When it comes to the NBA, most would agree that Michael Jordan is the greatest of all-time. He won six NBA championships (and finals MVPs), he’s a five-time MVP and a 10-time scoring champion.
But he absolutely wasn’t the greatest player that college basketball had ever seen. There’s not even a debate.
Yet, with the NCAA tournament canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic, ESPN decided to hold a GOAT college basketball player bracket. This bracket was left up to the fans, so we can’t blame ESPN for the decision. But the final result could not have been more off the mark.
In the final, Michael Jordan defeated Larry Bird while Lew Alcindor (who would later go by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) lost to Shaquille O’Neal (!!!) early in the bracket.
Alcindor should have won that bracket easily as a three-time champion and three-time National Player of the Year at UCLA. Alcindor was so dominant that the NCAA decided to ban dunking to make it fair. So, when the final result was unveiled, college hoops fans were justifiably upset.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/Lew Alcindor is decisively the undisputed GOAT of college basketball! During his 3 years at UCLA he led the Bruins to an 88-2 record, won 3 National Championships, was 3X National College Player of the Year, AND was 3X NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player. pic.twitter.com/94QzdU6N0V
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 1, 2020
ESPN’s bracket of the 64 Greatest Players in College Hoop history is great. But, come on. Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) is the greatest college player EVER. Period. No reasonable debate. To even suggest otherwise is foolish. @espn @CollegeGameDay @kaj33 pic.twitter.com/8MUZRw6Dxa
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) March 25, 2020
Y'all should be ashamed of yourselves and y'all REALLY owe Kareem Abdul Jabbar a very sincere apology and I'm SOOOOOO SERIOUS…
Lew Alcindor is HANDS DOWN and INARGUABLY The Greatest College Player to ever touch a basketball…
Jordan ain't even 3rd…😏 https://t.co/cytMcOK1QV
— Wesley Bacchus Sr. (@CoachWesSCF) April 1, 2020
Don’t think this is even a debate: Lew Alcindor / Kareem Abdul-Jabber is the GOAT of men’s college basketball.
Obviously voting would end with Jordan winning, and if ESPN had LeBron & Kobe in there, they would’ve somehow made the Final Four despite not even playing in college. https://t.co/MEIDahKaLX
— Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) April 1, 2020
Actual #CBB 🐐 rankings:
1a. Lew Alcindor
1b. Christian Laettner
2. Bill Walton
3. Bill Russell
4. Pete Maravich
5. Oscar Robertson
6. David Thompson
7. Jerry West
8. Larry Bird
9. Jerry Lucas
10. Ralph Sampson https://t.co/fLsfHrSVDP— Rick Heidrick (@rheidrick24) April 1, 2020
I love MJ as much as anyone, but he is not the G.O.A.T. of College MBB.
No.
Lew Alcindor forever.— JediASU (@JediASU) April 1, 2020
Fans voted Shaq as a better college basketball player than Lew Alcindor??? Lol.
Maybe the most obvious sign yet as to how dumb and self-absorbed younger generations can be.
Learn something about history.
— Justin Termine (@TermineRadio) March 26, 2020
No way. Not even close. Lew Alcindor is the GOAT of college basketball. https://t.co/7kT5vem4MG
— Big Game James (@GeneralBK) April 1, 2020
The correct answer is Lew Alcindor. It's also not even close. https://t.co/sJUdhhJ4Fx
— Mike Garcia (@CanyonDriver) April 1, 2020
How Lew Alcindor (or Pete Maravich, Bill Walton) doesn’t win amplifies the simple fact plaguing this nation: our demo stayed home and didn’t vote. https://t.co/wGu72cAJmX
— Christopher Gabriel (@CGProgram) April 1, 2020
Dear Basketball fans, Stop with the Foolishness! Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar) is the GOAT of College Basketball. He had an 88-2 record. Won 3 Nat'l Chips, 3x College Player of the Year, 3x MOP…No one can compare…..No One! Carry On…
— LeVelle Moton (@LeVelleMoton) April 1, 2020
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