If McDermott wins NPOY where will he rank in Big East lore?

[ArmyVet]

Creighton fan here, and I agree that Doug can't touch the top echelon of BE greats, even with a National Championship. Why? Duration. No one year player short of a LeBron type (and maybe not even he) could make it. There have been too many unbelievable players in the conference over the years to make it. The Carmelo comparison is about the most apt.

That said, if Doug winds up as a 3x AA and wins POY nationally, finishing in the top 5 overall in career scoring, while doing something noteworthy in the Dance as a team, he could almost approach Laettner as the best pure 'college' player of the last 25 years. Not quite, unless he wins a Championship on a turnaround J at the top of the key or something equally iconic, but close.

But even all that isn't the same thing as Mullin or Ewing or whomever doing it for their entire career as a BE member. It's just not.

This is more to my point. I just wondered if the Big East fans going back over many decades would fully embrace McDermott as one of the Big East greats if he won those awards.

[gofriars08]

Creighton fan here, and I agree that Doug can't touch the top echelon of BE greats, even with a National Championship. Why? Duration. No one year player short of a LeBron type (and maybe not even he) could make it. There have been too many unbelievable players in the conference over the years to make it. The Carmelo comparison is about the most apt.

That said, if Doug winds up as a 3x AA and wins POY nationally, finishing in the top 5 overall in career scoring, while doing something noteworthy in the Dance as a team, he could almost approach Laettner as the best pure 'college' player of the last 25 years. Not quite, unless he wins a Championship on a turnaround J at the top of the key or something equally iconic, but close.

But even all that isn't the same thing as Mullin or Ewing or whomever doing it for their entire career as a BE member. It's just not.

As much as I like McDermott, he's not even better than Tyler Hansbrough.

[Friarfan2]

I would embrace McDermott as a great big east player, but more of a terry de here or Kerry kittles or Ryan Gomes or Otto porter type of greatness than a player that led his team to the final four.

[OutlawWales]

Creighton fan here, and I agree that Doug can't touch the top echelon of BE greats, even with a National Championship. Why? Duration. No one year player short of a LeBron type (and maybe not even he) could make it. There have been too many unbelievable players in the conference over the years to make it. The Carmelo comparison is about the most apt.

That said, if Doug winds up as a 3x AA and wins POY nationally, finishing in the top 5 overall in career scoring, while doing something noteworthy in the Dance as a team, he could almost approach Laettner as the best pure 'college' player of the last 25 years. Not quite, unless he wins a Championship on a turnaround J at the top of the key or something equally iconic, but close.

But even all that isn't the same thing as Mullin or Ewing or whomever doing it for their entire career as a BE member. It's just not.

As much as I like McDermott, he's not even better than Tyler Hansbrough.

I would take Doug McDermott over Tyler Hansbrough every single day of the week and seven or eight times on every game day. And it's not even close.

Hansbrough was a really hard worker, motor never stops going, high passion and emotion guy, who made lots of good things happen every time he stepped on the floor. McDermott is exponentially more skilled than Hansborough in just about every facet of the game. He's way more skilled offensive, is arguably every bit as good on the boards, is every bit as smart of a player, etc. The one thing he doesn't do a lot is absolutely freak out emotionally on the court and make a spectacle of himself. And I'd grant you he's not as good defensively, at least hasn't been yet.

Hansborough was a great college player for a lot of reasons. But if I'm picking teams, I take McDermott every single time. And I really can't wait until the Big East season starts and fans of all of the Big East teams who think that his recognition so far is because of playing against MVC competition (while ignoring the national teams, NBA player situations, etc. or the way his production has been against the 'big boys" over the y ears) leave games wondering just exactly how he managed to quietly dominate yet another game.

[hoopseinstein23]

Lets be realistic...Doug McDermott is WAY better than Patrick Ewing ever was. Patrick Ewing was a guy who would do fall aways like a guard because he was scared. He was abused by Olajuwan and Jordan( and countless others) so many times it is pathetic, in fact, many times I am surprised that referees did not call Child protective services after the abuse he took. Did he even win a championship in the NBA?
Doug McDermott is much better and time will prove this. McDermott is a very smart player, with one of the purest shots in basketball. Not the most gifted athletically, but lets face it, neither was Larry Bird. If Criehgton had a reliable center the season would be a lock to own the Big East

[booyah]

This was a joke, right?

[hoopseinstein23]

I was trying to be a bit funny, however Ewing was truly over-rated to those of us outside of Georgetown and NYC. You have to admit Akeem destroyed him mercilessly

[Wizard of Westroads]

I'm not a Hoya, not in NYC. Patrick is NOT overrated. One of the greatest players in college basketball history. By any measure. Period.

[hoopseinstein23]

I will grant you that he was a great college basketball player. In the NBA very, very over-rated. Maybe in the top 50 centers ever. maybe.

[admin]

Looking more and more likely that he'll win NPOY assuming Creighton continues to win and he piles up numbers. Now that some of the old Big East fans have seen McDermott, I'd be interested in their reappraisal.