Veterans Day All-Military Team

If somehow you live under a rock and have not checked your overwhelmed social media feeds, today is Veterans Day. Everyday, the men and women of our armed forces put their lives on the line to protect our country. Politics aside, there can be no argument that they don’t sacrifice a lot to keep us safe.

The NCAA basketball, specifically the Navy Midshipmen and Army Black Knights, have a grand tradition of providing young men the opportunity to not only play the game they love, but also prepare them to lead our troops. On this day of reflection about the importance of the brave individuals who serve in our military, here’s a look at our all-military team that is made up of the best players who suited up for Army or Navy.

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Point Guard, Kevin Houston, Army – The diminutive point guard is probably one of the most explosive scorers you’ve never heard of. During his senior year in 1986-87, Houston lead all of Division I basketball scoring 32.9 points a game. He still holds a plethora of records at West Point, including most points scored in a game (53), most points in a season (953), and career points (2,325). The former third team All-American never made it to the NBA, but his scoring at Army was a thing of beauty.

Shooting Guard, Greg Sprink, Navy – Not since David Robinson (we’ll get to him in a minute) has Navy had such an accomplished player. During his senior year in 2007-08, Sprink averaged 21.8 points and 6.3 rebounds a game. That year, he also earned Patriot League Player of the Year honors, was a part of the Mid-Major All-American team, and named 2008 Amateur Star of the Year by the San Diego Hall of Champions.

Forward, Dale Hall, Army – Dale Hall was not only a basketball star for the Black Knights, he also excelled at football as well. Hall earned All-American status at Army in 1944 and 1945. Sport News also named Hall College Basketball Player of the Year in 1945. He moved on to coach Army football from 1959-1961, compiling a 16-11-2 record.

Forward, Mike Silliman, Army – When Bob Knight calls you the best college player he has ever coached, you know you’re something special. Silliman played under Knight and took Army to the NIT semi-finals from 1964-1966. He also captained the 1968 Olympic basketball team to a gold medal finish. He would later be drafted by the Buffalo Braves of the NBA in 1970, where he would play one season, scoring 91 points in 36 games.

Center, David Robinson, Navy – What else is there to say about the Hall of Famer? David Robinson is the most accomplished player to ever come out of a military affiliated school. He was a consensus All-American his final two years at Navy and also earned the Naismith and Wooden Awards his senior year. In his senior year, Robinson used his 7’0 frame to define dominance, averaging 28.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks a game (which was a regression from the 5.9 blocks a game he swatted the year before). Even though they were aware that Robinson had to complete his mandatory military service for 2 years, the San Antonio Spurs still used a No. 1 overall draft pick on him to secure his talents. Safe to say, they made the right decision.