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College basketball has long been a stage for extraordinary athletes to showcase their skills.  From towering big men to sharpshooting guards, the game has produced some of the most unforgettable athletes in all of college sports. The debate over who deserves to be called “the greatest” is as old as the sport itself (which, as a matter of fact, dates back to 1896!). The best college basketball players of all time aren’t just remembered for their stats or championships, rather these players transcended the game. Whether it was Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) redefining dominance during UCLA’s dynasty or the back-and-forth rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson that became a pop culture event, each name on the list below has contributed something beyond the sport of basketball.

Read the list below to count down the best men’s college basketball players of all time, honoring the athletes who turned their collegiate careers into enduring legacies.

30 Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Men’s)

30) Artis Gilmore, Jacksonville (1969-71)

Gilmore was a dominant force in college basketball, averaging more than 22 points and 22 rebounds per game. He was a two-time All-American honoree and was the consensus Player of the Year in 1971.  His abilities led the Jacksonville University Dolphins to the 1970 NCAA championship game.

29) Elgin Baylor, Idaho and Seattle (1956-58)

Elgin “Rabbit” Baylor averaged an incredible 31.3 points and 19.5 rebounds per game during his college career. He led Seattle University to the 1958 NCAA championship game – the school’s only trip to a Final Four. After graduation, Baylor had a successful NBA career.  He made the NBA all-star team 11 times from 1959-1970, and his number “22” is retired by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

28) Zion Williamson, Duke (2018-19)

In just one season at Duke, Williamson captivated the basketball world with his explosiveness, strength, and versatility. He put together one of the most dominant seasons in college basketball history, averaging 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and shooting 75% from inside the arc. He also earned a host of awards, including the Wooden Award for player of the year, first-team AP All-American, ACC Player of the Year, and all-ACC Defensive Team.

27) Anthony Davis, Kentucky (2011-12)

During his lone college season, Davis led a Kentucky team that is considered one of the greatest of all time. The Wildcats won a national championship that year while Davis averaged a double-double with 14.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while also leading the nation in blocks. Davis was the consensus National Player of the Year and the undisputed number one draft pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

26) Chris Mullin, St. John’s (1982-85)

Mullin led St. John’s to the 1985 Final Four and was a three-time Big East Player of the Year. He also made the All-American team three times, won the Wooden Award for player of the year, and won a gold medal in 1984. Averaging 19.5 points per game over his collegiate career, he is the all-time leading scorer in St. John’s history and is top five in both steals and assists.

25) Kevin Durant, Texas (2006-07)

Arguably the greatest one-and-done season of all time, Durant became the first freshman to win both the Naismith and Wooden Awards. He averaged 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game as well as shot 40% from the three-point line. While Texas was upset in the second round of the NCAA tournament by USC, Durant still scored 30 points and had 9 rebounds. His professional career has been equally dominant. Durant won the 2014 NBA MVP award and was named a 14-time NBA all star. Durant also won four gold medals with Team USA.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

24) Tom Gola, La Salle (1951-55)

Tom “Mr. All-Around” Gola is one of only two players in NCAA history with over 2,000 points and 2,000 rebounds (the other is Joe Holup of George Washington University). Gola led La Salle to the 1954 national championship and remains one of the most versatile players the game has ever seen. He was a consensus First Team All-American three times as well as the undisputed greatest player in La Salle history.

23) Grant Hill, Duke (1990-94)

Hill played for four years at Duke University and was an integral part of the Blue Devils’ back-to-back NCAA championships in 1991 and 1992.  Hill won ACC Player of the Year and was a two-time NCAA All-American. He is considered one of the best to ever play for the Blue Devils, which is high praise considering the prestige of Duke’s program over the last 40 years.

22) Shaquille O’Neal, LSU (1990-92)

Shaq’s dominance in the paint made him a two-time SEC Player of the Year. He was also one of the NCAA’s all-time leaders in blocked shots. Shaq’s sheer physical presence – standing at 7-foot-1-inch tall and weighing over 300 pounds – revolutionized the collegiate game. He averaged 21.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks per game. In doing so, he won the 1991 Associated Press Player of the Year Award.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

21) Bill Bradley, Princeton (1962-65)

Bradley is considered the greatest player in Ivy League history. He was a scoring and rebounding machine, averaging 30.2 points and 12.1 rebounds per game as well as winning two Sporting News Player of the Year awards. He led Princeton to the 1965 Final Four where he won the Final Four Most Outstanding Player Award. Bradley would later win two NBA championships with the Knicks.

20) Ralph Sampson, Virginia (1979-83)

Standing at 7-foot-4-inches tall, Sampson helped change perceptions of what big men could do in college basketball. He averaged 16.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game. Along the way, he won three Naismith Awards as the nation’s top player. He led Virginia to a Final Four appearance in 198. Sampson’s career total of 462 blocks is one of the highest in NCAA history.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

19) Austin Carr, Notre Dame (1968-71)

Austin Carr was one of the most prolific scorers in NCAA history. He averaged 34.6 points per game which is second only to Pete Maravich (see more on him below!). Over three seasons, he led Notre Dame to the NCAA Tournament each year. Further, he even scored a record-setting 61 points in a 1970 NCAA tournament game against Ohio – the most points ever scored in an NCAA tournament game. Carr was one of the most unstoppable offensive players of his time. He would later bring that same explosiveness to the Cleveland Cavaliers, earning him the nickname “Mr. Cavalier.”

