Point Guard: Baron Davis
Davis has been one of the best point guards over the last ten years. So far in 615 games played, he has averaged 17.1 points, 7.2 assists, four rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game. He has been selected to the All-Star team twice and has led the league in steals per game twice. Finally, he has been selected to the All-NBA third team once.
Shooting Guard: Gail Goodrich
Goodrich was one of the best all-around guards. In 1,031 games played, he averaged 18.6 points, 4.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. He was selected to the All-Star team five times in his career, and was selected to the All-NBA team once as a member of the first team. He was the leading scorer of the legendary Lakers team in the 1971-1972 season that won 33 consecutive games and 69 games total.
Small Forward: Jamaal Wilkes
Wilkes was one of the best and most-underrated players in his generation. In 828 games played, he averaged 17.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 steals, and a 49.9 career field-goal percentage. He was selected to the All-Star team three times and won the Rookie of the Year Award in the 1974-75 season. He helped lead the Warriors and Lakers to a total of three championships.
Power Forward: Bill Walton
While Walton played his entire career at center, I am putting him at the power forward position. In an injury plagued 468 career games, he had averaged 13.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks, while shooting 52.1 percent from the field. He was selected to the All-Star team twice in his career and won the MVP award in the 1977-78 season. Finally, he led the Blazers to their only championship, and helped the Celtics win another one as a sixth man.
Center: Kareem Abdul-Jabaar
Kareem is without a doubt the greatest center of all time, and arguably the greatest player of all time. He is the all-time leader in points scored, MVP awards, and All-Star appearances. In 1,560 games played, he had averaged 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.6 blocks, while shooting an amazing 55.9 percent from the field. He was selected to the All-Star team an amazing 19 times.
He won six MVP awards throughout the '70s and into the early '80s. He was selected to the All-NBA team fifteen times, with ten of the appearances as a member of the first team. He was also a good defensive player, as he was selected to the All-NBA Defensive team ten times, with five of the appearances on the first team. Finally, he led the Bucks to their only championship, and helped lead the Lakers to five titles in the '80s.
Bench
Guard: Lucius Allen
Guard: Reggie Miller
Forward: Marques Johnson
Forward: Kiki Vandeweghe
Center: Sidney Wicks
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about 1 month ago
Interesting Baron Davis is the only one not to be selected as a consensus 1st Team AA and is starting.
Two others, Ed OBannon and Walt Hazzard, both First Team AA deserve a shot. Can you carry twelve? Just glad you spared us the Kevin Love selection.
Always a treat Marcel...
about 1 month ago
I totally agree with this lineup. I think that lineup is better than any lineup any other college basketball program can put up because Kareem and Walton in the middle would be too devastating on both ends of the court for opponents to handle. It's also interesting how Reggie Miller, a probable hall of famer, isn't even starting.
from about 1 month ago
Marlon,
I was wondering the same. As great as Gail was, I think Miller should be the starting somewhere. Maybe his lack of a Championship ring landed him on the bench, but his clutch shooting and pesky defense is very hard to ignore.
from about 1 month ago
agreed. gail goodrich had a storied nba career, but you can't start him over the 6'7" greatest shooter in nba history. id move goodrich to point and make davis ride pine.
btw, this team is definitely coached by john wooden.
about 1 month ago
Nice list, Marcel. It earns a POTD vote from me.
about 1 month ago
wickes never played center? wickes and curtis rowe were the forwards steve paterson was the high post center at ucla.
about 1 month ago
I'm wondering, is the list based on their college performance or how they did as pro's? If it's based on college, wouldn't you have to include their all time leading scorer, Don MacLean?
about 1 month ago
Marcel...ignore my Ed O comment. I noticed your title said "All NBA" team. I assume this means pro careers after the UCLA days. My bad.
about 1 month ago
This is a great lineup. UCLA is 100% the best college basketball program ever. Imagine if Walton and Kareem had played together. They would've been dominant offensively and defensively.
about 1 month ago
Ed O'Bannon anyone? I'm happy that UCLA players make good NBA players, but there aren't a ton of dominant players who wear the powder blue and gold. There may be, but I've been forever scarred by Cade McNown.
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