7. Clifford Rozier
A mighty 6’11 center and impressive frontcourt presence, Rozier was a native of Bradenton, Florida who originally committed and played at North Carolina under Dean Smith. After barely seeing the court as a freshman, he transferred to Louisville, sitting out a season before starring under Crum between 1992 and 1994 with the Cardinals.
He didn’t do much with the Tar Heels, but Rozier was very impactful in two seasons at Louisville. As a junior, he averaged 15.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, winning Metro Player of the Year and leading the conference in rebounding. His final collegiate season was even more dominant, as Rozier was named a First Team All-American and led the Metro in a number of statistics, including points, rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage. Rozier also helped lead Louisville to a pair of Sweet Sixteen appearances.
Hall of Fame @LouisvilleMBB head coach Denny Crum passed away this morning.
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) May 9, 2023
Crum spent 30 seasons as Louisville head coach and over that time amassed a 675-295 record, won two NCAA titles, had 23 NCAA Tournament Appearances, and made six Final Fours. pic.twitter.com/AcAY9TCfeu
The 16th pick of the 1994 NBA Draft, he played briefly in the NBA, scoring just over 800 points across four seasons. He was a star in the Florida high school scene who blossomed even further at Louisville, ranking among the program’s most efficient performers. His numbers could have been even more impressive had he played a full career under Crum with the Cardinals, though he still leads the program in career field goal percentage. Sadly, Rozier died of a heart attack just five years ago in his hometown of Bradenton.