Build your ISU all-time starting five

[cyclones500]

Several ways I could go. For me, building this team begins with whether I take 1 or 2 among Fizer, Grayer and Tinsley. (I love Georges & Hoiberg, but I can’t justify spending $5 above those 3).

My initial run-through was (with a "tie" depending on guard-heavy or balanced):
$5 Fizer F
$5 Tinsley PG
$2 Thigpen (combo G) or $2 Meyer (F)
$1 Ivy SG
$1 Cato C

 

[cyclones500]

A lot of intriguing starting 5's here. Most of them would hold their own on a national level in most seasons (adjusting for playing-era).

 

[CyCal]

Stinson
Willoughby
Niang
Royce
Cato

 

[arobb]

Niang $5
Tinsley $5
Morris $4
Cato $1
Hogue $0

 

[bozclone]

And you would get pounded in the paint.

I had Cato in the post, but I thought Lafester would make things more exciting. I think the memory of the Iowa game won me over.

 

[Knownothing]

Tinsley $5
Stevens $4
Royce 3$
Brackins 2$
Cato 1$

So Cato who spent a few years in the NBA and basically set the all time Iowa State block record in a year and half is only $1? Whomever dished out the dollar amount has no idea how good Barry Steven or Cato were. Stevens might be the best player ever at Iowa State.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Stinson, Willoughby, White, Fizer, Cato

Royce wasn't a 3, but I think he'd work on this team

 

[Doc]

I'd be kind of curious to see how all of these lineups with 3 PF/C types would work. I think they'd be fine offensively, but would struggle on the perimeter defensively (at least in the current era). You just don't see teams play with 3 big guys.

 

[cyputz]

Fizer
Tinsley
White
Cain
Ivy

 

[jbindm]

Georges - $5
Ejim - $3
Royce - $3
Brackins - $2
DG - $2

I've got scoring, rebounding, multiple playmakers, and guys who can defend multiple positions. You could pick the best potential mismatch and pick and roll the other team to death with DG and whoever. Or just give the ball to Royce at the top of the key and let him go to work.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

I'm sorta surprised Grayer isn't on everyone's team. ISU's all time leading scorer. I don't know how you can't find a spot for him in a starting 5.

 

[CyberJJJ]

I had Cato in the post, but I thought Lafester would make things more exciting. I think the memory of the Iowa game won me over.

Lafester was more than a one game wonder, as people often forget that I believe he averaged over 20 pts. per game his senior year. But he was not a great defender. He could jump and had long arms, but he was rail thin and would get buried under the basket. I am a big Lafester fan as he was so authentic. I remember hitting a couple of jump shots from the elbow against him in a pick-up game (I had a quick release and high arch, good attributes if you have no hops!) and when he had tried to block the second, after it went in he turned and looked at me and said, "Damn, white boy!"

 

[bozclone]

He was a stretch 4 20-30 years before we knew what a stretch 4 was. He was a matchup nightmare because of his speed, size, and range.

 

[cyclones500]

I'm sorta surprised Grayer isn't on everyone's team. ISU's all time leading scorer. I don't know how you can't find a spot for him in a starting 5.

I picked Fizer as $5 big over Grayer, but if I choose Grayer instead, makeup of the team changes (and I may try to use Tinsley, too). I hate to leave off Grayer, Alexander, Hoiberg, Niang and Hornacek, for example, but it's partly how dollar amounts fall.

 

[exCYtable]

C Kelvin Cato $1
PF Jared Homan $1
SF Georges Niang $5
SG Jeff Grayer $5
PG Curtis Stinson $3

Shot blocker in middle with Cato; big time rebounder and bruiser in Homan; tons of scoring with Niang/Grayer/Stinson

 

[RoseClone]

Tinsley$5
Fizer $5
Abdul-Aziz $3
Ivy $1
Cato $1

 

[xboxfever]

Marcus Fizer
Kelvin Cato
Curtis Stinson
Dedric Willoughby
Melvin Ejim

Cato for $1 is a complete steal.

 

[Doc]

I'm sorta surprised Grayer isn't on everyone's team. ISU's all time leading scorer. I don't know how you can't find a spot for him in a starting 5.

I love scorers more than maybe 95% of folks on this site, but when you have a team that has five studs, you aren't looking for scoring.

 

[CyberJJJ]

Grayer was a good defender and rebounder too. I remember when he was a Freshman and a guy from Nebraska tried to pick a fight with Hornacek and Grayer stepped in and took care of business.

 

[GTO]

Georges Niang $5
Royce White $3
Kelvin Cato $1
Dedric Willoughby $3
Diante Garrett $2

and $1 to spare for a Stu Nezlek on the bench.