Greatest College Basketball Teams to Never Win a Title
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The NCAA tournament affectionately referred to as March Madness has become a national pastime when 68 teams compete for a chance to cut down the nets as national champions. But 67 of those teams have their seasons end with a loss, and they are all but forgotten. The NCAA tournament isn’t necessarily constructed to crown the best team in college basketball, as it actually crowns the team playing the best at that time.
But there should be some recognition for those teams that dominated their seasons but still fell short in the tournament, and that’s the origin of this list. We looked back at the best of the rest — the best teams who came up short during March Madness. These teams may have had an off-shooting night, an untimely injury or were just plain unlucky in a game that ended their seasons.
But you could also make the case that several of them were actually better than the teams that won the title that season. And that’s what makes the tournament so exciting in that anything can happen. Here are the best college basketball teams that didn’t win the national championship.
30. 2013-14 Wichita State Shockers
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Record: 35-1 (18-0 in Missouri Valley Conference)
Coach: Gregg Marshall
Key players: Fred VanVleet, Ron Baker, Cleanthony Early
Finish: Lost in second round
Bottom Line: 2013-14 Wichita State Shockers
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All season people were questioning just how good the Shockers were because they ran the table in a weak Missouri Valley Conference and never played a ranked team all year. Then, the tourney rolled around, and while Wichita State easily handled its opening opponent, they finally met a team with more talent than they had in the second round.
A loaded Kentucky team that underperformed in the regular season, resulting in a No. 8 seed, put an end to Wichita State’s 35-game winning streak.
Wichita State Players in the NBA: Fred VanVleet
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Fred VanVleet went undrafted after leading Wichita State to the Sweet 16 as a senior in 2016. Both he and backcourt mate Ron Baker made NBA rosters as undrafted free agents that fall.
It's VanVleet's career that has been truly one of a kind. He's been with the Toronto Raptors his entire career, helped lead the team to an NBA championship in 2019, signed a four-year, $85 million contract before the 2020-21 season, and made his first All-Star team in 2022.
29. 2020-21 Gonzaga Bulldogs
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Record: 31-1 (15-0 in West Coast Conference)
Coach: Mark Few
Key players: Jalen Suggs, Drew Timme, Corey Kispert, Joel Ayayi
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 2020-21 Gonzaga Bulldogs
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A year before, in the 2019-20 season, Gonzaga was poised to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament before COVID wiped out the tourney. That team certainly had a legitimate claim to being national champions, but the squad the following year was even better!
Gonzaga entered the season ranked No. 1 and never lost its position as it never lost period. It knocked off four teams ranked in the top 16, in neutral sites, through the first month of the season before easily handling its conference schedule. Gonzaga then wasn’t seriously challenged in the NCAA tournament until the Final Four when it needed a Jalen Suggs buzzer-beater to advance past UCLA in overtime. Sitting at 31-0, Gonzaga was poised to become the first team since 1979 to complete a perfect season. But the Bulldogs were bullied by Baylor, losing out on the chance to make history.
Gonzaga Players in the NBA: Jalen Suggs
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Jalen Suggs hit one of the most memorable shots in NCAA tournament history — his half-court game-winner to beat UCLA in the national semifinals in 2021.
Suggs only played one year for Gonzaga before he was taken No. 5 overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2021 NBA draft.
28. 1997-98 North Carolina Tar Heels
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Record: 34-4 (13-3 in ACC)
Coach: Dean Smith
Key players: Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Shammond Williams, Ed Cota
Finish: Lost in Final Four
Bottom Line: 1997-98 North Carolina Tar Heels
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This was the year after Dean Smith retired, but the legendary coach left a stacked roster to his successor, Bill Guthridge. While Vince Carter is the biggest name, he played second fiddle in college to Antawn Jamison who was the Naismith winner and a two-time All-American. The team lost just three games during the regular season — one of which was to Duke in the season finale, only for UNC to then avenge that loss in the ACC tournament.
The Tar Heels then looked unbeatable in the NCAA tournament, winning their first four games each by double-figures. But the No. 3 seed Utah Utes, led by Andre Miller and Michael Doleac, upset Carolina in the Final Four.
North Carolina Players in the NBA: Vince Carter
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UNC forward Vince Carter went on to have the longest career in NBA history. His 22 seasons are unmatched.
Carter was an eight-time NBA All-Star and was the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk champion. He also was the 1999 NBA Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-NBA pick.
27. 1988-89 Illinois Fighting Illini
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Record: 31-5 (14-4 in Big Ten)
Coach: Lou Henson
Key players: Nick Anderson, Kendall Gill, Kenny Battle
Finish: Lost in Final Four
Bottom Line: 1988-89 Illinois Fighting Illini
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Many Illinois fans may remember the 2004-05 squad as the best in program history with Deron Williams, Dee Brown and Luther Head. But it was this late '80s team that was the most talented from top to bottom. They had five future NBA players on their roster who would go on to play a combined 39 years in the league, led by Anderson and Gill.
