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30 Greatest College Basketball Players of All Time

Over the years, thousands of young men and women have donned collegiate basketball uniforms, but only a small number of them have distinguished themselves as athletes who we will never forget. The requirements for becoming one of the great legends of college basketball haven’t changed much despite the fact that the game has altered significantly throughout the years.
We’ve compiled a list of the top men’s and women’s collegiate basketball players in history. In our framework, we’ve listed several basketball greats as well as current players who are producing outstanding work. Explore this lengthy, just-updated list of the 30 greatest college basketball players of all time with us. Some you probably did not know or just knew in a glimpse. So shall we? Yes, let’s get started;

1. Walter Berry (San Jacinto Junior College and St. John鈥檚 University)

We open our list with one of the greatest basketballers at the college level that the world of basketball will always wish another generation to sire. Walter Berry is the subject in this context.

Berry had one of the best JUCO seasons in history at Jacinto and won the Wooden Award for St. John’s, making him one of the few players to win the award at two different collegiate levels.

He also had the craziest scoring attacks of the 1980s; he completely disregarded his right hand, swirled nonstop, and showed an extreme lack of enthusiasm in mastering even the most basic jump shot.

He was the life of every college game he played, but he was obviously not built for the NBA convention. In 1988, Larry Brown made an attempt to cure his madness for the Spurs, but it failed.

2. Bill Walton

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Proceeding to the second person, Walton defined both the hippie collegiate experience and the NCAA style of play, despite objections from deadheads in downtown Portland to his inclusion on our list.

According to his own remarks, we may assume that he would forgo the majority of his injury-marred professional career in order to spend an additional five minutes in a bomb shelter with John Wooden.

Moreover, Walton’s 21 of 22 shooting against Memphis in the 1973 championship game was the best offensive effort anyone had ever seen in a significant game.

3. Peter Press Maravich

The legend still rests in peace, his history is acknowledged by our blog as one of the greatest basketballers at the college level. Pistol Pete was the nickname of American professional basketball player Peter Press Maravich.

With 3,667 points scored and an average of 44.2 points per game, Pete Maravich holds the record for most points scored in a single NCAA Division I game. All of his achievements were made despite the fact that, according to then-NCAA rules, he was not eligible to play on the varsity team as a freshman and before the three-point line and shot clock were introduced.

After a ten-year professional basketball career, he played for three National Basketball Association (NBA) teams until being forced to retire in 1980 due to injuries. Maravich was one of the youngest players ever elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and was regarded as one of the all-time great offensive minds and ball handlers.

4. Paul Silas

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When you look at Paul Silas’ nightly output from his time at Creighton, he was absolutely dominant. In NCAA history, he is one of only five players to have averaged at least 20 points and 20 rebounds a game over the course of their careers.

Silas put up the career numbers to easily merit a spot on this list, despite the fact that he was only ever chosen an All-American pick once, despite his tremendous level of productivity.

He would likely rank among the top ten all-time players if he had played for a powerful team like UCLA.

5. Michael Jordan

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Michael Jordan, who is regarded as the best of all time, had a memorable college career, spending three years playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Jordan’s individual successes in college tended to occur in the two years following his rookie year, while he did occasionally win the ACC Rookie of the Year award.

After setting the Tar Heels’ record for most points scored by a sophomore with 721, he went on to win the Wooden and Naismith Player of the Year awards in his junior season. People were aware of Jordan’s enormous talent even in college. Numerous news sources praised his playing style.

From his inside passing to his driving prowess to his powerful jump jumper, his offensive style was praised for being faultless. He was quite effective offensively during his college career, shooting 50% from the field.

Read The Case for Michael Jordan: 10 Reasons Why He Is the GOAT

6. Jerry Lucas

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Jerry Lucas, an absolute standout at Ohio State, came close to averaging 20/20 during his time playing for the Buckeyes. He helped his team win the NCAA championship in 1960, one of the two NCAA Tournaments in a row in which he won the award for Most Outstanding Player.

He is the only player to ever get the Big Ten Player of the Year award three times, which is also the number of times he was selected as a unanimous All-American, yet it has been nearly 60 years since he played in his final season.

