Are you reelin in the years?

A few months back Shawn gave a list of his top 10 Badger cagers of all time. I've been meaning to post mine for a while now (provided that by "all time" we mean "the last 15 years since I started following Wisconsin hoops), but not to be outdone I chose to list the top 15 players in 1st, 2nd and 3rd team format. Each team also has a bench guy (someone who ordinarily would not have made one of the top 3 teams) and a head coach and coaching staff for each time.

So without further ado, away we go:

1st Team:

Guards:
Devin Harris
Kirk Penney

Forwards:
Michael Finley
Alando Tucker

Center:
Mike Wilkinson

Bench:
Paul Grant

Head Coach:
Bo Ryan

Assistants:
Rob Jeter
Tony Bennett


Analysis: There can be no argument with the top 4. I chose Wilk over Griffith because he was a Badger for 4 years and the team had great success under him. I would envision this team pushing the ball up and down the floor and shooting a lot. Alando Tucker would play the post and school most power forwards thrown at him. Oh yeah, the other thing about this team: 4 of these guys actually played together and that 02-03 team was pretty good on their way to challenging Kentucky in the sweet 16.


2nd Team:

Guards:
Roy Boone
Ty Calderwood

Forwards:
Mike Kelley
Mark Vershaw

Center:
Rashard Griffith

Bench:
Jon Bryant

Head Coach:
Dick Bennett

Assistant:
Brad Soderberg


Analysis:
I'm sure some heads were raised by me picking Calderwood and Kelley over a guy like Tracy Webster. But remember that Ty Calderwood was a very solid floor leader dring his two playing years in Madison. In 97 Calderwood led the Badgers to the tourney, in 98 he was not with the team and the Badgers finished 10th. In 99 he came back and Wisconsin finished 4th in conference. And to be honest, if you look at the 98 and 99 teams there were only two additions to the 99 team- Calderwood and Jon Bryant. Calderwood was a great ball handler and a great on-court leader. He embodied silky smooth in a black and blue offense. Yes, as MB pointed out to me today, he completely crapped the bed in the 99 tourney game against Missouri State. Still Calderwood's on-court presence gives him the nod here.

As for Mike Kelley- I'm always torn on Kelley. He was another fantastic on-court leader. He also controlled the game and did not turn the ball over. However, he rarely made things happen on the offensive end. If Kelley's ppg average was 6-8 pts higher he would be considered one of the greatest Badgers of all time. Instead he is what he is- the basketball version of a shut down corner. When he was in the defensive zone- like he was in Salt Lake and Albuquerque in 2000 Kelley was 2 steps ahead of his opponents, and he did so with such little effort. Here is a guy who also knocked down his free throws and was a model citizen on and off the court. Every team needs a Mike Kelley, including my 2nd team.


3rd Team:

Guards:
Tracy Webster
Michael Flowers

Forwards:
Sam Okey
Brian Kelly

Center:
Brian Butch

Bench:
Mo Linton

Head Coach:
Stu Jackson

Assistant:
Stan Van Gundy


Probably some controversial picks here. Webster was a no-brainer, as was Flowers. This team would have solid guard play. Butch was also an easy choice over a guy like Grant who only spent one season in Madison. Linton off the bench as this team would need an energy guy who can play up front. I chose Kelly because this team needed a banger and he would bang more than any other PF I can remember.

But none of those names caught your eyes, right?

Sam Okey: There has never been a more hyped Wisconsin high schooler than Sam Okey. Dude was unfreakingstoppable at Cassville high school (at least that is what my cousin told me) and Wisconsin continued to ride its early 90's basketball momentum when he inked his letter of intent to play for Stan Van Gundy in Madison.

Only that even before the ink was dry it seemed like everything stopped going according to plan and went freaking crazy.

His coach was gone, a guy known for a slow-down offense was hired. Rashard left and Okey was THE MAN. There was no one left in the program at the time who anyone outside of the rabid Badger basketball fan could probably name: Mozelle Peterson? Jeremy Hall? Who are these guys.

And what did Okey do? He showed up and made an immediate contribution to Dick Bennett's first team. That team was devoid of talent, but they were not a bad team and they made the NIT. The next year thanks to the arrival of Ty Calderwood, the Badgers and Sam Okey made the NCAA tourney.

Okey was a difference maker, and although I still freaking hate the guy and list of 3 Badger teams from this period has to include the dude with the green (or was it just really weird blonde?) hair.