NBA players whose college careers are overrated because of their pro careers

This is going to be incredibly controversial but

Michael Jordan

Before we start jumping through hoops and making word salad arguments, let’s take a step back and acknowledge the facts here

-2x All-American
-2x National College POY (consensus 1984)
-1 national championship (where he was probably 3-4 in the team’s pecking order, I’m saying 3 bc he won ACC Rookie of the Year and Jimmy Black wasn’t that productive as a UNC player, Matt Doherty cmon)
-eliminated by Georgia in 1983 Elite 8 (not to mention lost to NC State in ACC Tourney)
-eliminated by underdog Indiana in 1984 Sweet 16 and shut down by Dan Dakich of all people (lost to up and coming Duke in ACC Tourney)

By any measure, that’s a HOF college career during the era with no one and done and no high schoolers going pro. However, last year Michael Jordan won the ESPN poll for Greatest College Player Ever. Yeah no lol. I know he played for Dean Smith in that rigid offense, I know Dean Smith has somewhat of a reputation as a choke artist in big games. But you’re giving me the talent MJ had supporting him his sophomore and junior seasons with him as alpha and they lose TWICE as favorites in both ACC Tourney games and NCAA Tourney games against inferior opponents? That’s not Greatest College Player Ever material to me. Shut down by Dan Dakich? Fouled out of the ACC Tourney game against NC State in 83? Lose to Georgia in 83? Not even make the Final Four again? Not college GOAT material, his college reputation’s helped IMMENSELY by his subsequent pro career. Hell, it’s debatable whether he was the best college player during that time, Patrick Ewing accomplished basically the same accolades MJ did in college FOR a less prestigious program then and advanced to the Final Four more, Big John Thompson has a reputation as a big-game choker too.