18) Michael Jordan, North Carolina (1981-84)

Jordan hit the iconic game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA championship game as a freshman. He evolved into a dynamic two-way player under Coach Dean Smith (for whom the Tar Heels’ home court is named after today), which set the stage for his legendary professional career. Over his three seasons at UNC, Jordan averaged 17.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 54% from the field. Jordan was named the Naismith College Player of the Year in 1984. He was then drafted third overall in the 1984 NBA Draft.

17) Tim Duncan, Wake Forest (1993-97)

Tim “the Big Fundamental” Duncan was a cornerstone of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He earned two ACC Player of the Year awards and led Wake to two Sweet 16 appearances.  He averaged 16.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game and set an NCAA record with 97 double-doubles. His 1,570 career rebounds ranks among the top in NCAA history.  After leaving Wake Forest, he went on to have an NBA career so successful that many consider Duncan to be the to ever play the game.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

16) Danny Manning, Kansas (1984-88)

Manning’s performance in the 1988 NCAA tournament carried Kansas to an improbable championship. Nicknamed “Danny and the Miracles,” he averaged 24.8 points and 9 rebounds during that ‘88 season.  He also scored 2,951 career points, the most in Big 12 history.  Manning won the national college player of the year award in 1988 and was a two-time consensus first-team All-American (1987, 1988).  He went on to have a successful NBA and coaching career that still continues today.

15) Elvin Hayes, Houston (1966-68)

Hayes was a scoring and rebounding machine, famously scoring 39 points in the “Game of the Century” against UCLA, which ended the Bruins’ 47-game win streak. Hayes led the Cougars to two Final Four appearances while averaging 31 points and 17.2 rebounds per game. He also recorded 310 career blocks. After Houston, Hayes had a Hall of Fame NBA career in which he was a 12-time All Star.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

14) Wilt Chamberlain, Kansas (1956-58)

Though many associate Chamberlain with a legendary pro career, his two collegiate seasons helped change the game. Chamberlain averaged 29.9 points and 18.3 rebounds per game. All told, he finished his college career with 1,433 points and 877 rebounds in only 48 games.  He was an all-around athletic specimen who could run the 100-yard dash in 10.9 seconds and had a 50-inch vertical leap. His athleticism and creativity forced the NCAA to implement a rule change that required a shooter to stay behind the line during a free-throw attempt.

13) Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston (1981-84)

As a cornerstone of Houston’s “Phi Slama Jama,” Hakeem Olajuwon will go down as the one of the greatest big men to ever play college basketball. He averaged 13.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks per game. He also led the Cougars to three consecutive Final Fours and holds the NCAA record for most blocked shots in a Final Four game (11). His ‘82-’83 Cougars are regarded as one of the best teams of all time.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

12) Jerry Lucas, Ohio State (1959-62)

The greatest Buckeye to ever play college basketball, Lucas was a two-time national player of the year who led Ohio State to the 1960 national title. Over his three seasons, Lucas averaged 24.3 points and 17.2 rebounds per game and recorded 1,411 career rebounds. He shot an incredible 63.7% from the field and is one of the few players to record more than 30 rebounds in an NCAA tournament game.

11) Patrick Ewing, Georgetown (1981-85)

Patrick Ewing led the Hoyas to three NCAA championship games and won a title in 1984.  He averaged 15.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game and finished his college career with 493 total blocks. His dominance in the paint made him one of the most feared defenders in NCAA history. Lastly, Ewing’s rivalry with centers like UVA’s Ralph Sampson (see #20 above!) elevated college basketball’s national profile.

10) Christian Laettner, Duke (1988-92)

Despite the scoring accolades, perhaps most impressive on Christian Laettner’s resume is that he’s the only player to start in four Final Fours. He led Duke to two national championships (1991, 1992) and was known for his clutch performances, including “The Shot” against Kentucky in the ‘92 NCAA Tournament. Laettner’s 2,460 total career points ranks third on the Duke all-time scoring list.

Laettner is also one of the most polarizing figures in college basketball history. Nearly 20 years after his college career ended, he was voted as the most hated college basketball player of all time, and he was the subject of an ESPN documentary titled, “I Hate Christian Laettner.”

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

9) Jerry West, West Virginia (1956-60)

Jerry West was a versatile offensive threat who helped put West Virginia basketball on the national stage. During his college career, he posted 30 triple-doubles and averaged 24.8 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. He led the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA championship game, earning Most Outstanding Player honors and tying the NCAA Tournament five-game scoring record with 160 points scored. West finished his college career with 2,309 points and 1,240 rebounds, which is still the all-time record for both categories at WVU.

