The Top 30 Men’s College Basketball Players Of All Time
Career Averages: 21.4 points per game | 19.5 rebounds per game
One of those names that should be mentioned among college basketball’s legends more often than it is, Joe Holup torched the competition while at George Washington in the 1950s. He was just shy of averaging 20 points and 20 rebounds for his career but nonetheless became one of only two players in NCAA history to record 2,000 points and 2,000 rebounds. Holup’s 2,030 career rebounds puts him at second all-time in NCAA history. He was somehow only once chosen as an All-American.
Career Averages: 21.7 points per game | 7.5 rebounds per game | 1.3 assists per game
An ultra-rare star player who opted to spend four years in college, Creighton’s Doug McDermott was named the consensus National College Player of the Year for his senior season in 2014. During his four seasons in the NCAA, McDermott was always outstanding, being named a consensus first-team All-American three times. He finished his career with the fifth-most career points scored in NCAA history (3,150) and his 135 career games scoring double-digit points are the most in history.
Career Averages: 21.0 points per game | 10.3 rebounds per game | 0.6 assists per game
Undoubtedly the best baller to ever come from America’s armed forces academies, The Admiral was a career double-double player and a brutal defender. David Robinson’s career averages of 21 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game at Navy are impressive and led him to set a record that still stands. Robinson holds the NCAA’s all-time record for double-doubles recorded in a single season, when he secured 31 of them in 1986, out of 35 total games that season. He was a two-time consensus All-American pick and was named National Collegiate Player of the Year in 1987.
Career Averages: 20.1 points per game | 8.1 rebounds per game | 2.3 assists per game
Anytime you make the case to be the greatest player in the history of a storied college hoops program like Kansas, you are in rarified air. Danny Manning is the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in Jayhawks history, numbers that put him ahead of some legitimate legends. Manning was key to the team’s 1988 NCAA championship win, being named National Collegiate Player of the Year that season. He was a three-time consensus All-American during his four seasons at Kansas and his college career eventually landed him in the National Basketball Hall of Fame.
Career Averages: 25.8 points per game | 12.9 rebounds per game | 1.2 assists per game
Similar to Danny Manning at Kansas, The Horse earned his reputation as the best player in the history of a storied program. In Dan Issel’s three seasons at Kentucky, he was a two-time All-American and became the program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder and one of the best all-around players in history. Issel’s scoring average of 33.9 points per game in 1970 is still the best single-season mark by any Wildcat in history.
Career Averages: 34.6 points per game | 7.3 rebounds per game
It’s easy to understand why Notre Dame head coach John Dee is trying to kiss his star player, Austin Carr, in this photo from 1970. Carr had just scored 61 points in an NCAA Tournament game, a total that still stands as the all-time record for single-game scoring. Carr was a total offensive freak, averaging at least 38 points per game in both the 1970 and 1971 seasons — both of which rank in the top 10 all-time for highest single-season scoring average. He was a two-time consensus All-American pick and was named National Collegiate Player of the Year in 1971.
Career Averages: 16.9 points per game | 11.4 rebounds per game | 1.2 assists per game
If you want to know just how dominant Ralph Sampson was during his four seasons at Virginia, just look at his accolades. The 7-foot-4-inch giant was named National Collegiate Player of the Year for a mind-blowing three consecutive seasons, from 1981-1983, which ties the all-time record. Sampson was also a three-time consensus All-American selection, aided by his insane career average of 3.5 blocks per game. His 1,511 career rebounds places him fifth among all players who’ve played since 1973.
Career Averages: 16.5 points per game | 12.3 rebounds per game | 2.3 assists per game
Before he became one of the best players in NBA history, The Big Fundamental was one of the best to ever play college hoops. On top of averaging a career double double, Tim Duncan led Wake Forest to the NCAA tournament in all four of his seasons there. In that span, he was also a three-time All-ACC selection, two-time ACC Player of the Year, two-time consensus All-American and was National Collegiate Player of the Year in 1997. Duncan recorded an incredible 29 double doubles in 31 total games played during that season. His career total of 1,570 rebounds is the second most of anyone since 1973.
Career Averages: 21.6 points per game | 13.5 rebounds per game | 1.7 assists per game
You want to talk domination? When he was just a young man at Louisiana State, Shaquille O’Neal averaged 4.6 blocks per game for his career. On top of that, he was scoring at least 21 points and grabbing 13 rebounds on a nightly basis. Triple doubles are extremely rare in college basketball and he recorded six of them, which is tied for the second most ever. For all his incredible play, Shaq was named a two-time consensus All-American, two-time SEC Player of the Year and three-time All-SEC selection.
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