I don't even know how this is debatable. This has been discussed ad nauseum on here, but LSU's starting 5 is arguably the best all-time nationally, just not in the SEC.

In terms of depth, Kentucky could go 50 deep on LSU, but you don't play 50 players. LSU's next 5 would be littered with SEC POY winners, i.e. the best player in the SEC for a year - on the bench. In the 2000s alone Glen David, Brandon Bass, Stromile Swift, and Marcus Thornton were all the best player in the conference one year. And they are all on the bench.

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Posted by Palm Beach Tiger

Orlando, Florida

Member since Jan 2007

29879 posts

Posted on 2/20/13 at 11:46 am to lsumatt

quote:
In terms of depth, Kentucky could go 50 deep on LSU, but you don't play 50 players. LSU's next 5 would be littered with SEC POY winners, i.e. the best player in the SEC for a year - on the bench. In the 2000s alone Glen David, Brandon Bass, Stromile Swift, and Marcus Thornton were all the best player in the conference one year. And they are all on the bench.

Exactly. Other teams would have a little better depth, but how much do you need really with the starting 5 we would have. People really think guys like Tyrus Thomas couldn't come in and play a few minutes for Bob Petit, enough to still win? Of course they would. Our starting 5 would be just nasty, and the bench would be enough to get by on anyone. Now the problem we would truly have is who would coach this team? UCLA would have Wooden. UK would have Rupp. UNC would have Smith. Duke would have K. We would have trouble there.

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Posted by King Joey

Just south of the DC/US border

Member since Mar 2004

12513 posts

Posted on 2/21/13 at 3:23 pm to lsumatt

quote:
LSU's next 5 would be littered with SEC POY winners, i.e. the best player in the SEC for a year

Actually, only 4 of our next 5 could be SEC POY (we've only had 8 all time, and Petit wasn't one of them). And none of our last 3 could be. Kentucky, meanwhile, would have their choice of a dozen SEC POY winners (if they wanted), meaning they'd only have one guy on the whole roster who wasn't a POY. Not to mention, they have 15 guys all time who were 1st All Americans (just counting AP/UPI). We've only got 8 who made 1st team on any All American list, and that's going all the way back to Sparky Wade. The quality depth just doesn't match up. Past the first 3-5, we just don't have the history to hang with the major historical programs in basketball.