8) David Thompson, NC State (1972-75)

David “Skywalker” Thompson was a dynamic scorer who led NC State to a national championship in 1974, breaking UCLA’s historic championship streak. Thompson averaged 26.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game during three seasons with the Wolfpack. He is also credited with popularizing the alley-oop (despite playing during a time when the dunk was illegal in college basketball as part of the “Lew Alcindor” rule!). Thompson remains the first and only player to have his jersey retired at NC State and the first to have a statue erected in his honor outside of Reynolds Coliseum (home of the Wolfpack). He went on to be selected first overall in the 1975 NBA draft. Thompson was a four-time All Star during his nine-year career.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

7) Larry Bird, Indiana State (1976-79)

Bird carried Indiana State to the 1979 NCAA championship game and earned multiple national player of the year awards along the way. His skills and leadership brought national attention to a relatively unknown program that had never even made the NCAA Tournament prior to Bird’s arrival.  Thanks to his rivalry with Michigan State’s Magic Johnson, the 1979 NCAA Championship game is still the most-watched in college basketball history.

Bird averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game during his college career. “The Hick from the French Lick” remains Indiana State’s all-time leading scorer with 2,850 points.

6) Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Michigan State (1977-79)

Magic led Michigan State to the 1979 national championship, defeating Larry Bird’s Indiana State team in one of the most iconic games in NCAA history. Over two seasons, Magic averaged 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game. He also owns the Michigan State single-season record for steals (75). Perhaps more important than his on-court accolades, however, was the media attention and pop culture cachet Magic brought to college basketball.  He helped usher in a new era of cultural attention that now permeates throughout the sport.

5) Bill Russell, San Francisco (1953-56)

The sheer domination of Bill Russell is hard to capture solely with stats. Sure, he averaged 20.7 points and 20.3 rebounds per game over his college career but he was a shot-blocking machine in an era before that stat was officially recorded. More importantly, he transformed the San Francisco Dons into one of the most iconic college basketball teams of the 1950s. Russell led USF to back-to-back NCAA championships (1955 & 1956) as well as an incredible 55-game winning streak.

He entered the NBA in 1957 and promptly won a title with the Boston Celtics. In doing so, Russell became the first of only five players in basketball history to win an NCAA championship and an NBA championship in back-to-back seasons (Magic Johnson is also on that list).  In total, Russel won two NCAA championships and 11 NBA championships. He is regarded as one of the most decorated American athletes of all time.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

4) Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati (1957-60)

Oscar Robertson, known as “The Big O,” averaged 33.8 points, 15.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game during his collegiate career. Robertson was a two-time recipient of the Helms College Player of the Year Award (1959, 1960). This award would later be renamed in his honor. He scored 2,973 total career points and still leads Cincinnati’s all-time scoring records. His career was also marked by intense racism that followed him whenever the Bearcats played southern schools and he was not allowed to sleep in the team hotel.  Overcoming these societal challenges makes his accomplishments on the court even more impressive.

He led Cincinnati to two Final Four appearances and at the time when his college career ended, he was the all-time leading NCAA scorer. That record, however, would soon be overtaken by the man below…

3) Pete Maravich, LSU (1967-70)

In Maravich’s first collegiate game, he had 50 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists!  “Pistol Pete” remains the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader, averaging 44.2 points per game and scoring 3,667 total points in his collegiate career. Incredibly, he set these records without a three-point line, a shot clock, and having to wait until his sophomore year before he could play on the varsity team.

Although Maravich never played in an NCAA Tournament, he helped turn around an LSU program that went 3-20 in the season prior to his arrival.  He was selected with the third overall pick of the 1970 NBA draft and would go on to be a five-time all star and NBA scoring champion in 1977.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time (Continued)

2) Bill Walton, UCLA (1971-74)

Bill Walton won two NCAA championships with UCLA and was a two-time Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament. During his three seasons with the Bruins, he won the National College Player of the Year all three times!  He averaged 20.3 points and 15.7 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 65.1% from the field.  To be blunt, there was no better college basketball player in the country during Walton’s tenure with UCLA – and it wasn’t even close.

His legendary 44-point performance in the 1973 championship game remains one of the greatest individual games in NCAA history.  In addition to his basketball accolades, Walton’s personality and warmth left an indelible impact on the game of basketball – both at the college and professional level.

1) Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), UCLA (1966-69)

Despite the number of incredible athletes who have played the game of college basketball, Alcindor is without a doubt the greatest of all time. In his first-ever college game in 1966, he set the UCLA single-game scoring record with 56 points. He then went on to lead UCLA to three consecutive national championships while also winning three consecutive Final Four Most Outstanding Player awards. Alcindor also won three consecutive consensus All American awards and two National Player of the Year awards.

He dominated the game so thoroughly that dunking was temporarily banned! Alcindor averaged 26.4 points and 15.5 rebounds per game and helped UCLA establish the most dominant dynasty in the history of college basketball.

Best College Basketball Players of All-Time – Additional Resources

• 30 Highest Paid WNBA Players – 2024
• 45 Highest Paid NBA Players – 2024-25
• All NCAA Men’s Teams – Dataverse