Illinois started out 16-0 before experiencing some turbulence and going 4-4 over its next eight. But the Illini then won 10 straight to put them in the Final Four. Unfortunately, it was there they met up with a Michigan team that had just as much NBA talent on it. Illinois had won the two regular-season matchups between the teams, but Michigan won when it mattered most and advanced to the championship game.
Illinois Players in the NBA: Kendall Gill
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Kendall Gill was a more-than-decent NBA player for 14 seasons. He averaged over 20 points per game twice, including a career-high 21.8 points in 1996-97.
Gill was also great on defense, leading the NBA with 2.7 steals per game in 1998-99.
26. 1999-2000 Cincinnati Bearcats
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Record: 29-4 (16-0 in Conference USA)
Coach: Bob Huggins
Key players: Kenyon Martin, DerMarr Johnson, Pete Mickeal
Finish: Lost in second round
Bottom Line: 1999-2000 Cincinnati Bearcats
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The Bearcats are one of those “What If” teams, with everyone wondering what would have happened if Kenyon Martin had not gotten hurt. Cincinnati was rolling with a 28-2 record and then Martin — the AP Player of the Year — suffered a broken leg three minutes into the team’s conference tournament.
The Bearcats would go on to lose that game and lose their No. 1 seed. As a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, they were able to knock off the No. 15 seed but then couldn’t hang with No. 7 Tulsa in the second round.
Cincinnati Players in the NBA: Kenyon Martin
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Kenyon Martin started off his career as a player who made his name by living above the rim, but as his skills declined, he was able to extend his career by turning into a tough-minded enforcer for the teams he played on.
The last college senior to be picked No. 1 overall, Martin was at his best in that role during his time with the Nuggets and partnered with a young Carmelo Anthony, who he also played with on the Knicks.
25. 2007-08 UCLA Bruins
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Record: 35-4 (16-2 in Pac-10)
Coach: Ben Howland
Key players: Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Darren Collison, Josh Shipp
Finish: Lost in Final Four
Bottom Line: 2007-08 UCLA Bruins
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This was the third of three straight Final Four teams at UCLA and by far the most talented. Kevin Love was a freshman, and Russell Westbrook broke out in his sophomore year. Many thought this would be the year the Bruins finally got over the hump to advance to the title game. Those two also had a strong supporting cast — after all, Darren Collison and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute would go on to play 10 and 12 years, respectively, in the NBA.
But UCLA, again, couldn’t get past the Final Four round, as Derrick Rose’s Memphis Grizzlies ran circles around the Bruins to end their season.
UCLA Players in the NBA: Kevin Love
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Kevin Love's father, Stan, was also an NBA player, and he had his son study tapes of Hall of Famer Wes Unseld as part of learning to play the game the right way.
Love will probably be most well-remembered when his career is over for his time playing alongside LeBron James in Cleveland and winning a championship in 2016.
But Love also was dominant with the Timberwolves as an All-NBA pick three times in six seasons.
24. 1965-66 Kentucky Wildcats
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Record: 27-2 (15-1 in SEC)
Coach: Adolph Rupp
Key players: Pat Riley, Louie Dampier, Larry Conley
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 1965-66 Kentucky Wildcats
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This team was depicted in the 2006 film "Glory Road" as the all-white Kentucky Wildcats took on the all-black starting five of Texas Western in the NCAA Championship game. Seeing as Kentucky is on this list, we may have just spoiled the ending of the movie, but these Wildcats were iconic in their own right. They were led by two Hall of Famers — Pat Riley and Louie Dampier — both of which averaged over 20 PPG. Riley was the SEC Player of the Year, and Dampier was a consensus All-American.
But they were no match for Texas Western, and their success opened the eyes of many coaches and administrators in the South who didn’t actively recruit black players. Riley would later say of his Texas Western opponents, “What they did that night has resonated for 50 years since.”
Kentucky Players in the NBA: Pat Riley
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Pat Riley played seven seasons in the NBA as a solid bench player who brought energy and defense to the teams he played on — most notably the 1972 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, arguably the greatest team in NBA history.
Riley's real mark on the NBA came as the head coach of the Lakers, where he won four NBA championships in the 1980s. Riley also won another NBA championship with the Lakers as an assistant coach in 1980.
