SEC
BRACKET: Who was the best SEC men’s basketball player of all time?
Not having basketball this month sucks. Yes, there are more important things than sports as the world fights back against a COVID-19 outbreak, but not having sports is still tough to handle.
So, as we continue to make our way through a sports-less March, we here at Saturday Down South figured we’d give you fans something to vote on.
We’ve put together a bracket of 32 of the best SEC men’s basketball players of all time. Your job? Vote on each matchup to determine who ultimately gets crowned the winner.
Starting Sunday, March 22, and running over the next couple of weeks, we’ll have each matchup posted on our Twitter account (@SDS) and on Instagram (@SaturdayDownSouth). Head over there to vote for who you think should win each matchup, and we’ll update things as the bracket moves along.
A couple of notes:
- Every team had to have at least one player in the bracket.
- Every player had to have played while his school was in the SEC.
Without further ado, here are all of the first-round matchups you’ll have a chance to vote on between now and Wednesday:
Pistol Bracket:
(1) Pete Maravich, LSU vs. (8) Jabari Brown, Mizzou
- Maravich (1967-70): 44.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists per game
- 3x SEC Player of the Year (1968, 1969, 1970)
- 2x College Basketball Player of the Year (1969, 1970)
- 3x NCAA scoring leader (1968, 1969, 1970)
- Brown (2012-14): 17.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists per game
(2) Corliss Williamson, Arkansas vs. (7) Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State
- Williamson (1992-95): 19.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.0 blocks per game
- NCAA champion (1994)
- 2x SEC Player of the Year (1994, 1995)
- Varnado (2006-10): 10.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.0 blocks per game
- 2x NCAA blocks leader (2008, 2009)
- 3x SEC Defensive Player of the year (2008, 2009, 2010)
(3) Bernard King, Tennessee vs. (6) Joakim Noah, Florida
- King (1974-77): 25.8 points, 13.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists per game
- 3x SEC Player of the Year (1975, 1976, 1977)
- Noah (2004-07): 10.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 blocks per game
- 2x NCAA champion (2006, 2007)
(4) Johnny Neumann, Ole Miss vs. (5) Bailey Howell, Mississippi State
- Neumann (1970-71): 40.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists per game
- SEC Player of the Year (1971)
- NCAA scoring leader (1971)
- Howell (1956-59): 27.1 points, 17.0 rebounds per game
- SEC Most Valuable Player (1958, 1959)
Diesel Bracket:
(1) Shaquille O’Neal, LSU vs. (8) Tyler Davis, Texas A&M
- O’Neal (1989-92): 21.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.6 blocks, 1.7 assists, 1.2 steals per game
- 2x SEC Player of the Year (1991, 1992)
- College Basketball Player of the Year (1991)
- NCAA rebounds leader (1991)
- NCAA blocks leader (1992)
- Davis (2015-18): 13.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.1 blocks per game
(2) Charles Barkley, Auburn vs. (7) John Stroud, Ole Miss
- Barkley (1981-84): 14.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.7 blocks
- SEC Player of the Year (1984)
- Stroud (1976-80): 21.2 points, 7.5 rebounds per game
(3) Grant Williams, Tennessee vs. (6) Al Horford, Florida
- Williams (2016-19): 15.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 blocks per game
- 2x SEC Player of the Year (2018, 2019)
- Horford (2004-07): 10.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 blocks per game
- 2x NCAA champion (2006, 2007)
(4) Dan Issel, Kentucky vs. (5) Reggie King, Alabama
- Issel (1967-70): 25.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists per game
- King: (1975-79): 18.4 points, 10.8 rebounds per game
- 2x SEC Player of the Year (1978, 1979)
Human Highlight Bracket:
(1) Dominique Wilkins, Georgia vs. (8) Shan Foster, Vanderbilt
- Wilkins (1979-82): 21.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.7 blocks per game
- SEC Player of the Year (1981)
- Foster (2004-08): 15.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists per game
- SEC Player of the Year (2008)
(2) Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, LSU vs. (7) Dale Ellis, Tennessee
- Abdul-Rauf (1988-90): 29.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.7 steals per game
- 2x SEC Player of the Year (1989, 1990)
- Ellis (1979-83): 17.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals per game
- 2x SEC Player of the Year (1982, 1983)
(3) Bob Pettit, LSU vs. (6) Chuck Person, Auburn
- Pettit (1951-54): 27.4 points, 14.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists per game
- Person (1982-86): 18.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals per game
(4) John Wall, Kentucky vs. (5) Alex English, South Carolina
- Wall (2009-10): 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.8 steals per game
- SEC Player of the Year (2010)
- English (1972-76): 17.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.1 steals, 2.0 blocks per game
Brow Bracket:
(1) Anthony Davis, Kentucky vs. (8) Vernon Maxwell, Florida
- Davis (2011-12): 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 4.7 blocks per game
- College Basketball Player of the Year (2012)
- SEC Player of the Year (2012)
- SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2012)
- NCAA blocks leader (2012)
- Maxwell (1984-88): 18.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.6 steals per game
(2) Allan Houston, Tennessee vs. (7) Scottie Wilbekin, Florida
- Houston (1989-93): 21.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.0 steals per game
- Wilbekin (2010-14): 6.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals per game
- SEC Player of the Year (2014)
(3) Chris Lofton, Tennessee vs. (6) Jamal Mashburn, Kentucky
- Lofton (2004-08): 16.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.5 steals per game
- SEC Player of the Year (2007)
- Mashburn (1990-93): 18.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals per game
- SEC Player of the Year (1993)
(4) Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina vs. (5) Glen Davis, LSU
- Thornwell (2013-17): 14.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals per game
- SEC Player of the Year (2017)
- Davis (2004-07): 16.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.2 blocks per game
- SEC Player of the Year (2006)
I don’t see Marquis Daniels or Bryce Brown on this list. Brown is iffy but Daniels is a no-brainer
I was kind of surprised Chris Porter isn’t on the bracket. All American, SEC Player of the Year, and was on the cover of SI. Yeah, his senior year was a catastrophe, but he was the best in the league the previous two years.
