We've had threads on All-ISU basketball teams, and with a plethora of ISU players in the NBA, why not a team based upon their professional NBA/ABA careers after college. I went to Basketball Reference and found there are 34 ISU alums with NBA minutes.
www.basketball-reference.com
I put two qualifers on eligibility for the team: 1) Player must have played in at least 150 games. 2) Must have finished his collegiate career at ISU. Sorry Sam Mack, Justin Hamilton, and Wesley Johnson. Johnson might very well be on this team had he stayed.
I then looked at the stats before making my team. Here are the top five in the various statistical categories:
Games: 1. Jeff Hornacek-1,077; 2. Jamal Tinsley-547; T3. Kelvin Cato-541; T3. Fred Hoiberg-541; 5. Zaid Abdul-Aziz-505
Minutes: 1. Hornacek - 33,964; 2. Tinsley - 14,443; 3. Abdul-Aziz - 11,023; 4. Cato - 10,617; 5. Hoiberg - 9978
MPG: 1. Hornacek - 31.5; 2. Tinsley - 26.4; 3. Monte Morris - 23.0; 4. Abdul-Aziz - 21.8; 5. Marcus Fizer - 20.9
Points: 1. Hornacek - 15,659; 2. Tinsley - 4,652; 3. Abdul-Aziz - 4,557; 4. Jeff Grayer - 3,257; 5. Cato - 2,960
PPG: 1. Hornacek - 14.5; T2. Morris - 9.6; T2. Fizer - 9.6; 4. Abdul-Aziz - 9.0; 5. Victor Alexander - 8.9
Rebounds: 1. Abdul-Aziz - 4,065; 2. Hornacek - 3,646; 3. Cato - 2,874; 4. Tinsley - 1,605; 5. Hoiberg - 1,438
RPG: 1. Abdul-Aziz - 8.0; 2. Cato - 5.3; 3. Alexander - 4.8; 4. Fizer - 4.6; 5. Hornacek - 3.4
Assists: 1. Hornacek - 5,281; 2. Tinsley - 3,330; 3. Hoiberg - 846; 4. Grayer - 635; 5. Abdul-Aziz - 601
APG: 1. Tinsley - 6.1; 2. Hornacek - 4.9; 3. Morris - 3.5; 4. Hoiberg - 1.6; 5. Grayer - 1.4
Steals: 1. Hornacek - 1,536; 2. Tinsley - 776; 3. Hoiberg - 428; 4. Cato - 292; 5. Grayer - 271
Blocks: 1. Cato - 685; 2. Hornacek - 226; 3. Abdul-Aziz - 205; 4. Alexander - 177; 5. Tinsley - 155
FG%: 1. Alexander - .518; 2. Cato - .507; 3. Hornacek - .496; 4. Morris - .479; 5. Grayer - .457
3P%: 1. Hornacek - .403; 2. Morris - .398; 3. Hoiberg - .396; 4. Niang - .387; 5. Nader - .352
FT%: 1. Hornacek - .877; 2. Hoiberg - .854; 3. Niang - .827; 4. Morris - .826; 5. Abdul-Aziz - .728
Too me the no-brainer for the team is Jeff Hornacek. His stats, longevity, and an All-Star game should make him the team captain as well.
After him, Tinsley is my other guard, with Abdul-Aziz and Cato down low. That leaves the 3-spot which is kind of a toss up. While it would be Wesley Johnson were he stayed at ISU, for me it comes down to Hoiberg, Grayer, and Fizer. Hoiberg had the longevity as the other two had careers cut short by injury. Fizer was in the top 5 in both points and rebounds per game, but he is more of an insde player. Grayer actually totaled more points than Hoiberg despite playing in 103 less games. Grayer fits the 3-spot a better than Hoiberg, I'll go with Grayer. Hoiberg would be my choice as 6th man.
Morris, Niang, and Nader could make a bid if they stay in the league and continue to grow. Matt Thomas has not played enough games to date, but if he can maintain his 3-point marksmanship, he could have his ticket to a Kyle Korver-type carreer.
