All Time Florida Basketball Starting Five

Marine1

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Mine was more of my favs since GOAT is very subjective. I put guys on the list that would not make the list. Like Gene, Gene the Dunkin Machine...he was the star of the team when I first went to UF....he is not as good as the Oh-Fours....but a fav.

Eugene McDowell is my all-time favorite player. He was certainly not the best we’ve had and he was really raw. But he played a man’s game. Dude was powerful...when he dunked he was trying to break rims, when he rebounded he was trying to squeeze the air out of the ball and when he blocked a shot he wanted to put it in the rafters. The ODome would erupt when he got after it.

I knew him casually and his demeanor off the court was quite the opposite. Very quiet and humble. Very sad he passed so young.
 

InstiGATOR1

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Eugene McDowell is my all-time favorite player. He was certainly not the best we’ve had and he was really raw. But he played a man’s game. Dude was powerful...when he dunked he was trying to break rims, when he rebounded he was trying to squeeze the air out of the ball and when he blocked a shot he wanted to put it in the rafters. The ODome would erupt when he got after it.

I knew him casually and his demeanor off the court was quite the opposite. Very quiet and humble. Very sad he passed so young.

McDowell averaged 13.4 points and 9.1 rebound a game for his career! That is Horford/Noah territory, but McDowell played almost 50% more minutes a game than them. Still McDowell was a really good player and really was Hayes height and build which just goes to show you with the right kind of coaching and dedication Hayes could be a much more productive player.
 

78

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Eugene McDowell is my all-time favorite player. He was certainly not the best we’ve had and he was really raw. But he played a man’s game. Dude was powerful...when he dunked he was trying to break rims, when he rebounded he was trying to squeeze the air out of the ball and when he blocked a shot he wanted to put it in the rafters. The ODome would erupt when he got after it.

I knew him casually and his demeanor off the court was quite the opposite. Very quiet and humble. Very sad he passed so young.
McDowell played for Dixie High. His senior year matchup against Randall Leath's P.K. Yonge drew lots of local attention. Leath played Lew Alcindor to McDowell's Elvin Hayes. I can't remember if they played each other once or twice that season. The Sun sent me to cover. I remember thinking I was in East Bumf*ck driving out there.

McDowell and Leath were both recruited by Sloan to Florida.
 

t-gator

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Yes it was. He was a physical specimen, a beast on the boards and a dunk machine. Unfortunately for him, he made an awful decision to turn pro after one season. He was raw and totally unready.
He was a 6'6" power forward with no jump shot he was probably never gonna make it in the nba
 

Marine1

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McDowell averaged 13.4 points and 9.1 rebound a game for his career! That is Horford/Noah territory, but McDowell played almost 50% more minutes a game than them. Still McDowell was a really good player and really was Hayes height and build which just goes to show you with the right kind of coaching and dedication Hayes could be a much more productive player.

Hayes is a skinny young man that they have been working hard to bulk up. He’s probably put on 20 lbs since his senior year in HS. But he is lucky if he is 215 lbs right now despite what they list him as. McDowell was powerfully built and played exclusively a power game. Very strong. The only comparison between them is their height. Absolutely no similarity in terms of strength and power. McDowell was simply a beast.

I really like Hayes. His dedication isn’t the issue. Yes he was late to a couple meetings this year but he is all energy all the time. He has worked his azz off. Great attitude. He has hit the weight room hard trying to bulk up. He is seen as a leader among this group. He gives everything he has to give. His issues are he is very underweight to be playing center. He is a good on-ball defender and great rim protector but just doesnt match up well against bigger centers. He cannot score facing the basket and in fact will rarely, if ever, attempt a shot facing the basket. Offensively his footwork is poor and he is often off balance. He also has really bad hands. Real difficulty in securing passes. He has been forced to be a starting center due to our circumstances. Ideally he would be a 4 or maybe even a backup 4/5 coming in to provide energy and spark the team. He would absolutely excel in that role. He is the type of player that every championship team has as a significant role player. But right now he is miscast as a starting center. I’d like to see him at 235 lbs. His frame can handle that and what a difference it would make.
 

InstiGATOR1

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I really like Hayes. His dedication isn’t the issue. Yes he was late to a couple meetings this year but he is all energy all the time. He has worked his azz off. Great attitude. He has hit the weight room hard trying to bulk up. He is seen as a leader among this group. He gives everything he has to give. His issues are he is very underweight to be playing center. He is a good on-ball defender and great rim protector but just doesnt match up well against bigger centers. He cannot score facing the basket and in fact will rarely, if ever, attempt a shot facing the basket. Offensively his footwork is poor and he is often off balance. He also has really bad hands. Real difficulty in securing passes. He has been forced to be a starting center due to our circumstances. Ideally he would be a 4 or maybe even a backup 4/5 coming in to provide energy and spark the team. He would absolutely excel in that role. He is the type of player that every championship team has as a significant role player. But right now he is miscast as a starting center. I’d like to see him at 235 lbs. His frame can handle that and what a difference it would make.

Interesting, but you came around to my view in your second paragraph. The difference in them is hands. Hayes for some reason has as you say terrible and weak hands. Maybe he has small hands. Certainly he gets more dunk attempts poked away than any player I have ever seen.

I would like him at the four or really playing with a more powerful player ala Noah playing with Horford. The "rim protector" aspect could be recasts as he is really good at giving up offensive rebound slam dunks. I put that on White having him rarely play position defense and always trying to get the help block.

He still got killed in the first UAL game by guys no bigger than him. Lost of 6'9" 220 lbs guys are playing post positions in the SEC more successfully than Hayes. I think it is partly coaching, partly Hayes not being dedicated and partly scheme, ie wanting to play 6 or 7 guards on the court at one time.
 