23. 1995-96 UMass Minutemen
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Record: 35-2 (15-1 in A-10)
Coach: John Calipari
Key players: Marcus Camby, Donta Bright, Carmelo Travieso
Finish: Lost in Final Four
Bottom Line: 1995-96 UMass Minutemen
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Coach Cal makes a few appearances on this list, and this Marcus Camby-led squad was his first “almost” team. It was a defense-first team centered around Camby, who led the Atlantic-10 in blocks. UMass lost just one game during the regular season but flirted with fire much more often, as they had four overtime games and another three contests decided by three or fewer points.
Calipari looked to be on his way to some mid-major magic in the NCAA tournament with UMass winning its first four games by an average of 17 points per game. But it ran into a Bluegrass Buzzsaw in the Final Four as they fell to a Kentucky team that would send nine players to the NBA.
UMass Players in the NBA: Marcus Camby
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Marcus Camby was a defensive power in 17 NBA seasons. He led the NBA in blocks four times and made the All-NBA Defensive Team four times.
Camby's crowning achievement in the NBA was when he was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.
22. 1961-62 Ohio State Buckeyes
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Record: 26-2 (13-1 in Big Ten)
Coach: Fred Taylor
Key players: John Havlicek, Jerry Lucas, Mel Nowell, Bobby Knight
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 1961-62 Ohio State Buckeyes
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Prior to UCLA arriving on the scene under John Wooden, the Buckeyes were the sport’s dynasty. They went to back-to-back-to-back national championship games from 1960-62 but lost the last two. They certainly weren’t short on talent, as they had two of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history with Havlicek and Lucas, who were both seniors. They also had a scrappy senior forward by the name of Bob Knight who would become a coaching legend in a different shade of red at Indiana.
However, the ’62 Buckeyes — just as the ’61 Buckeyes — couldn’t get past the Cincinnati Bearcats in the title game in which Ohio bragging rights went to the school from the southwestern part of the state.
Ohio State Players in the NBA: John Havlicek
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John Havlicek was the first true swingman in NBA history — a player who was indistinguishable from a guard or a forward because he did everything on the floor for both positions.
His eight NBA titles trail only teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones for the most in league history, but more than that, Havlicek never lost in the NBA Finals, going 8-0.
Havlicek, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history, died in April 2019 at 79 years old.
21. 2006-07 Ohio State Buckeyes
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Record: 35-4 (15-1 in Big Ten)
Coach: Thad Matta
Key players: Greg Oden, Mike Conley, Ron Lewis, Daequan Cook
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 2006-07 Ohio State Buckeyes
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Fifteen years after Michigan’s Fab Five, Ohio State trotted out its Fab Four Freshmen led by Greg Oden. The big man was the No. 1 player in his high school class, and he didn’t disappoint, leading the Big Ten in rebounds and blocks while being named a consensus All-American.
The Buckeyes overcame some turbulence during the NCAA tourney, needing overtime to defeat No. 9 Xavier and then squeaking by No. 5 Tennessee by one point. By the time they advanced to the title game, Ohio State was on a 22-game win streak, but the defending champs in Florida were too much for Oden and company, as the Gators repeated as champions.
Ohio State Players in the NBA: Mike Conley Jr.
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Mike Conley teamed with Marc Gasol to guide the Memphis Grizzlies through the greatest seasons in franchise history and carved out a reputation as one of the good guys in the NBA.
Conley, a high school and college teammate of 2007 No. 2 overall pick Greg Oden, was rewarded handsomely for his time playing for Memphis, signing a five-year, $153 million contract in 2016. At that time, it was the richest deal in league history.
Conley, who was traded to the Jazz in 2019, has yet to make an All-Star team in 14 seasons.
20. 2019-20 Kansas Jayhawks
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Record: 28-3 (17-1 in Big 12)
Coach: Bill Self
Key players: Devon Dotson, Udoka Azubuike, Marcus Garrett
Finish: NCAA tournament canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
Bottom Line: 2019-20 Kansas Jayhawks
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No team has a bigger “What If?” than the 2020 Jayhawks who lost on the chance to even compete for a national title. The Jayhawks had won their final 16 games, which came in the heart of conference play, and many of those contests weren’t even close. One of those wins was on the road against the No. 1 team in the country, Baylor, who had beaten KU earlier in the season.
The Jayhawks were poised to have, perhaps, the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tourney and bring Bill Self his second-ever championship. But we’ll never know what would have happened.
Kansas Players in the NBA: Udoka Azubuike
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Arguably the best player off the Jayhawks' fake national title team, Udoka Azubuike was drafted with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
Azubuike has been a bust for the Utah Jazz so far. Over two seasons, the 7-footer has only appeared in 15 games.