7. Danny Manning (Kansas)

Wilt Chamberlain is regarded by many as the very best player to ever don the Kansas University Jayhawks uniform. However, Danny Manning is perhaps KU’s greatest player ever and has made more contributions to the Wildcats’ basketball program than The Big Dipper.

Manning, one of the best players in Big 8 history, finished as the conference’s all-time leader in points with 2,455. For career rebounds in the Big 8, he was second all-time (now fifth all-time).

In the end, Manning won the Big 8 Player of the Decade award, cementing his legacy at Kansas University and, consequently, his legacy in collegiate basketball.

8. Tom Gola (La Salle)

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Tom Gola of La Salle had the most rebounds in NCAA history throughout his illustrious career.

He is one of just two guys in history to have ever recorded 2,000 points and 2,000 rebounds, and he did so by averaging just under a 20/20 line each game.

With 96 double-doubles, Gola also established the NCAA record for the most double-doubles ever. He led La Salle to victory, capturing a title in 1954, and earning three times consensus All-American honors.

9. Christian Laettner 

Christian Laettner feels the utmost hostility from opposing fans every time he gets onto a collegiate court.

He is recognized as one of the most despised players in the annals of college basketball and is credited for starting the animosity toward Duke Basketball and its players, especially those like Grayson Allen and J.J. Redick. As a result, he is considered one of the finest and most successful players in NCAA and Blue Devil history.

He is also well-known for possessing the clutch gene and making big plays when they matter. He currently holds the record for both the most games played in an NCAA tournament, in 23 out of 24 games, and the most points scored in one, with 407 points.

10. David Thompson

Dennis Smith Jr. and Spud Webb are two examples of the hyper-athletic, above-the-rim athletes that North Carolina State University has produced. However, none of them had more success playing college basketball than the Skywalker, David Thompson.

Thompson would guide the Wolfpack to an unbeaten 27-0 season in his debut season of competition, averaging 24.7 points and 8.1 rebounds. However, they would ultimately be disqualified from the NCAA Tournament because of violations made during the search for Thompson.

Next year, he and the Wolfpack would make a tremendous comeback, defeating Marquette to win their first National Championship behind a 21-point, 7-rebound effort by Thompson.

11. Elvin Hayes

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When he led his Houston Cougars to a 71-69 victory over the UCLA Bruins in the Game of the Century in 1968, Elvin Hayes cemented his status as an American legend.

He outperformed UCLA’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in that game, a historic one for NCAA basketball on national television, scoring 39 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

Hayes became a two-time consensus All-American in addition to his performance in that memorable game, averaging 31 points and 17 rebounds over the course of his professional career. He also opened a lot of possibilities for black athletes at Southern institutions.

12. Jerry Lucas (Ohio State)

Only one player, Jerry Lucas of Ohio State, who is regarded as the best player in conference history, has ever earned the Big Ten Player of the Year award three times.

Lucas was enrolled at Ohio State as a member of a storied freshmen class that also included Hall of Famer John Havlicek. In Lucas’ first playing season, they won the NCAA Championship alongside future Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight.

He scored 26.6 points per game on average during this period, which was his finest collegiate scoring season, on a then-record 63% of his field goals made, and grabbed 16.4 rebounds per game.

13. David Robinson

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The Admiral was a lifetime double-double player and a tough defender. He is without a doubt the best baller to ever emerge from the American military academies.

At Navy, David Robinson’s career averages of 21 points and 10.3 rebounds per game helped him set a record that is still in use today. Robinson, who recorded 31 double-doubles in 1986鈥攐ut of a possible 35鈥攈olds the NCAA record for the most such feats in a single season.

He was selected as a unanimous All-American selection twice and won the 1987 National Collegiate Player of the Year award.

14. Earvin Johnson (Michigan State)

Johnson graduated from Everett High School with a State Championship and an average of 28.8 points and 16.8 rebounds, so the Michigan State Spartans instantly understood what they were getting when they signed him.

He was powerful, quick, skilled with the ball, and capable of stunning plays, especially in transition. His box scores and averages, which are shown above, further showcase his versatility.

