Your all-time favorite Gopher basketball player

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UpAndUnder43

UpAndUnder43

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Please name the guy or girl that is your all-time favorite. I have to think some people here are Lindsay Whalen fans above any single male player.

Younger me? Quincy Lewis, no doubt. He was obviously very good and as a kid growing up in Central Minnesota he seemed cool. Plus I was the perfect age to have a favorite like him. I was 11-12-13 when he was a Gopher. Makes it easy to not see anything but the good in a player/team. Those teams were fun to watch too.

Adult me? This is tougher. So many guys provided great memories but I think the only guy I shed a tear for on senior night was Jordan Murphy. Epitomized being a Gopher. Talented, hard working and he put up some really great numbers. Stuck through some tough things early in his career and turned into an all-time great Gopher.

Sadly I missed a lot of the glory days. I didn't see McHale, Thompson, Tucker or Burton so I'll go with Q and Murph and be happy.
 

I have to go with Bobby J

But I forgot to add Townsend Orr as a close second
 
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Generation 1 Childhood- Ray Williams
Generation 2 Teens/College Trent Tucker
Generation 3 Thought I was grown up- Bobby Jackson
Generation 4 Grown up and limited success- Tie Vincent Grier/Daniel Oturu/Blake Hoffarber

Asking for just one, especially with old guys, is an impossible task.
 


I like the through the generations idea...

Early Life - Sam Jacobson
Mid Life - Trevor Mbakwe
Present - Murphy/Oturu
 

Holy Man said:
Generation 1 Childhood- Ray Williams
Generation 2 Teens/College Trent Tucker
Generation 3 Thought I was grown up- Bobby Jackson
Generation 4 Grown up and limited success- Tie Vincent Grier/Daniel Oturu/Blake Hoffarber

Asking for just one, especially with old guys, is an impossible task.
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Yep - can't go with one.

Jim Brewer
Mychal Thompson
Melvin Newbern
Willie Burton
Bobby Jackson
Daniel Oturu
 

OK, the "can't go for one" crew speaks to me:

Arriel
Willie
Bobby
Quincy
Murphy

Go Gophers!!
 

Wille Burton, Bobby J, and Daniel Oturu - all superb.
 



I remember watching Trent Tucker chuck shots from deeper than I'd ever seen. That memory sticks. I got dunked on once by Sam Jacobson. That was pretty cool. Shikenjanski was fun to say. Burton was dominant in the clutch. Bobby Jackson was relentless on both ends. Marc Wilson, Ray Gaffney, Kelvin Smith, Tim Hanson and John Shasky gave me my favorite sports memory.
...but Richard Coffey was my favorite. An absolute beast who was tougher than every other player on the floor combined. I remember watching him with the Wolves flinging David Robinson around like a rag doll. Earned the respect of everyone he played with and against.
 


Willie Burton - Played pick-up with Willie a lot in the Quad. Burned him a couple times with a move I had and he asked me how I did it. I felt honored to see him use it for the Gophers in the NCAAs! Willie was awesome, such a nice guy.
 





Bobby Jackson - PG
Sam Jacobson - SG
Willie Burton - SF
Richard Coffey - PF
Daniel Oturu - C

With Hosea Crittenden coming off the bench...
 

90's --> Bobby Jackson. Met him at an autograph signing at Cub Foods. He shook my hand, and I never wanted to wash it again. Don't take that advice nowadays!

00's --> Vincent Grier. One of the greatest surprises ever, on one of the most surprising NCAA tournament Gopher teams ever (his Junior year). Unfortunately he wasn't the same his Senior year because of that early season injury.

10's --> Nate Mason/Jordan Murphy. Will always remember Mason crossing over Sexton, staring at him while he's falling to the ground, then pops a cold-blooded three. High-motor Murphy, no need for any explanation.
 

Holy Man said:
Generation 1 Childhood- Ray Williams
Generation 2 Teens/College Trent Tucker
Generation 3 Thought I was grown up- Bobby Jackson
Generation 4 Grown up and limited success- Tie Vincent Grier/Daniel Oturu/Blake Hoffarber

Asking for just one, especially with old guys, is an impossible task.
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I agree, you got to parse it out by eras. My favorites from your Generation 2 were Darryl Mitchell and Tommy Davis. From your Generation 3: Jackson and John Thomas. More recently, he was only on the scene for one year, but Akeem Springs!
 

Holy Man said:
Generation 1 Childhood- Ray Williams
Generation 2 Teens/College Trent Tucker
Generation 3 Thought I was grown up- Bobby Jackson
Generation 4 Grown up and limited success- Tie Vincent Grier/Daniel Oturu/Blake Hoffarber

Asking for just one, especially with old guys, is an impossible task.
Click to expand...
Following your format
Childhood-Lou Hudson and Tom Kundla
College-Mychal Thompson
After college-Willie Burton and Bobby Jackson
Grown up-Vincent Grier and Jordan Murphy
 

Bad Gopher said:
I agree, you got to parse it out by eras. My favorites from your Generation 2 were Darryl Mitchell and Tommy Davis. From your Generation 3: Jackson and John Thomas. More recently, he was only on the scene for one year, but Akeem Springs!
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Darryl Mitchell gets a nod from me. I can still see him saving a loose ball at the Barn by flinging it between his legs as he crashed into the seats.
 




Bobby Jackson was the best. Just because he hasn't been mentioned I'm giving some love to Akeem Springs and the 1 year he spent here. Huge bummer he was hurt in the Big 10 tournament leading into the NCAAs.
 

Pre-College Life: McHale (runner up: Tucker)
College Life: Richard Coffey (runner up: Burton)
Post College Life: Murphy (runner up: Oturu/Jackson)
 

Voshon Leonard, Blake Hoffarber, Andre Hollins, Jordan Murphy, Daniel Oturo
 

By Coach:

Musselman: Mychal Thompson Runner-up: Ray Williams

Dutcher: Willie Burton R/U: Trent Tucker

Haskins: Bobby Jackson R/U: Richard Coffey

Monson: Too disinterested to pick

Tubby: Mbawkwe R/U: Hoffarber

Pitino: Oturu R/U: Murphy
 

Ollie Shannon - across mid-court line and he was in range. AND, it only counted for two! Plus, he had the best smile ever. Nobody ever loved playing basketball more than Ollie Shannon.
 

John Galt said:
Sam Freeman - since I heard John Thomas was a good comparison for him.
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Good call. Although Thomas did not make my list.... even though I loved him as a player. Really a great, tough competitor who improved a ton from his first year!!
 



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