19. 1989-90 Loyola Marymount Lions
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Record: 26-6 (13-1 in West Coast Conference)
Coach: Paul Westhead
Key players: Bo Kimble, Hank Gathers, Jeff Fryer
Finish: Lost in Elite Eight
Bottom Line: 1989-90 Loyola Marymount Lions
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If you enjoy lots of offense and high-scoring teams, then you would have loved the 1990 LMU Lions. They averaged 122.4 PPG, which was more than any NBA team that season. Bo Kimble’s 35.3 PPG led the NCAA, while teammate Hank Gathers’ 29 PPG ranked sixth.
Ranked No. 11 in the NCAA tournament, LMU pulled off three upsets and had a berth in the Final Four on the line in a matchup against No. 1 UNLV. But despite scoring 101 points in the game, UNLV poured in 131 points to end the Lions’ season.
Loyola Marymount Players in the NBA: Bo Kimble
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After Bo Kimble was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 8 overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft, he only lasted three seasons in the league.
Kimble adeptly summed up what the experience was like playing for the Clippers. Remember, this is when they were the laughingstock franchise in not just the NBA, but all of professional sports.
After his career was over, Kimble said playing for the Clippers routinely made him think about committing suicide.
18. 2009-10 Butler Bulldogs
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Record: 33-5 (18-0 in Horizon)
Coach: Brad Stevens
Key players: Gordon Hayward, Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 2009-10 Butler Bulldogs
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Maybe an inch or two to the right was the only difference between Duke winning the 2010 national championship game and Butler becoming just the second mid-major to ever win the title. Hayward’s shot was just about the only thing that didn’t go right in Butler’s magical season, as the team had won 25 straight games before that championship loss.
Along the way to the title game, the No. 5 Butler Bulldogs knocked off No. 1 Syracuse in the Sweet Sixteen, No. 2 Kansas State in the Elite Eight and No. 5 Michigan State in the Final Four. Butler joined 1990-91 UNLV as the only mid-majors to advance to the national championship.
Butler Players in the NBA: Gordon Hayward
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Gordon Hayward was on his way to becoming one of the best NBA players in the league in 2017, after he made his first NBA All-Star team and signed a four-year, $128 million free-agent contract with the Boston Celtics.
Hayward's career got derailed in his first game with Boston when he suffered a gruesome lower-leg fracture. He has not been the same since.
17. 1989-90 LSU Tigers
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Record: 23-9 (12-6 in SEC)
Coach: Dale Brown
Key players: Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Jackson, Stanley Roberts
Finish: Lost in second round
Bottom Line: 1989-90 LSU Tigers
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This team had a 17-year-old genetic freak freshman by the name of Shaquille O’Neal, but Shaq was just the team’s third-best player. Fellow big-man Stanley Roberts was considered better than Shaq at that time, but Chris Jackson (aka Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) was the star of LSU.
He averaged 27.8 points per game and was Steph Curry before Steph Curry with his long-range expertise. However, Jackson came up missing in the second round of the NCAA tournament, which led to LSU’s exit. While Shaq and Roberts combined for 40 points, 29 rebounds and eight blocks in the game, Jackson could only muster 13 points in the loss.
LSU Players in the NBA: Shaquille O'Neal
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Shaquille O'Neal is one of the greatest centers in NBA history. That's in a group that includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.
Aside from being a four-time NBA champion, O'Neal also is a 15-time All-Star and 14-time All-NBA pick. The Magic couldn't re-sign O'Neal and let him sign with the Lakers in free agency. It was a result of O'Neal's agent, Leonard D'Amato, wanting him in Los Angeles and the Magic not wanting to pay up.
Hands down, O'Neal is one of the most popular players in league history as well. He teamed with Kobe Bryant to lead the Lakers to three consecutive NBA titles from 2000-2002 and won three consecutive NBA Finals MVP trophies in that same stretch.
16. 2007-08 Memphis Tigers
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Record: 38-2 (16-0 in Conference USA)
Coach: John Calipari
Key players: Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Joey Dorsey
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 2007-08 Memphis Tigers
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Technically, this team didn’t truly exist, as in 2009, the NCAA vacated all of Memphis’ wins after an investigation into Derrick Rose’s eligibility. But let’s ignore that little fact for a second and praise Calipari’s recruiting and coaching to get a mid-major program to the cusp of a national championship.
Rose was unstoppable for the Tigers and played his best when it mattered the most. He averaged 13.9 PPG before the NCAA tourney and then took that average to 20.8 PPG during March Madness. Only Mario Chalmers’ clutch 3-pointer kept the Tigers from winning the national championship … which would have later been vacated.
Memphis Players in the NBA: Derrick Rose
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Few players in NBA history have seen their careers get off to as rapturous a start as Derrick Rose, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft. Rose was the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2011, in just his third season, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to win the award at just 22 years old after leading the Bulls to an NBA-best 62-20 record.
