ACC Basketball: All-time starting five for each program (1980-2019)

Pittsburgh Panthers

PG – Brandin Knight (1999-2003)

I said on twitter a few days ago that it’s always interesting when you look back at players’ stats and those numbers don’t reflect how you remember that player. That is the case here. I remember Knight as being a straight-up force for Pitt in the early 2000s, but his numbers were fairly pedestrian. Nevertheless, he made the cut.

The 2002 Big East Player of the Year is legendary in Pitt circles and was the start of a big run of awesome point guards to come through the school. Knight was one of the best two-way players during his time in the Big East, hanging big numbers everywhere. 1,440 points, 492 rebounds, 785 assists, and 298 steals. That’s a career. In fact, that is a career that has only happened two other times since 1992-93. TJ McConnell of Arizona and DJ Cooper of Ohio are the only other guards to have put up those numbers. Just for grins, let’s throw in his 55 blocks. Now he’s all alone.

PG – Carl Krauser (2002-2006)

The man who took over lead guard duties when Knight left also makes the list. Krauser is sometimes forgotten by casual fans. While other Pitt guards may have been flashier or louder, Krauser was just steady…and awesome.

The 3x All-Big East selection put up over 1,600 points in his career. Even though he spent a year playing either behind or alongside Knight, he still averaged 13 points, 4.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game over 126 games. After taking over the lead guard role in 2003-04, he placed in the top 5 of the conference in assists each year and in the top 15 in steals, points and free throws.

Krauser never played in the NBA but has managed to make a living playing basketball.

SF – Sam Young (2005-2009)

I almost didn’t have Sam in. But, he has to be in. The fact that he wasn’t a star at the next level is something that always shocked me.

The 2x Big East selection was quite simply “The Man” for two years in the Big East. From 2007-2009, he put up over 1,300 points and led the Panthers to a 58-15 record and their first No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll in the history of the program. He is also the only player in Pitt history going back to 1992-93 to record a season with 650 points, 200 rebounds, 30 assists, and 30 steals. He did it twice.

Young was taken by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 NBA Draft. He floated around the NBA until 2014 and has been playing overseas ever since.

F – Jerome Lane (1985-1988)

This spot came down to two players. Jerome wins out because he played longer and when one of the most iconic sayings in college basketball history is coined after something you did, you get the nod.

When I think broken backboards I think of three players: Shaquille O’Neal, Darvin Ham, and Jerome Lane. On January 25th, 1988, Lane took a pass from Sean Miller and with one hand shattered the backboard. The color commentator for that game, the great Bill Raftery exclaimed: “Send it in, Jerome!” The rest is history.

Of course, Lane isn’t a one trick pony. The man averaged a double-double for his career and was a 2x All-Big East selection. He led the NCAA in rebounds in 1987-88 with 444 and is 17th on the Big East career list with 970.

Lane was selected 23rd overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1988 NBA draft. He averaged 5.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in 218 games. He would later play in the CBA, leading the league in rebounding four times. He also played overseas.

PF – Charles Smith (1984-1988)

Smith is Pitt’s greatest, correct? I am talking in this time frame. The man is a legend. 2,000 points, 980+ rebounds, 340+ blocks, 100+ assists and 100+ steals. That’s a career, folks. In fact, that’s only happened eight times since 1992-93 in the Big East and ACC combined. Simply incredible.

Smith was a 4x All-Big East selection, Rookie of the Year, and Player of the Year. He still holds the Big East record for free throws made in a season at 202 and is 7th all-time in blocks per game at 3.0.

Smith was the 3rd overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft by the Clippers. He averaged 14.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 564 career games.

Others considered: DeJuan Blair, Chris Taft, Sean Miller, Levance Fields, Aaron Gray, Michael Young, Jamel Artis, Vonteego Cummings, and Julius Page.