NCAA Basketball: 5 most important players from 2000-2009 seasons

5. Jameer Nelson – Saint Joseph’s, 2004

Nelson and running mate, Delonte West, led Saint Joseph’s to a perfect 27-0 regular-season record, beating teams like Cal, Gonzaga, and Villanova in the process. Saint Joseph’s was actually the #1 ranked team in the country heading into conference tournament play, ahead of schools like Stanford, Kentucky, and Gonzaga.

A last-second shot by Oklahoma State’s John Lucas ended their magical season in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament. Nelson could obviously score (20.6 ppg) and distribute (5.3 apg), but what made him so special was his ability to always make the right play. His command of that team was something to behold, as was his ability to square up a defender and hit mid-range jump shots.

He was also incredibly tough on the defensive end, averaging 2.8 steals per game as a senior. Nelson played in 125 games for St. Joe’s and started in every one of them. In addition, his 234 field goals made as a senior led the Atlantic 10. He was the Naismith, Wooden, and AP National Player of the Year in 2004 and was selected by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA draft.

For Philly fans, St. Joe’s was respected for a long time, but Nelson brought national recognition to the school and coach, Phil Martelli.