College Basketball 101: Opening Tipoff

Noted in The Prologue to The Press Break College Basketball 101, and implied in the title, is that it’s a ranking of the 101 greatest college hoopers of the NCAA Tournament. And that’s true.

There is, however, a caveat: The 101 refers specifically to players from college basketball’s highest level — what we call Div. I today.

In compiling the final list, a recurring thought came to me that there was a particular player who didn’t meet this criteria but deserved mention as one of the greatest college basketball players ever.

Playing for a legendary head coach, this player guided his team to a national championship; won National Player of the Year; and put together some of the most impressive statistics ever produced in the game’s history. What’s more, this gem — or Pearl — has lasting influence that extends into the 21st Century.