players were fairly obvious, as well. (For those unfamiliar with McKeen: He was a four-time all-conference selection in the 1950s.) We gave some thought to Patrick Christopher, Russ Critchfield, Jorge Gutierrez and Lamond Murray.
Colorado
Coach: Tad Boyle
Players: G Spencer Dinwiddie, F Andre Roberson, G KJ Simpson, G McKinley Wright
Also considered: G Tyler Bey, F Josh Scott
Comment: The Buffaloes spent just 13 seasons in the Pac-12 and did not produce enough impact players to meet the five-man standard for the “also considered” category. (Of note: Boston Celtics guard Derrick White only played one season for the Buffs, not enough to make the cut.) Boyle coached CU throughout its tenure in the conference.
Oregon
Coach: Dana Altman
Players: F Greg Ballard, G Ron Lee, C Blair Rasmussen, G Luke Ridnour
Also considered: F Jim Barnett, G Terrell Brandon, F Dillon Brooks, F Luke Jackson, C Stan Love
Comment: The Ducks lack what we would describe as a rich basketball tradition, but it’s solidly middle-class. Lee is one of four players in Pac-12 history to earn all-conference honors four times, while Rasmussen was honored three times and edged Brandon for the final Mt. Rushmore spot. Coaches Dick Harter and Ernie Kent were also considered.
Oregon State
Coach: Ralph Miller
Players: F A.C. Green, C Steve Johnson, G Gary Payton, C Charlie Sitton
Also considered: G Ray Blume, G Lester Conner, F Scott Haskin, C Jose Ortiz, F Ephraim Rocha
Comment: Our selections lean heavily on players from OSU’s halcyon seasons under the legendary Miller in the 1980s. (All the Mt. Rushmore picks were three-time all-conference honorees.) Since then, the talent in Corvallis has been limited. We gave brief consideration to Tres Tinkle, Gary Payton II and Jared Cunningham.
Stanford
Coach: Mike Montgomery
Players: F Adam Keefe, G Brevin Knight, G Todd Lichti, F Hank Luisetti
Also considered: F Kim Belton, F Josh Childress, G Casey Jacobsen, C Rich Kelley, F Mark Madsen
Comment: Montgomery’s tenure constitutes roughly 20 percent of Stanford’s basketball history but the vast majority of its success, and many of our selections are from that era. Luisetti’s resume is worthy of Mt. Rushmore: In addition to being a three-time all-conference pick in the 1930s, he also popularized an early version of the jump shot.
UCLA
Coach: John Wooden
Players: C Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, C Bill Walton, F Sidney Wicks, F Ed O’Bannon
Also considered: G Gail Goodrich, G Walt Hazzard, F Marques Johnson, F Don MacLean, F David Greenwood
Comment: Wooden, Abdul-Jabbar and Walton were easy. Everyone else was difficult. Each of the five players who received consideration would be locks for Mt. Rushmore status at any other school in the conference. So deep is the list of candidates that three Naismith Hall of Fame inductees weren’t mentioned above (in either category): Reggie Miller, Jamaal Wilkes and Don Barksdale.
USC
Coach: Sam Barry
Players: G Harold Miner, C Cliff Robinson, F Bill Sharman, G Paul Westphal
Also considered: F Wayne Carlander, F Sam Clancy, F Taj Gibson, G Gus Williams, G Nick Young
Comment: If we’re being honest, USC’s basketball legacy relies heavily on two players from a previous era: Westphal and Sharman, who are both Naismith Hall of Famers. (Miner is the program’s best player of the past 50 years.) O.J. Mayo, DeMar DeRozan and Eric Mobley were one-and-done talents and thus not considered.
Utah
Coach: Larry Krystkowiak
Players: G Sedrick Barefield, F Kyle Kuzma, F Jakob Poeltl, G Delon Wright
Also considered: G Justin Bibbins, F David Collette
Comment: As was the case with Colorado, the Utes’ 13 seasons in the conference did not produce enough impact players to meet the five-man standard for the “also considered” category. (In fact, Utah’s options were somewhat lacking compared to CU.) At least the Utes made up for their shortcomings with a load of football talent.
Washington
Coach: Hec Edmundson
Players: C Bob Houbregs, G Brandon Roy, G Isaiah Thomas, C Christian Welp
Also considered: F Jon Brockman, C James Edwards, G Eldridge Recasner, G Nate Robinson, F Detlef Schrempf
Comment: Houbregs is one of the greatest players from the Pac-12’s first 50 years, a consensus All-American and a member of both the Naismith and College Basketball Halls of Fame. Roy, Thomas and Welp were fairly clear choices for the other spots, although Brockman warrants mention as a three-time all-conference honoree.
Washington State
Coach: George Raveling
Players: G Don Collins, F Jim McKean, C Steve Puidokas, G Klay Thompson
Also considered: C James Donaldson, G Isaac Fontaine, F Mark Hendrickson, G Guy Williams, G Kyle Weaver
Comment: We found a solid candidate pool given WSU’s modest on-court success over the decades, with Thompson and McKean as the clear Mt. Rushmore selections. (Keith Morrison was the last cut in the “also considered” category.) Kelvin Sampson, Jack Friel and Fred Bohler were considered for the coaching position.
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