Marine1

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The size of his hands are not the issue. He simply has bad hands, poor footwork and plays off balance too much.
Sometimes a player has to slow down in order to speed up. He often looks like he is moving so fast that he is not fully processing what is developing. Common with extremely high energy guys. He does not get many rebounds because he often mis-times his jump. These are fundamentals which could reflect on coaching....except I think these things are being addressed frequently.

And again I would point out that I have never heard anyone question his dedication or work ethic. This kid works hard. I think I would look at it differently. He is a player with a limited skill set. Particularly raw offensively. Through extremely hard work, pure athleticism, a leadership mentality and strong desire to succeed he has become a starting center in the SEC. He worked his azz off to get there and I commend him for that effort. He’s pure Gator and I’m glad he is ours. But he is miscast. As you said...he is far better suited to be a 4.

Also as you said there are others his size playing the center position more effectively. It is because they are far more skilled at the position. You can’t just recruit a 6’9 220lb player and coach him to all-star status. Likewise not every 6’9 220lb player can “dedicate” himself to all-star status. Otherwise every 6’9 220lb guy would be headed to the NBA.

I’m not arguing with you as much as just saying I think Hayes gives us everything he has and has improved each year.....he just is not in the position best suited for him. (Much like Egor). Bring him in as a 6th or 7th man off the bench as a 4/5 and ask him to empty his tank in stretches and I think he kills it.
 

InstiGATOR1

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You can’t just recruit a 6’9 220lb player and coach him to all-star status.

I’m not arguing with you as much as just saying I think Hayes gives us everything he has and has improved each year.....he just is not in the position best suited for him. (Much like Egor). Bring him in as a 6th or 7th man off the bench as a 4/5 and ask him to empty his tank in stretches and I think he kills it.

On your first part Neal Walk begged to differ, but like you said not ever kid has Walk's dedication. Your dedication can be excellent but not in the Walk category.

I don't think we are arguing at all really. When I said post position I meant a 5 or a 4 who like Noah played mainly in the paint. Really to me the issues are his hands and part of that is to quit trying to dunk every shot. He needs to first worry about making the basket and then dunks will come.

I would also say that some of this is Hayes NOT playing with another big much of the time. Stone is really a 3. If Hayes were playing with Bassett or Gak most of the time, then I think his flaws would not stick out so much.
 

Ocalaman

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On your first part Neal Walk begged to differ, but like you said not ever kid has Walk's dedication. Your dedication can be excellent but not in the Walk category.

I don't think we are arguing at all really. When I said post position I meant a 5 or a 4 who like Noah played mainly in the paint. Really to me the issues are his hands and part of that is to quit trying to dunk every shot. He needs to first worry about making the basket and then dunks will come.

I would also say that some of this is Hayes NOT playing with another big much of the time. Stone is really a 3. If Hayes were playing with Bassett or Gak most of the time, then I think his flaws would not stick out so much.
Totally agree about Hayes. He's a kid who works his tail off, but we are so limited in our big guys he's asked to do too much out of his ability/comfort level. As for Neal Walk, I'm old enough to remember him and to have seen him play in person. Walk was Florida's first true BB superstar and the only player to have his number retired.
 

stephenPE

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McDowell played for Dixie High. His senior year matchup against Randall Leath's P.K. Yonge drew lots of local attention. Leath played Lew Alcindor to McDowell's Elvin Hayes. I can't remember if they played each other once or twice that season. The Sun sent me to cover. I remember thinking I was in East Bumf*ck driving out there.

McDowell and Leath were both recruited by Sloan to Florida.
I was gonna comment on the Leath and McDowell HS rivalry. I played against Randall in the PKY gym when I lived right behind in those apartments. HE WAS LONG and tall. Eugene was so big and tough. AND Yes, Cross City is bmfcck egypt where almost all of them are rednecks (black and white alike). I had more than a few run ins with the denizens of that culture. In both HS football and basketball...........when you beat them they dont take kindly to it at least in the early 70s.............
 

Towels 'N Sporks

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How anyone could make a list without Beal is beyond comprehension. I guess he's guilty of leaving after 1 year (elite 8), but JWill didn't even play that long or win anything. Beal plays defense and rebounds as good as as any guard I've seen. If he stays, we win another title, or two.

well... lets not say Jwill didn't win anything. Even though he wasn't on the team by the end of the year, his play did get us into the NIT. And most significant of all, he won the game for us AT kentucky. That was pretty much unheard of for Florida basketball at the time, and hardly any opponents ever went into Rupp and won. Much harder than it is nowadays.
 

Marine1

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On your first part Neal Walk begged to differ, but like you said not ever kid has Walk's dedication. Your dedication can be excellent but not in the Walk category.

I don't think we are arguing at all really. When I said post position I meant a 5 or a 4 who like Noah played mainly in the paint. Really to me the issues are his hands and part of that is to quit trying to dunk every shot. He needs to first worry about making the basket and then dunks will come.

I would also say that some of this is Hayes NOT playing with another big much of the time. Stone is really a 3. If Hayes were playing with Bassett or Gak most of the time, then I think his flaws would not stick out so much.

No valid comparison with Walk. Neil was a tremendously skilled player and one of the best to ever wear a Gator jersey. I do strongly agree with your point about pairing the bigs more often. Last year I was frustrated that we didn’t pair Eggy and Hayes often and this year Hayes and Gak or Bassett. It would allow us to play Egor and Stone at the 3 for stretches where both are better suited.
 

Marine1

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I also like Ronnie Williams. He used to park his big azz on the block and score inside at will.
 

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