Throughout his time in college, Magic has demonstrated tremendous leadership, becoming the Spartans’ guiding light in just his first year.

Read 60 Best College Basketball Players of all times

15. Bill Bradley

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Bill Bradley, the lone member of the Ivy League to make this list and the best player in league history, was a star in college before going on to play professionally and serve as a senator.

Bradley, who originally wanted to play for Duke, decided to play for Princeton instead, and in his first season of competition, he averaged 27.3 points and 12.2 rebounds.

Despite only losing to the St. Joseph’s Hawks by one point in the opening round, he guided the Tigers to an NCAA spot, with Bradley scoring 40 points.

In addition to many other Ivy League records, Bradley also maintains the records for the most free throws made (409), points per game (29.3), and career points (1,253). Coaches claim that if it weren’t for his pass-first strategy, he would have posted more outstanding statistical numbers.

16. Ralph Sampson 

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Just look at Ralph Sampson’s accomplishments to get an idea of how dominant he was throughout his four seasons at Virginia.

From 1981 through 1983, the 7-foot-4-inch monster tied the record by winning the National Collegiate Player of the Year award three times in a row.

Sampson was also chosen as a unanimous All-American three times, thanks in large part to his absurd career average of 3.5 blocks per game. He is fifth among all players who have competed since 1973 with 1,511 career rebounds.

17. Dan Issel

One of the best scorers in collegiate basketball history is Dan Issel. Throughout his three years of college, he demonstrated his exceptional ability to score goals, increasing his totals year after year after year in impressively significant increments.

Dan Issel has dominated the record books for Kentucky basketball. He once held the records for both career-made field goals and points scored in a single game, among other things.

The Wildcat’s all-time leader in career rebounds (1,077) and the single-season record for field goals made (369) are two of his school records that have not yet been surpassed. Most significantly, as anticipated by Coach Rupp, he still maintains the record for the most points ever scored by a Wildcat with 2,138.

18. Artis Gilmore

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The metrics for Artis Gilmore’s career are astounding. In only two seasons after transferring from junior college before his junior year, he became one of only five players in history to average 20 points and 20 rebounds per game for their entire careers.

Gilmore was an All-American during each of those two years at Jacksonville and guided his team to the 1970 NCAA championship game, where they narrowly lost to UCLA. His unbelievable career average of 22.7 rebounds per game is still the record and most likely always will be.

19. Tyler Hansbrough

To see how outstanding Tyler Hansbrough was for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, all one needs to do is glance at his enormous collegiate trophy collection. He is regarded as their best player of all time, even more so than a certain Michael Jordan.

Being named to the First Team All-American as a freshman, Hansbrough created history. He also set a record for the greatest scoring average by a freshman for the Tar Heels with 18.9 points per game, becoming the first rookie in Tar Heels history to lead the team in both scoring and rebounding.

In addition, he scored 40 points against Georgia Tech to set the all-time ACC freshman single-game scoring record. These were given out alongside a few rookie honors.

20. Wilt 鈥淭he Stilt鈥� Chamberlain

In his two seasons at Kansas, Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain averaged nearly 30 points and more than 18 rebounds per game, making him an unmatched monster in the college game.

In both of those years, he received unanimous All-American honors, and in 1957, despite his team losing the championship game, he shared Jerry West’s honor of being named the most outstanding player of the NCAA Tournament.

21. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who at the time played under the name Lew Alcindor, was the single most dominant player on the single most dominant team in history, and he won a championship with UCLA in each of the three seasons he was eligible.

In 1966, when he made his collegiate debut, he did it with a bang, setting a record for a player’s debut game by scoring 56 points.

Abdul-Jabbar set a record by being awarded the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in each of the three seasons he guided the Bruins to victory.

22. Pete Maravich

There has never been a more effective offensive player in the history of college basketball than “Pistol” Pete Maravich, and this isn’t even close to being a debate.

Maravich averaged more than 44 points per game throughout the course of his career in an era before the three-point line was invented.

The figures are truly staggering. With 3,667 points scored over the course of just three seasons, he currently owns the NCAA record for all-time career points.

