All Time Vols

For those looking for life or leadership updates, you might have to have a little patience with this one.

After mentioning that Chris Lofton was in my all time top 5 Vols, I have had a few folks ask who are my top 5 Basketball Vols.  One of the best parts of compiling this list is the conversations I have had with my dad, my brother, and my grandfather and uncle (my mom’s side o’ family) about the list.  I am blessed to be a part of a big basketball family…from both sides, too. So, to the list.

This list comprises top 5 basketball Vols in my lifetime that I can remember playing, plus hall of famers, and honorable mentions.  The list is based on talent, enjoyment of watching them play, how they represent the Vols, and just plain personal bias.  The top 5 is in relative order:

1. Dale Ellis — Incredible base-line post player in college and then a sharp shooter in the NBA.  1982 & ’83 national All-American. As young boy, I remember watching Dale Ellis roam the baseline while watching in Stokley athletics center in the old wooden chairs.  It was a time when I was falling in love with the game that I would share with my dad and brother growing up and that would become one of my few talents…much of my identity as kid and teen.  Dale at that time was the best for the Vols, carried it into the pros, and I now there is a framed print in Bradley’s room (my son) of Dale Ellis dunking on Kentucky during a big win in Stokley.

2. Allan Houston — Allen was an incredible player for four years at UT.  Only Pistol Pete scored more points in their SEC career. It was sad that he did not have a better team around him.  He was an incredible shooter and create points from downtown, mid-range, and penetrating.  He kept doing it in the NBA, too. Plus, today he is a guy of character and faith (and is on ESPN). I had a little sentimental thing with Allen because as he was going through his career at UT, I was in high school having a much less famous basketball career…and we shared the same jersey number — #20.  I remember Allen’s last game at UT, walking out and giving a big bear hug to his dad, who was then the head coach at UT.  I had the privilege of playing with and against many of the Basketball Vols of the Allen Houston era in summer leagues and other games.  Fun stuff.

3. Chris Lofton — I could go on and on about Lofton.  I have never been as excited about UT basketball as I am today…much thanks to Bruce Pearl and Lofton.  I love watching Lofton play: the shots he puts up from 25 feet with people all over him, off balance clutch shots, and now this season his newly developed game of driving to the goal, sweet gliding scores, and getting to the free throw line.  Freshman year we saw he was a great shooter, sophomore year we saw his team commitment and unselfish play with underrated defense, this year we see he is the complete player and I think on his way to All-American.  He has led the Vols to their highest NCAA seeding and I think deep into the tournament.  With a talent like his, the Vols will just win more and more games.  Plus, he is from Kentucky which drive the Blue Nation crazy.  With more games, more heroics, and more history to be made I can see Chris Lofton moving to #2 or even #1.

4. Tony White — Tony White was simply and incredible player to watch.  #3 in all time UT scoring and #6 in the SEC. UT recored of 51 points in one game. He had a pretty good team around him, too.  I remember watching Tony as I was hitting my stride as a basketball player in middle school.  At that point as a basketball player, I loved taking it to the hole and I remember Tony White as the master of that and the spin-pull-up-nothing-but-net.  Tony was a pure scorer and gave the Vols a chance to win the game.

5. Dane Bradshaw — There are many Vols in my lifetime who were better talented than Dane Bradshaw but few who represent the Vols better, few who you want to cheer more, and few who have made as many clutch plays as Dane.  I love a guy who is a point guard playing power forward.  I can identify with that big time as being a point guard but always ending up down low in pick-up games, intramurals, and more.  I actually won a best rebounder award once.  On the great teams of this year and last, Dane is a key to the Vols success and has made the game winning play many times for the Vols…Florida in two games last year, OK State this year.  Now that his shoulder and wrist and starting to get healthy, I think he will begin to score better, too.  You can’t say enough about Dane Bradshaw.

Honor Mentions: Dyron Nix (the great flowing fro, flying dunks, and great scorer); Ron Slay (energy, saw in play in high school); Rob Jones (great post play, Knox native, nice guy, played on his summer league team); Lang Weisman (white boy who could jump, great tandem with Allen Houston); Michael Brooks (played with Tony White, shot downtown before the 3 point line); JaJuan Smith (walk-on who has turned himself into a great Vol); Tyrone Beaman & CJ Watson (two all time solid point guards); Brandon Wharton (met during senior year at Overton HS where I was a YoungLife leader, #10 in UT career points which is amazing because he played for slow-it down Kevin )’Neill)

Hall of Fame: Bernard King (My Dad’s favorite player, I can remember story after story of the Ernie and Bernie show, probably the best player in UT history); Ernie Grunfield (#2 UT & #5 in SEC career points, played with fellow All-American Bernard King, now a big time NBA exec and largely responsible for Bruce Pearl coaching the Vols…thanks Ernie!); Coach Ray Mears (coached Ernie and Bernie, the master-mind of Big Orange Country)

There you go…I am sure other Vol fans can come up with a better list but for me in my lifetime I like this one.  I hope to add a few in the great UT Basketball days to come.

Go Vols!