Who was our best center ever?

[Guest BasketBull.]

We are hurting for a center now, as much as we were hurting for a point guard last year...

Anyway, so who's your vote for the best USF center?

Well, my vote for the best dunker is William Copeland.  ;D

[Velcro]

Best Dunker?  Marlyn Bryant

Best Center?  I don't know the older centers... best center since 1997... toss up between Will and Sol.  Will had the luxury of playing with some excellent pg's (swift/kohn), Sol had the luxury of playing with Capko.

[Brad]

Best dunker was Hakim Shahid followed by Gary Alexander - or the other way around - it really doesn't matter.  Both put it down with authority.

Best Center?  That's a tough one...Seeing that we haven't really had a lot of true centers in the typical center type body....I guess I would have to go with recent memory also and say Will in his senior year...although the two gents I mentioned above did quite despite being shorter than a typical center.

[bullman3]

My all time favorite is Gary Alexander.  Oh if only the newbie on here knew about the excitment during his years, they would feel the same way about hte current regime.

[Brad]

Yeah, those were the days...

On one hand...going to the NCAA for the last time in our young history with a 19-10 record...

On the other hand, Gary's final two seasons were in the Sun Belt and the Metro.  Gary was a fun player to watch, but I'll take our early struggles in Big East play over the Sun Belt and the likes of Jacksonville, Old Dominion, VCU and WKU.  Even the watered down Metro a year later.

Not putting down what those Bulls accomplished in their era, but I think you take that team and put them in the Big East this year and your complaints are against Bobby Paschal and not Robert McCullum.

It's two different eras.  While we were able to reach the NCAAs in much weaker conferences, I would not trade our current situation for that ever.  To do so would be going backwards...

[NormalBull]

1. Willie Redden - long before there was the store bought Fab Five at Michigan there was the Fab Frosh at USF.  Redden headed up that group.  Read Tony Grier's book when it comes out if you don't believe me.  We would NEVER be able to sign a 6' 11" guy like Redden these days.

2.  Curtis Kitchen - four year starter.  Broke the Sun Belt rebounding record with ease.  If Curtis had hands, he would have played in the NBA.

3.  Donzel Rush - like the other two, Rush was a 4 year starter.  In none of his seasons did he have the stats that McDonald had in his senior year, but I'll take 4 years of solid post play over one good one any day.

4.  Now you can talk Will McDonald, but only because Jim Grandholm really wasn't a center.  Grandholm played more on the perimeter but as a legit 7 footer he could post up as well.

School's out kiddies.

Normal

[jg]

Alexander and HAKIIIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMMMMM SHAHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDDDDD

[Triple B]

1. Willie Redden - long before there was the store bought Fab Five at Michigan there was the Fab Frosh at USF.  Redden headed up that group.  Read Tony Grier's book when it comes out if you don't believe me.  We would NEVER be able to sign a 6' 11" guy like Redden these days.

2.  Curtis Kitchen - four year starter.  Broke the Sun Belt rebounding record with ease.  If Curtis had hands, he would have played in the NBA.

3.  Donzel Rush - like the other two, Rush was a 4 year starter.  In none of his seasons did he have the stats that McDonald had in his senior year, but I'll take 4 years of solid post play over one good one any day.

4.  Now you can talk Will McDonald, but only because Jim Grandholm really wasn't a center.  Grandholm played more on the perimeter but as a legit 7 footer he could post up as well.

School's out kiddies.

Normal

****, now those are some blasts from the past ..... I feel old.

[Brad]

1. Willie Redden - long before there was the store bought Fab Five at Michigan there was the Fab Frosh at USF.  Redden headed up that group.  Read Tony Grier's book when it comes out if you don't believe me.  We would NEVER be able to sign a 6' 11" guy like Redden these days.

2.  Curtis Kitchen - four year starter.  Broke the Sun Belt rebounding record with ease.  If Curtis had hands, he would have played in the NBA.

3.  Donzel Rush - like the other two, Rush was a 4 year starter.  In none of his seasons did he have the stats that McDonald had in his senior year, but I'll take 4 years of solid post play over one good one any day.

4.  Now you can talk Will McDonald, but only because Jim Grandholm really wasn't a center.  Grandholm played more on the perimeter but as a legit 7 footer he could post up as well.

School's out kiddies.

Normal

Normal,

I saw all three play, but of course, at a different level of competition.  I can buy Redden and Kitchen at the top of your list - I pondered their inclusion in my comments, but Donzel Rush?  I don't see that at all.  Come on teach, I have to ask, did you do your undergrad at USF?  

[JoeB]

I'd have to vote for Curtis Kitchen.  Not flashy, but a good all around center.  I was startled at the Donzel Rush inclusion as well.  I don't recall any specifics on his career.