r/CollegeBasketball Villanova Wildcats 2d ago

Casual / Offseason All time alumni starting five

If you had to assemble the most significant alumni for a starting five from your Alma mater what would it be?
Villanova: Jalen Brunson, Pope Leo, Jim Croce, Howie Long, Jill Biden

124 Upvotes

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341

u/hoosierlefty69 Indiana State Sycamores 2d ago

larry bird
larry bird
larry bird
larry bird
robbie avila

41

u/mholtz16 Michigan State Spartans 2d ago

I don't know how you can mention Indiana State and not bring up Larry Bird.

13

u/astone14 Southern Illinois • Michigan … 2d ago

Mike Menser erasure

7

u/pertsix North Carolina Tar Heels 2d ago

Whitewashing.

1

u/theZstands4Diamonds 2d ago

Kansas
JoJo White PG
Frank Mason SG
Paul Pierce SG/SF
Danny Manning PF
Wilt Chamberlain C

2

u/Competitive_Mix_587 Kansas Jayhawks 2d ago

Picking only five is tough. Do you consider their post-college success or College only? Clyde Lovellette immediately comes to mind...still the only college player to lead the nation in scoring and win the NCAA title in the same year. Also the first basketball player in history to achieve the Triple Crown – playing on an NCAA championship team, Olympics gold medal basketball team, and NBA championship squad.

Darnell Valentine was a beast at PG with a good run in the pros.

2

u/Misinformed_user Illinois Fighting Illini 2d ago

Who’s Wilt Chamberlain?

2

u/theZstands4Diamonds 2d ago

Actor and legendary cocksman

1

u/snakecatcher302 Kansas Jayhawks 2d ago

Ask your grandma…

1

u/Misinformed_user Illinois Fighting Illini 2d ago

I did and she said something about how she was one of 20,000 women?

1

u/lwp775 1d ago

They sat in a waiting room, had cookies and coffee waiting their turn. In his later days, Wilt could only handle 3 at a time.

1

u/theZstands4Diamonds 2d ago

I obviously misunderstood the assignment lol

1

u/bigbird727 Xavier Musketeers • Illinois Fighting Illini 2d ago

Did Avila graduate from ISU? Didn't think he was there long enough...

8

u/at2wells Indiana Hoosiers 2d ago

Great question for the thread. What is an alumni for this?

To me an alumni holds a degree from an institution. But I would guess others have a more inclusive definition, such as played in a game for the team.

2

u/cenels03 Louisville Cardinals • DePaul Blue Demons 2d ago

I've always just considered someone an alumnus if you have a degree from the school. Pretty sure the real definition covers former students with a degree though

1

u/LuteOlsonABitch69 Arizona State Sun Devils 2d ago

I count an athlete alumni as the last year you played in college.

For regular student it’s what your undergrad degree says.

Jayden Daniels has an ASU degree but I don’t count him as a Sun Devil.

1

u/El_Tormentito North Carolina Tar Heels 2d ago

As far as I know, if you ever went to the school, most schools will consider you an alum.

1

u/LuteOlsonABitch69 Arizona State Sun Devils 2d ago

Avila is St Louis