Why isn’t John Jenkins on the list? Led the SEC in scoring 2 seasons straight, no other SEC player has done that. Top 5 best shooter in SEC history.
Pete Maravich did it three in a row. Actually led the nation all three seasons.
Ronnie Henderson (LSU), Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (LSU) and Tony White (Tennessee) have all done it since 1985. And, like LSUSMC said, Pistol Pete did it 3 years in a row.
Care to try again?
Sid Moncrief not on the list. Not a credible list.
He didn’t play in the SEC.
You’re right my bad. He’s the first person to do it since Ronnie Henderson. Almost 20 years. Jenkins averaged 11 ppg his freshman year, and almost 20 ppg his sophomore and junior year. He tied the SEC record back then for 3 pointers made in a season and led the nation in made 3s per game. Yet you put Lofton, Thornwell, Maxwell, wilbekin on the list just cause they were SEC player of the year.
Dale Ellis seems too low as a 7 seed. He was Conference player of the year twice. That should carry more weight.
Yeah I agree
Pete Maravich, hands down. Why is this even being discussed?
Boredom.
The disrespect to Bailey Howell on this list is unbelievable. 5 seed? He was the best player in the SEC and would have gone number 1 in the NBA draft if not for a guy named Wilt Chamberlain. He was 2x player of the year averaging 27.1 and 17. And you put Grant Williams #3?!!! What in the world dude!
Bailey wasn’t a bust in the pro’s either. He was a key member of the Celtic’s run in the 60’s. Adam, I don’t think you even tried on this bracket with State players. The crazy part is…you’ve got all the time in the world right now. Here’s some names: Jeff Malone, Eric Dampier, Robert Lawrence, Timmy Bowers…
Anyways, Pete Maravich is the best player ever in the SEC. All SEC starting 5: Pete Maravich, Chris Jackson (MAR), Dominique Wilkins, Bailey Howell, Dan Issel.
No Shaq at center?
LSUSMC, I agree Shaq must be on any all-sec all-time starting five. But I also agree Irenaus’ main point. Howell is seeded far too low. Maybe Howell played too long ago. SDS staffers are notoriously under-educated about sports history from before they were born. Maybe it’s the ppg. But Howell played before the shot clock and we know what that did for scoring. Heck, even I scored (with several young ladies) after the shot clock went into effect in the mid ’80s.
In college, I take Dan Issel. In basketball in general, Shaq. (I actually typed Shaq’s name before I double checked the history.)
Pete maravich is considered by most to be the best ncaa basketball player, ever. Bailey Howell is the easy number two for the conference. Many of these players were great, but NONE hold a candle to the two above. And both of you them predate the threepointer. Varnado is one of the best defensive players ever, but including him here when he wasn’t even the best overall player on his team is a miss. Your stats are incomplete, you should have the same columns for all and denote the year the 3 pointer was introduced and possibly dunks as well. Neumann was a scoring machine because he played on an otherwise awful team. All numbers have context, as research would tell. Pistol, and aside from Howell he is quite alone. More interesting would be determining the third best, as that is where argument is justified.
I wouldn’t put Jarvis on the list either. He wouldn’t make State’s all-time starting 5.
Pistol Pete. Floppy socks and all. Moving on.
LSU has a great starting five on this list. Maravich and Jackson at Guard, Petit and Davis at Forward, and Shaq at Center. Quite the group.
LSU has a ridiculous talent history.
Pettit should be at least a number 2 seed.
My final four:
Maravich
O’Neal (hard though it is to pick against Sir Charles)
Pettit
Davis
Pete Maravich and Chris Jackson were the two best guards in the SEC, IMO. The rest are debatable. I’ll show some respect to Reggie King from Alabama, who is not getting much here. He was a man underneath the basket. Tough to keep off the boards. He won some key games and also kept Alabama close in some games that they should have easily lost. Issel was also tough and engaged in some historic scoring matches with Maravich. Both seem to be bitten by the bug called “too long ago to remember”, although the great Pistol Pete transcends time and memory.
You are obviously to young to have seen Chris Jackson play. He was the best. Avg 30 points a game. 2 time SEC poy, 2 time 1st team AA. AS A FRESHMAN AND SOPH. and back then most guys were 3 or 4 year players. If a guy average 20 pts a game these days they act like hes all that. Plus the way he did it, unbelievable. Pistol Pete is the only one who may be better.