NCAA Basketball: Mount Rushmores for the top 25 programs of all-time

Oklahoma Basketball Mount Rushmore: Blake Griffin, Trae Young, Wayman Tisdale, Buddy Hield

Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin only spent two seasons in Norman, but was absolutely unstoppable as a sophomore in 2008-09, averaging 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds per game. His play made him a consensus All-American and earned him National Player of the Year honors.

Griffin also carried the Oklahoma Sooners to the Elite Eight that year, becoming the first player in 40 years to record 114 points and 60 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament.

The Los Angeles Clippers made Blake Griffin the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. He quickly became one of the best players and most exciting dunkers in the league – after missing his entire 2009-10 season due to a stress fracture in his knee.

Trae Young

Before you think this is any sort of recency bias, remember this – Trae Young is still the only player in college basketball history to lead the country in points and assists, a mark that should not go unrecognized. He scored more points than Kevin Durant did at Texas and was a consensus First-Team All-American.

Young did struggle a bit (by his standards) later in the season as defenses started to really focus on him, but he also performed in the NCAA Tournament – he recorded 28 points, seven assists and five rebounds against the Rhode Island Rams, becoming the second freshman ever to put up those numbers in an NCAA Tournament game.

Wayman Tisdale

Wayman Tisdale was every bit as dominant as both Griffin and Young were for Oklahoma, and he did so over a longer period of time in Norman. He was a consensus All-American and Big Eight Player of the Year in all three seasons he played for the Sooners, averaging 25.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game for his career.

Tisdale was the first player to be named a First-Team All-American following each of his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons. He is still the school’s all-time scoring leader with 2,661 points.

Buddy Hield

Buddy Hield went from being a role player, to a really good starter, to a star throughout his four years at Oklahoma. That gradual development came to a head during his senior season in 2015-16, as he averaged 25 points per game. He finished his career with 2,291 points, which is second in program history behind Tisdale.

The Bahamas native was named National Player of the Year for his efforts in 2016, while also earning his second consecutive Big 12 Player of the Year award. Hield also carried Oklahoma to the school’s fifth Final Four appearance that year.