What if one-and-done were three-and-done? – ESPN
Ten years ago the one-and-done rule was put in place, altering both the NBA and college basketball. It also left us with a lasting question: What if?
What if college basketball players were beholden to the same draft rules as college football players? What if the road to the NBA was the same as the road to the NFL? What if players had to remain on campus at least three seasons? What if some actually stayed four?
What if Kevin Durant stayed at Texas longer than one season? What Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook had Jrue Holiday’s help?
What if the stars from Kentucky’s 2012 title run didn’t replace, but instead played with Wildcats’ top-five picks from 2010? What if Duke’s Jabari Parker walked onto the floor at Cameron Indoor Stadium with Justise Winslow and Brandon Ingram?
Imagine those lineups.
Presenting the best college basketball teams that never were, ranked using win shares from their collegiate days.
Kentucky (2010-2012)
John Wall
DeMarcus Cousins
Brandon Knight
Anthony Davis
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Jay Bilas’ take: The Wildcats are the only program with more than one “one-and-done” squad, but this one is the best. With five NBA lottery selections — including John Wall, the speediest dude on any of these rosters, DeMarcus Cousins, the best rebounder and interior scorer on any of these rosters, and Anthony Davis, the best two-way player on any of these rosters — this Kentucky team would be incredibly formidable. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist would add another versatile defensive stopper and winner, and Brandon Knight another scorer. This is the most accomplished group of NBA players, but not the best group of perimeter shooters. The inability to consistently knock down perimeter shots would be the only relative weakness.
Texas (2006-2007)
Kevin Durant
LaMarcus Aldridge
D.J. Augustin
Connor Atchley
A.J. Abrams
Bilas’ take: The Longhorns have a transcendent scorer in Kevin Durant and one of the most underrated big men on any of these rosters in LaMarcus Aldridge. Scoring up front would be a given. Yet, the guards are small, with A.J. Abrams and D.J. Augustin both measuring under 6-foot. Connor Atchley is a long-armed shooter who can really stretch the floor and is the only guy on the roster to have played in NCAA tournament games and manager games. Texas would be able to score with any of these rosters, but defense and rebounding would be a relative weakness.
Duke (2014-2016)
Jabari Parker
Jahlil Okafor
Justise Winslow
Tyus Jones
Brandon Ingram
Bilas’ take: This group of Dukies are the most skilled of any of these fives, and one of the few with five first-round NBA draft selections. Ingram, Parker and Winslow as the most dynamic wings among this group of teams. Tyus Jones was an extraordinary leader on the college level, and Jahlil Okafor was nearly unstoppable in the post. Offense would not be a problem for this group, and this is among the most talented and offensively gifted quintets. But, this would not be the best defensive five that Mike Krzyzewski could put on the floor.
UCLA (2008-2009)
Russell Westbrook
Kevin Love
Jrue Holiday
Darren Collison
Alfred Aboya
Bilas’ take: Kevin Love was an absolute beast in college, and one of the best passing, strongest rebounding big men in the college game. Love could throw a chest pass from one baseline into the opposite basket, and do so with ease. Alfred Aboya was long and active, and nobody was better doubling the post. While the guards are talented and explosive, Russell Westbrook and Jrue Holiday were both much more effective as pros than they were in college (and they were pretty effective in college).
Kentucky (2014-2016)
Karl-Anthony Towns
Julius Randle
James Young
Devin Booker
Jamal Murray
Bilas’ take: Kentucky has two teams among these rosters, but the first group was just a bit better overall. Karl-Anthony Towns is the Anthony Davis of this squad, and the talented big man is surrounded with excellent perimeter shooting. No other team can boast the excellent shooting tandem of Devin Booker and Jamal Murray. This team isn’t better offensively than the 2010-12 squad, but certainly one of the better offensive teams.
Ohio State (2007-2009)
Greg Oden
Daequan Cook
Mike Conley Jr.
Kosta Koufos
B.J. Mullens
Bilas’ take: Coach Thad Matta boasts five different first-round selections and a group of big men that include the best young big man of the decade in Greg Oden. Before he was injured, people forget that Oden was an absolute beast and dominated the college game before getting injured as a pro. Mike Conley is as solid as any point guard, but the size along the front line actually limits this team a bit as it cannot stretch the floor. But, this group can damn sure protect the rim.
Memphis (2008-2010)
Derrick Rose
Tyreke Evans
Elliot Williams
Doneal Mack
Willie Kemp
Bilas’ take: Anytime you are picking Final Four teams, it often comes down to “counting the pros.” This Memphis group has Derrick Rose, who took the 2008 Tigers to the Final Four, and Tyreke Evans, a big point guard who could bully smaller guards and score over them. Yet Memphis has Williams, Mack and Kemp, none of whom were able to work their way into the NBA for an extended period. Rose and Evans would keep them in the game against anyone, but this group does not have the same firepower as some of the other rosters.
North Carolina (2010-2012)
Harrison Barnes
Ed Davis
Kendall Marshall
Tyler Zeller
John Henson
Bilas’ take: The only thing that kept the bulk of this team from reaching the National Championship game in 2012 was an injury to Kendall Marshall. If healthy, that 2012 North Carolina team would have given Kentucky a great run in that final game. This group has a great passer and leader in Marshall, a versatile scorer and alpha dog in Harrison Barnes, two long-armed defenders and rebounders in Henson and Davis, and the best running big man in Tyler Zeller. Kentucky 2010-2012 is the most complete roster, but North Carolina 2010-2012 is not far off. Neither Kentucky nor North Carolina are great shooting teams, but they can do everything else.
*Teams were constructed with players who could have been at the same school in the given two or three-year period and ranked using win share data from basketballreference.com
*Teams lacking five early-entry selections were filled with upperclassmen with most win shares from the same three-year period