Almost all scoring records are in his possession, including the most points ever scored in a single season (1,381 in 1970), the best career scoring average, and the most 40-point games (56). Maravich was three times both a unanimous All-American and the SEC Player of the Year.

23. Jerry West

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 Jerry West received over 60 offers from different institutions across the country after he graduated from high school. He made the decision to attend West Virginia University, where he would have a storied collegiate career, in order to be close to home.

During each of his playing seasons, the Mountaineers would not lose more than five games when West was their captain. He was a 6’2″ 2 guard who averaged 17.8 points and an outstanding 11.1 rebounds in his rookie campaign.

Unfortunately, they would be eliminated from the NCAA Tournament in the first round for the fourth consecutive year by the Mountaineers.

24. Earvin 鈥淢agic鈥� Johnson

Earvin “Magic” Johnson exuded charisma in every way. The moment the enormous point guard rose to prominence, fans were simply in awe of him, from his moniker to his million-dollar smile to his dynamic, all-around play style.

Johnson graduated from Everett High School with a State Championship and an average of 28.8 points and 16.8 rebounds, so the Michigan State Spartans instantly understood what they were getting when they signed him.

He was powerful, quick, skilled with the ball, and capable of stunning plays, especially in transition. He also received his nickname “Magic” while still in high school, following a 36-16-18 game as a sophomore.

25. Oscar Robertson

The Big O, one of the best players who never won a championship, gave Cincinnati everything he had, even getting them twice to the NCAA championship game.

He demonstrated his unstoppable talent by averaging an incredible 35.1 points per game in 1958 and recording a double-double in 55 of his 60 games as a junior and senior.

The National Basketball Hall of Fame dubbed Robertson “the best all-around player in the history of college basketball” and he was awarded a three-time unanimous All-American.

26.  JJ Redick

JJ Redick was arguably the greatest pure shooter in NCAA history. His career free-throw shooting percentage of 91.2 percent is the highest of anyone who has made at least 600 of them, and his 457 made three-pointers rank second all-time in the NCAA.

He was an All-ACC selection each season during his four years at Duke, a consensus All-American twice, and he rose to become the school’s all-time leading scorer. The fact that Redick never won a championship is the most astonishing aspect of his career.

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27. Bobby Hurley

Bobby Hurley, a fellow ACC hero, averaged almost any stats in double figures per game, similar to Jordan, but he was a gifted leader on the court and could inspire all of his teammates to play their best basketball.

He holds the record for most assists in NCAA history, and his back-to-back championship victories at Duke also put him in an elite group. Hurley was chosen for the All-ACC team three times and was voted the 1992 NCAA Tournament’s top performer.

28. Joe Holup

Joe Holup dominated the competition while playing for George Washington in the 1950s, and his name ought to be mentioned among the legends of college basketball more frequently than it is. He was one of only two players in NCAA history to reach 2,000 points and 2,000 rebounds, falling just short of his career average of 20 points and 20 rebounds. With 2,030 rebounds in his career, Holup ranks second all-time in NCAA history. Somehow, he was only selected as an All-American once.

29. Shaquille O鈥橬eal

Do you want to discuss dominance? Shaquille O’Neal averaged 4.6 blocks per game during his college career at Louisiana State. Additionally, every night he was averaging at least 21 points and 13 rebounds.

In college basketball, triple-doubles are incredibly uncommon, yet he recorded six of them, which is tied for the second-most ever. Shaq was voted a two-time consensus All-American, two-time SEC Player of the Year, and three-time All-SEC pick for all of his outstanding play.

30. Larry Bird

Known as one of the best box-score stuffers, Larry Bird transformed Indiana State from a small mid-major into a major player during his tenure there.

It is simple to understand why Larry Legend was a two-time consensus All-American selection given his career average of a double-double, which included an absurd 30.3 points a game.

When he was named the National Collegiate Player of the Year in 1979 and guided Indiana State to the NCAA championship game, where they lost to Magic Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans, he really rose to fame. However, in our opinion, Bird’s collegiate career as a whole was more spectacular.