Rose appeared to have the Bulls on the verge of becoming a legitimate NBA title contender again before he saw his career come undone. First, with a string of devastating injuries, including an ACL tear in the 2011-12 season, then a rape accusation in California that ended in a messy civil lawsuit.
Unfortunately for the Bulls and fortunately for Rose, he signed a five-year, $94.8 million contract extension right before his injury. He didn't play a game from May 2012 to October 2013.
15. 1956-57 Kansas Jayhawks
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Record: 24-3 (11-1 in Big 7)
Coach: Dick Harp
Key player: Wilt Chamberlain
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 1956-57 Kansas Jayhawks
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What made this team so great? Wilt Chamberlain.
With the way Chamberlain dominated grown men in the NBA, just imagine what he was like in college. Chamberlain averaged nearly 30 points and 20 rebounds per game for a team that had no other future NBA players and no other players taller than 6-foot-6.
The Jayhawks were ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 throughout the entire season and then destroyed defending champion San Francisco in the Final Four. But in the title game, North Carolina used the Hack-a-Wilt strategy to get extra possessions and knocked off Kansas in Chamberlain's final college game.
Kansas Players in the NBA: Wilt Chamberlain
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Wilt Chamberlain won seven NBA scoring titles and, almost out of spite, led the league in assists one season when fans and media complained he took too many shots.
Chamberlain could score at will but at times in his career played with a very pronounced indifference toward the game itself. His career, with only two NBA titles, will always have a certain degree of "what if" hanging over it.
14. 1994-95 Arkansas Razorbacks
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Record: 32-7 (12-4 in SEC)
Coach: Nolan Richardson
Key players: Corliss Williamson, Scotty Thurman, Clint McDaniel
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 1994-95 Arkansas Razorbacks
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The '95 Razorbacks were the defending champs and loaded with experience, as 91 percent of their scoring from the previous year returned. They were led by Corliss Williamson (aka Big Nasty), who looked like the second coming of Charles Barkley in the SEC.
Williamson finished among the top two in the conference in total points and rebounds and averaged 22.6 points and 9.6 rebounds through Arkansas' first five tournament games.
But he and the Razorbacks were no match for UCLA in the championship game, as the Bruins' entire starting five would go onto the NBA. Williamson had just 12 points and four boards in the title game.
Razorbacks in the NBA: Corliss Williamson
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Corliss Williamson was a noted NBA tough guy when he entered the league — the version of what an "enforcer" is in the NHL.
Williamson lasted 12 seasons in the NBA. He was the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2002 and won an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004.
13. 1987-88 Temple Owls
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Record: 32-2 (18-0 in A-10)
Coach: John Chaney
Key players: Mark Macon, Tim Perry, Mike Vreeswyk
Finish: Lost in Elite Eight
Bottom Line: 1987-88 Temple Owls
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This was the best Owls team during John Chaney’s 24 years in Philly and also the best Temple team in program history. The team won 14 straight to start the year before suffering a one-point defeat to UNLV.
Temple then rebounded to win 18 straight before falling to Duke in the NCAA tourney. But this squad dedicated its efforts on the defensive end like many of Chaney’s teams. Tim Perry led the NCAA in total blocks, while both Mark Macon and Howard Evans were among the conference leaders in steals.
The 87-88 Owls finished first in the final regular-season AP Poll, which marks the only time in school history they’ve even finished in the top four.
Temple Players in the NBA: Mark Macon
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Mark Macon was a lottery pick in the 1991 NBA draft when he was selected No. 8 overall by the Denver Nuggets. Macon only lasted five seasons in the NBA but was actually named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1992.
He continued to play pro basketball overseas until 2001.
12. 1998-99 Duke Blue Devils
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Record: 37-2 (16-0 in ACC)
Coach: Mike Krzyzewski
Key players: Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Trajan Langdon, Shane Battier
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 1998-99 Duke Blue Devils
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A team so loaded that 14-year NBA vet Corey Maggette couldn’t even crack the starting lineup looked unbeatable entering the tournament. Duke was riding a 27-game winning streak, with 25 of those games being decided by double-figures. Brand was the AP Player of the Year, while four of his teammates made the All-ACC Team.
Duke advanced all the way to the title game but ran into a UConn team that had a 19-game winning streak during the regular season. Huskies junior Richard Hamilton (27 points) couldn’t be stopped, as Coach K suffered a defeat in the national championship game for the fourth time.
Duke Players in the NBA: Shane Battier
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Shane Battier eventually won a national championship at Duke in 2001. He then became one of the great NBA role players over the next decade, making two All-NBA Defensive Teams and winning a pair of NBA championships with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013.
Battier was named NBA Teammate of the Year in 2014.
