I think this is the difficult part for Coley and Ruffin. They don't really compare to the best ever in a TU uniform or the guys already in the rafters for one reason or another.
Players who should have their jerseys in the rafters?
- Thread starter astonmartin708
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I would probably put Ruffin up there based on his college production and being in the NBA for parts of 9 years. There are not a lot of TU guys with lengthy NBA careers.
I put up support for Ruffin earlier, but #23 on all-time points hardly screams number retirement worthy. Top 10 and we have a really solid argument. Same with Coley. The fact that Ruffin put up the block and rebound numbers he did playing as an undersized 5 (6'9" is pushing it for Michael) is a true testament to how good he was. As someone else mentioned, I don't think the NBA career should have any bearing on whether or not you should retire a college player's jersey.
Really Strong Posts....Except for Ruffin's rebounds and blocks, and Coley's steals,
those two guys were the epitome of being game changers/deciders in non-statistical
ways....Pressey also belongs in that rather small Cadre of TU players who could so
influence a game without filling up an offensive stat sheet......
I hope TK might be that type of player for us this season.....Being raised on Iba (Hank)
type basketball, I have always been very appreciative of players who work their tails
off (and have the physical and emotional gifts) to keep the other team from scoring....
Has any TU player ever had a better senior season than Gary Collier? MVC MVP, and two unbelievable NCAA games in perhaps the two most memorable NCAA games in TU history.
His previous seasons would be what keeps his jersey from being retired. He was good as a sophomore and junior, but not great.
His previous seasons would be what keeps his jersey from being retired. He was good as a sophomore and junior, but not great.
After his (Collier's) senior year in HS, I attended an All Star game in
FWorth that he and another TU signee (a slim white guard that was only
at TU for a year) played in.....
My friends in Tulsa called the next day to find out how our signees did...
I told them that he (Collier) was player of the game and the leading
scorer, but that he didn't look fast or very athletic.....
Later in the summer he played in the Faith Seven game in Okla....One
of my friends who went to the game, called to say that Collier was POG
and leading scorer, but agreed with my description of him....
Go figure....Recruiting must be an art....It is definitely not a science....
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I think that depends on the program. There just haven't been a lot of TU guys play a long time in the NBA. It means something and, in my opinion, provides a bump for a player. Ruffin's TU career is borderline (probably just below borderline) for getting a jersey retired but I think the lengthy NBA career boosts him just above the cutline. I think having NBA alumni means something to the program, the fans and recruits.
If that's the case, then 'Bingo' Smith is a shoo-in...He probably had the best NBA
career of any TU BB player.....
Jim 'Country' King, Ruffin, 'Bingo' Smith, and Paul 'Rubber Band Man' Pressey
are the ones with extended years of NBA play that I can remember....Steve
Bracey was in the area of five yrs....Jerome Jordan has been in and out for two
or three years, and Uzoh maybe a couple....Shea Seals' career was foreshortened
by a serious leg injury.....Most others were nothing too much more than a 'cup
of coffee'.....Possibly others remember other players that I don't......
'Bingo' Smith was a great player for us and for the Cavs in the NBA...He should
certainly be considered.....
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Senior, the comments about Collier are just as I remember. I remember that he was a 6-4 tweener who wasn't that athletic and wasn't an outside shooter in high school. Just productive. I remember him being referred to as a "garbage man" because he was opportune in his scoring.
He worked hard on his outside shot when Tubby took over and Tubby's teams were throwing up a lot of three's. A great example of a coaching change changing someone's career. I had heard J.D. wanted to run Collier off.
What a weapon it was to have a four catch the ball at the top of the key on the secondary break and immediately fire up a three. The opposition didn't know what hit them.
He worked hard on his outside shot when Tubby took over and Tubby's teams were throwing up a lot of three's. A great example of a coaching change changing someone's career. I had heard J.D. wanted to run Collier off.
What a weapon it was to have a four catch the ball at the top of the key on the secondary break and immediately fire up a three. The opposition didn't know what hit them.