Players Who Played For Iowa State | Basketball-Reference.com
Players Who Played For Iowa State
www.basketball-reference.com
I put two qualifers on eligibility for the team: 1) Player must have played in at least 150 games. 2) Must have finished his collegiate career at ISU. Sorry Sam Mack, Justin Hamilton, and Wesley Johnson. Johnson might very well be on this team had he stayed.
I then looked at the stats before making my team. Here are the top five in the various statistical categories:
Games: 1. Jeff Hornacek-1,077; 2. Jamal Tinsley-547; T3. Kelvin Cato-541; T3. Fred Hoiberg-541; 5. Zaid Abdul-Aziz-505
Minutes: 1. Hornacek - 33,964; 2. Tinsley - 14,443; 3. Abdul-Aziz - 11,023; 4. Cato - 10,617; 5. Hoiberg - 9978
MPG: 1. Hornacek - 31.5; 2. Tinsley - 26.4; 3. Monte Morris - 23.0; 4. Abdul-Aziz - 21.8; 5. Marcus Fizer - 20.9
Points: 1. Hornacek - 15,659; 2. Tinsley - 4,652; 3. Abdul-Aziz - 4,557; 4. Jeff Grayer - 3,257; 5. Cato - 2,960
PPG: 1. Hornacek - 14.5; T2. Morris - 9.6; T2. Fizer - 9.6; 4. Abdul-Aziz - 9.0; 5. Victor Alexander - 8.9
Rebounds: 1. Abdul-Aziz - 4,065; 2. Hornacek - 3,646; 3. Cato - 2,874; 4. Tinsley - 1,605; 5. Hoiberg - 1,438
RPG: 1. Abdul-Aziz - 8.0; 2. Cato - 5.3; 3. Alexander - 4.8; 4. Fizer - 4.6; 5. Hornacek - 3.4
Assists: 1. Hornacek - 5,281; 2. Tinsley - 3,330; 3. Hoiberg - 846; 4. Grayer - 635; 5. Abdul-Aziz - 601
APG: 1. Tinsley - 6.1; 2. Hornacek - 4.9; 3. Morris - 3.5; 4. Hoiberg - 1.6; 5. Grayer - 1.4
Steals: 1. Hornacek - 1,536; 2. Tinsley - 776; 3. Hoiberg - 428; 4. Cato - 292; 5. Grayer - 271
Blocks: 1. Cato - 685; 2. Hornacek - 226; 3. Abdul-Aziz - 205; 4. Alexander - 177; 5. Tinsley - 155
FG%: 1. Alexander - .518; 2. Cato - .507; 3. Hornacek - .496; 4. Morris - .479; 5. Grayer - .457
3P%: 1. Hornacek - .403; 2. Morris - .398; 3. Hoiberg - .396; 4. Niang - .387; 5. Nader - .352
FT%: 1. Hornacek - .877; 2. Hoiberg - .854; 3. Niang - .827; 4. Morris - .826; 5. Abdul-Aziz - .728
Too me the no-brainer for the team is Jeff Hornacek. His stats, longevity, and an All-Star game should make him the team captain as well.
After him, Tinsley is my other guard, with Abdul-Aziz and Cato down low. That leaves the 3-spot which is kind of a toss up. While it would be Wesley Johnson were he stayed at ISU, for me it comes down to Hoiberg, Grayer, and Fizer. Hoiberg had the longevity as the other two had careers cut short by injury. Fizer was in the top 5 in both points and rebounds per game, but he is more of an insde player. Grayer actually totaled more points than Hoiberg despite playing in 103 less games. Grayer fits the 3-spot a better than Hoiberg, I'll go with Grayer. Hoiberg would be my choice as 6th man.
Morris, Niang, and Nader could make a bid if they stay in the league and continue to grow. Matt Thomas has not played enough games to date, but if he can maintain his 3-point marksmanship, he could have his ticket to a Kyle Korver-type carreer.