11. 1987-88 Oklahoma Sooners
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Record: 35-4 (12-2 in Big 8)
Coach: Billy Tubbs
Key players: Stacey King, Harvey Grant, Mookie Blaylock
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 1987-88 Oklahoma Sooners
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Only the University of Houston has appeared in more Final Fours than Oklahoma’s five appearances without winning a national title. The ’88 group was the best bunch of Sooners thanks to its dominating frontcourt of King and Grant. Both were double-double machines and powered OU’s offense to 102.9 points per game, which ranked second in the nation.
But Oklahoma’s backcourt was just as productive, led by future NBA All-Star Mookie Blaylock. He led the entire NCAA in steals while ranking second in the conference in assists, and his backcourt mate, Ricky Grace, led the conference in assists. However, OU couldn’t get past Kansas in the title game despite beating the Jayhawks twice in the regular season.
Oklahoma Players in the NBA: Mookie Blaylock
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Few NBA players were able to guard on the same level as Mookie Blaylock throughout the 1990s, and he had his best years with the Hawks.
Blaylock made his only All-Star team playing for Atlanta in 1994 and was a six-time All-NBA Defensive Team pick there as well.
Blaylock led the NBA in steals in back-to-back years in 1997 and 1998, becoming one of only five players in NBA history to do so. He averaged 2.3 steals for his career and is Atlanta's career leader in steals.
10. 1983-84 North Carolina Tar Heels
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Record: 28-3 (14-0 in ACC)
Coach: Dean Smith
Key players: Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Brad Daugherty, Kenny Smith
Finish: Lost in Sweet Sixteen
Bottom Line: 1983-84 North Carolina Tar Heels
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Michael Jordan famously hit the game-winning shot as a freshman to help North Carolina win the national championship. But what happened in Jordan’s last year in college as a junior?
The Tar Heels rolled through the regular season, suffering just one defeat that came by one point. However, after winning its first ACC tournament game, it then bowed out by losing the second, and that would be some foreshadowing for the NCAA tournament.
UNC easily won its first game but then fell 72-68 to Indiana, which was Jordan’s last college game. Jordan had just 13 points in the contest, and the Tar Heels couldn’t contain star freshman Steve Alford, who posted 27 points, six rebounds and three assists.
North Carolina Players in the NBA: Michael Jordan
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The greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan singlehandedly lifted the Chicago Bulls from their moribund past to becoming the signature pro sports franchise in all of North America, if not the world.
Jordan won five NBA Most Valuable Player awards with the Bulls, six NBA championships and six NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards in that stretch. Had it not been for a two-year, mid-career retirement in which Jordan pursued a professional baseball career, he may have added two more titles to the total.
9. 1967-68 Houston Cougars
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Record: 31-2 (Independent)
Coach: Guy Lewis
Key players: Elvin Hayes, Don Chaney, Ken Spain
Finish: Lost in third-place game
Bottom Line: 1967-68 Houston Cougars
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This team was one half of The Game of the Century when Houston took on UCLA and its 47-game winning streak on Jan. 20, 1968. The Cougars prevailed 71-69, and after being ranked second in the country, Houston was bumped up to No. 1 after the game.
The Cougars were powered by Elvin Hayes, who was the Player of the Year thanks to averages of 36.8 points and 18.9 rebounds per game. That win over UCLA was one of 24 straight for Houston, which then had a rematch with the Bruins in the Final Four. However, UCLA got its revenge to hand Houston its first loss of the season, and then the Cougars lost again in the Third Place Game, which stopped being played in 1981.
Houston Players in the NBA: Elvin Hayes
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Elvin Hayes had to take a lot of shots when he was playing for the San Diego Rockets to start his career. If he didn't, there was no way his team had a chance at winning.
Hayes got a lot of shot opportunities because of his ability to rebound. His 18.4 rebounds per game average in 1974 is the third-highest in NBA history. Hayes made nine of 12 All-Star teams with the Washington Bullets and led the team to the NBA championship in 1978.
8. 1978-79 Indiana State Sycamores
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Record: 33-1 (16-0 in Missouri Valley Conference)
Coach: Bill Hodges
Key players: Larry Bird, Carl Nicks, Alex Gilbert
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 1978-79 Indiana State Sycamores
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This Indiana State team with Larry Bird was never even supposed to happen, as Larry Legend was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1978. But the NBA had a rule back then in which a player could return to college after being drafted, and that's exactly what Bird did.
Bird would sweep all of the major awards during the 78-79 season and lead the Sycamores to not only its first NCAA tournament appearance but to the title game as well. However, a sophomore by the name of Earvin "Magic" Johnson was waiting, and thus, one of the greatest rivalries in sports history was born.
Indiana State in the NBA: Larry Bird
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Larry Bird is one of the greatest players in NBA history. And few players could measure up to Bird in his prime.
