Starting 5 - Gary Williams Era

[glorydays]

Borrowed this idea from Testudo Times... What is your all-time Gary Williams starting 5?

Center - Joe Smith

Forward - Walt Williams

Forward - Keith Booth

Guard - Juan Dixon

Guard - Greivis Vasquez

[ccbird]

Easiest question ever.

Smith

Booth

Williams

Dixon

Blake

Really the biggest debate for me is Baxter over Booth or not. That one is close. I know a lot of people will say Vasquez over Blake but not for me. Blake was the most underrated player in Gary's era. One of the best true PGs to ever play in the ACC and the longest tenured NBA player outside of Joe Smith. Vazquez was a volume player. He put up numbers because he was the only player on his teams. Blake was much more efficient over his career.

[Danielos38]

Easiest question ever.

Smith

Booth

Williams

Dixon

Blake

Really the biggest debate for me is Baxter over Booth or not. That one is close. I know a lot of people will say Vazquez over Blake but not for me. Blake was the most underrated player in Gary's era. One of the best true PGs to ever play in the ACC and the longest tenured NBA player outside of Joe Smith. Vazquez was a volume player. He put up numbers because he was the only player on his teams. Blake was much more efficient over his career.

This. Though I might go with Baxter over Booth. That's probably because I saw all of Baxter's career and only have youtube/word of mouth to learn about Booth's.

[Floater]

My personal favorite to see would be...

Smith

Baxter

Vasquez

Dixon

Blake

[TakebackOPACY]

While I know what Dixon did for the Terps, and if I listed a team I'd have to list Dixon, the thread shouldn't go by without mentioning Steve Francis. The 98-99 team may have been the best Gary ever had. If Dixon had to play his whole college career with Francis, Dixon would've been the 6th man.

By the way, Francis played in the NBA longer than Blake has so far. Chris Wilcox has too, and he's still playing.

[glenn__davis]

Vazquez was a volume player. He put up numbers because he was the only player on his teams. Blake was much more efficient over his career.

That's true to an extent, but Vasquez was still a fantastic player. To lead that team two years ago to a 13-3 ACC record was pretty darn impressive considering his surrounding cast, that whole offense revolved around him.

I agree with you about Blake though, absolutely epitome of a "classic" point guard both in terms of skills and court leadership. I'll always remember him as a true freshman getting up in Mike Mardesich's face. I'd take him over Vasquez, but it's very close.

[EASTERNSHOREFAN]

I'd have to go with:

Smith

Wilcox

Booth

Francis

Blake

[ChuckS]

Blake

Dixon

Mouton

Wilcox

Baxter

By far my favorite five to watch!

[backwardsk]

I'm not a Maryland fan, but I've watched a lot of ACC basketball over the years:

Francis

Rhodes

Dixon

W williams

Joe smith

Yeah, that lineup seems guard heavy with no center, but that would be my top five. I do understand the Blake/Vazquez debate for career contribution over Francis. The Francis year and the smith sophomore year were the two best individual seasons in the Gary era

[TakebackOPACY]

I'm not a Maryland fan, but I've watched a lot of ACC basketball over the years:

Francis

Rhodes

Dixon

W williams

Joe smith

Yeah, that lineup seems guard heavy with no center, but that would be my top five. I do understand the Blake/Vazquez debate for career contribution over Francis. The Francis year and the smith sophomore year were the two best individual seasons in the Gary era

Joe played Center in college. But yeah, you've got a great group but three players who were primarily shooting guards.

[NewOwnerNeeded]

Easiest question ever.

Smith

Booth

Williams

Dixon

Blake

Really the biggest debate for me is Baxter over Booth or not. That one is close. I know a lot of people will say Vasquez over Blake but not for me. Blake was the most underrated player in Gary's era. One of the best true PGs to ever play in the ACC and the longest tenured NBA player outside of Joe Smith. Vazquez was a volume player. He put up numbers because he was the only player on his teams. Blake was much more efficient over his career.

Completely agree with this. Blake was and is underrated. I think you could make a debate on Williams vs Francis. But the impact to the MD program is clearly gives the edge to the Wizard.

[The Maestro]

Easiest question ever.

Smith

Booth

Williams

Dixon

Blake

Really the biggest debate for me is Baxter over Booth or not. That one is close. I know a lot of people will say Vasquez over Blake but not for me. Blake was the most underrated player in Gary's era. One of the best true PGs to ever play in the ACC and the longest tenured NBA player outside of Joe Smith. Vazquez was a volume player. He put up numbers because he was the only player on his teams. Blake was much more efficient over his career.

You hit the nail on the head. That would also be my starting 5.

[JohnD]

I'd go:

1. Blake

2. Dixon

3. Vasquez

4. Williams

5. Smith

Lots of love for Booth, but I'll go with the smaller, run and gun lineup. Booth is my sixth man, and I've also got Francis and Baxter at the ready, with Wilcox as well. Francis doesn't make the top five only because he was here for just one, though absolutely scintillating, season.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Hayes

Tucker

Hipp

Garrison

Bowers

[mweb]

Francis

Dixon

Williams

Smith

Baxter