NCAA Basketball: Top 10 programs that can be called ‘Point Guard U’
By Amaar Burton
9. NCAA Basketball ” Point Guard U” programs – Memphis Tigers
Despite what the NCAA wants you to believe, Memphis’ 2007-08 season did happen. John Calipari’s Tigers really did make it all the way to the national championship game and lose in an all-time classic to Kansas.
This means Derrick Rose’s one-and-done college career definitely counts for consideration in this Point Guard U debate.
Rose averaged 14.9 points and 4.7 assists per game at Memphis before being picked No. 1 overall in the 2008 NBA Draft. He won Rookie of the Year and in 2011 became the youngest league MVP in history at 22 years old.
Rose was putting together a surefire Hall of Fame resume before injuries cut his prime short. His story is similar to that of Penny Hardaway, another legendary Memphis point guard.
Penny was a consensus All-American and two-time conference Player of the Year, averaging 20.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.5 steals per game in two seasons. He was picked No. 3 in the 1993 draft and was a superstar for the Orlando Magic before injuries grounded him just as he was entering his prime.
Like Rose, the injuries didn’t end Penny’s career, but he was never the same. He is now the head coach at Memphis.
Penny’s path from Memphis point guard to head coach followed the footsteps of Larry Finch.
Finch was an All-American and conference player of the year who led the Tigers to the 1972 national title game, where they lost to UCLA. He played two years in the ABA and later coached Memphis from 1986-97, guiding the program to six NCAA Tournament bids.
Tyreke Evans is up there with any Memphis point guard in terms of talent. Another one-year wonder from the Calipari era, Evans averaged 17.1 points, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game as a freshman. After winning 2009 Conference USA tournament MVP, he helped Memphis to the Sweet Sixteen. One year later, he was voted NBA Rookie of the Year and joined Oscar Robertson, Jordan and LeBron as the only rookies to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists per game.
Elliot Perry didn’t have the raw talent or impressive physical attributes of those aforementioned Memphis point guards, but he was just as productive. The goggles-wearing lefty was small (6’0″, 150 pounds) but he put up 17.5 points, 4.3 assists and 2.5 steals per game from 1987-91.
Other notables: Dajuan Wagner, Andre Turner, Darius Washington Jr., Jeremiah Martin, Antonio Burks, Joe Jackson