Bird was drafted by the Boston Celtics a full year before he joined the team and led the franchise to three NBA championships in 13 seasons. He won three NBA Most Valuable Player awards as well.
Bird's career is even more amazing when you consider that back injuries decimated the latter half of his career. He only played six games in 1988-89, 60 games in 1990-91 and 45 games in 1991-92, his final season.
7. 1973-74 UCLA Bruins
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Record: 26-4 (12-2 in Pac-8)
Coach: John Wooden
Key players: Bill Walton, Jamaal Wilkes, Marques Johnson, Dave Meyers
Finish: Won third-place game
Bottom Line: 1973-74 UCLA Bruin
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The Bruins had two record streaks come to an end in this season. One was their 88-game winning streak, which started in January 1971 and ended in January 1974. Then, there was the seven-year championship streak, which began in 1967 but ended in the Final Four of this 1974 tournament.
This season marked the senior years of Bill Walton and Jamaal Wilkes as the Bruins, again, dominated the competition. Walton swept most of the Player of the Year awards, while Wilkes was a consensus All-American. The two of them did their jobs in the Final Four with a combined 44 points. But a duo on the other side did even better, as David Thompson and Tom Burleson of NC State combined for 48 to send the Bruins to the Third Place Game.
UCLA Players in the NBA: Bill Walton
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The Portland Trail Blazers knew about Bill Walton's long history of injuries dating back to his high school days in San Diego, but the thought of bringing a proven winner like Walton into the fold was too much to pass up.
Those injuries persisted for Walton. Still, taking him paid off in a big way for the Blazers when Walton led them to arguably the most improbable championship in NBA history in 1977 and won NBA Most Valuable Player honors in 1978.
Walton won another title in 1986 as a reserve for the Boston Celtics, when he won NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
6. 1984-85 Georgetown Hoyas
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Record: 35-3 (14-2 in Big East)
Coach: John Thompson
Key players: Patrick Ewing, David Wingate, Reggie Williams
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 1984-85 Georgetown Hoyas
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The Hoyas made three Final Fours during Patrick Ewing's four years at the school. They lost in the Final Four in their first appearance before winning the championship in 1984. They looked poised to repeat in '85 with their top six scorers returning, and Ewing was the AP Player of the Year.
Georgetown lost just twice during the regular season but avenged one of those in the Final Four when it demolished No. 1 St. John's by 18 points. But Georgetown ran into a determined Villanova team in the final, and the Wildcats got its own revenge by making up for its two regular-season losses to the Hoyas.
Georgetown Players in the NBA: Patrick Ewing
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Patrick Ewing was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 NBA draft and immediately became the focal point of the Knicks' offense for the next 15 years. Which meant taking a lot of shots.
Ewing was an 11-time All-Star but never won an NBA title, coming up short in two trips to the finals in 1994 and 1999.
Ewing played in the last great era of NBA centers — the last era when you could build a team around a pure center. And the Knicks built their team around Ewing for over a decade.
5. 1992-93 Michigan Wolverines
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Record: 31-5 (15-3 in Big Ten)
Coach: Steve Fisher
Key players: Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 1992-93 Michigan Wolverines
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The "Chris Webber Timeout" pretty much sums up how this season — and Webber’s college career — ended. But how they got to that point shows just how dominant the Wolverines were. This season was one year after the Fab Five arrival, and Webber became the team’s leading scorer after Rose had led the team as a freshman.
Michigan was the best team in the country by the analytics, which take into account offensive rating, defensive rating and strength of schedule. The Wolverines knocked off No. 1 Kentucky in the Final Four and had a good shot of doing the same to another No. 1 in North Carolina for the championship. But Webber’s late timeout sealed a Carolina win, and he still has to answer questions about it almost 30 years later.
Michigan Players in the NBA: Chris Webber
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One of the most enigmatic stars in NBA history, Chris Webber was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft but only spent one season with his first team, the Golden State Warriors, then torched every bridge he could on his way out with the Washington Bullets/Wizards.
Webber was never better than in his seven seasons with the Sacramento Kings, where he turned the moribund franchise into a legitimate NBA title contender, was a five-time All-NBA pick and made four of his five All-Star appearances.
There was nothing Webber couldn't do on a basketball court. He averaged 23.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks with the Kings.
4. 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats
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Record: 38-1 (18-0 in SEC)
Coach: John Calipari
Key players: Karl-Anthony Towns (KAT), Devin Booker, Willie Cauley-Stein, Aaron Harrison
Finish: Lost in Final Four
Bottom Line: 2014-15 Kentucky Wildcats
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This may be the most talented team on this entire list, with nine players who made their way to the NBA, including two superstars in KAT and Booker. With so much depth, Calipari essentially platooned at every position, and eight players averaged in between 20 and 26 minutes.
The Cats ranked in the top 12 in both offensive and defensive rating, as many thought this would be the first team to run the table since the 75-76 Indiana Hoosiers. UK had some close games, including two overtime contests and two others decided by two points, but they entered the Final Four at 38-0. But an efficient Wisconsin team awaited UK, and the Frank Kaminsky-led squad downed the Wildcats, ending their quest for history.
Kentucky Players in the NBA: Devin Booker
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Devin Booker has established himself as one of the NBA's elite players through his first seven seasons, making three All-Star teams and leading the Phoenix Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals alongside backcourt mate Chris Paul.
In 2019, Booker became the youngest player in NBA history with consecutive 50-point games.
3. 1982-83 Houston Cougars
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Record: 32-5 (15-1 in Southwest Conference)
Coach: Guy Lewis
Key players: Akeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Michael Young
Finish: Lost in national championship game
Bottom Line: 1982-83 Houston Cougars
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The Phi Slama Jama era of Houston made three straight Final Fours, but this '83 squad was the best of the bunch. It boasted two of the top 50 players in NBA history in Olajuwon and Drexler, but neither player was the team's leading scorer. That honor went to Young, who was the conference player of the year and averaged 17.3 points per game.
While their dunks attracted lots of attention, the strength of the team was the defense. Olajuwon averaged over five blocks per game, while Drexler averaged 3.3 steals per contest. The Cougars had a 26-game winning streak entering the title game but lost on a last-second putback from Lorenzo Charles, which then featured coach Jim Valvano infamously running around and looking for someone to hug.
Cougars in the NBA: Clyde Drexler
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The greatest Portland Trail Blazer of all time, Clyde "The Glide" Drexler made eight All-Star teams and was a five-time All-NBA pick in 12 seasons with the franchise.
Drexler was the star player on a pair of teams that made it to the NBA Finals — in 1990, when they lost to the Detroit Pistons, and in 1992, when they lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
Drexler finally got his long sought-after NBA title in 1995 with the Houston Rockets and also won an Olympic gold medal as a member of the Dream Team in 1992.
2. 1974-75 Indiana Hoosiers
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Record: 31-1 (18-0 in Big Ten)
Coach: Bobby Knight
Key players: Scott May, Kent Benson, Steve Green, Quinn Buckner
Finish: Lost in Elite Eight
Bottom Line: 1974-75 Indiana Hoosiers
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The four key players listed comprised 80 percent of the All-Big Ten team as it was Indiana … and then everyone else. This team seemed destined to be Bobby Knight’s first undefeated squad, as it won 31 in a row, but during that streak, All-American Scott May suffered a broken arm.
The injury limited him in both playing time and in production, as he could only log seven minutes and produce two points in the Elite Eight versus Kentucky. Indiana would fall 92-90, but the following year, the Hoosiers would run the table and become national champions.
Indiana Players in the NBA: Kent Benson
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Kurt Benson was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1977 NBA draft — one of the worst No. 1 overall picks in pro sports history.
Benson's career got off to one of the more infamous starts in NBA history as well, when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar rearranged his entire face with a quick jab just 10 minutes into Benson's first pro game.
1. 1990-91 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
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Record: 34-1 (18-0 in Big West)
Coach: Jerry Tarkanian
Key players: Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony, Stacey Augmon, Anderson Hunt
Finish: Lost in Final Four
Bottom Line: 1990-91 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
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When reading the title of this article, the 1990-91 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels were likely the first team that popped into many people’s heads. The Rebels had a chance to establish a dynasty if they won the title, as the team had already won the championship the year before and was on a 45-game winning streak entering the title game.
This team was loaded with five future NBA players that would play a combined 42 seasons in the NBA. Their top three players in Johnson, Anthony and Augmon were all seniors and averaged 22 years old, so they were literally men playing amongst boys. UNLV was ranked No. 1 wire-to-wire and had just two games in which they didn’t win by double-digits.
But they ran into a determined Duke team in a semifinal game with revenge on its mind, as Duke was the team UNLV beat in the title game the year before. Coach K’s group slowed down the game to accommodate their own style of play, and the Blue Devils prevailed by two points to send UNLV to this list.
UNLV Players in the NBA: Larry Johnson
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Few players in NBA history came on the scene with such an impact as 1991 No. 1 overall pick Larry Johnson, who turned the expansion Charlotte Hornets into a team to be reckoned with from the very start.
Johnson, a two-time All-Star, signed the richest contract in NBA history in 1993 when the Hornets got him for 12 years, $84 million. His size, 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, was more NFL defensive end than power forward but may have also been the cause of back problems that ended his career.