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Imagine what college basketball would look like today if players stayed in college for four years just as they did in the 1970s, 1980s and into the mid-1990s.Here are most of the top players who would still have college eligibility: the All-Imagine Team. Don't get caught up in the rankings but look instead atthe names … and then imagine.
All-Imagine First Team
Greg Oden, Ohio State
Kevin Durant, Texas
Marvin Williams, North Carolina
Rudy Gay, UConn
Dwight Howard, Southwest Atlanta (Ga.) Christian Academy
J.R. Smith
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
If J.R. Smith had gone to college, he would have been wearing Carolina blue.
All-Imagine Second Team
LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas
Tyrus Thomas, LSU
Al Horford, Florida
Rajon Rondo, Kentucky
Jeff Green, Georgetown
All-Imagine Third Team
Josh Smith, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech
Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech
Julian Wright, Kansas
Brandan Wright, North Carolina
All-Imagine Fourth Team
Corey Brewer, Florida
Aaron Afflalo, UCLA
Spencer Hawes, Washington
J.R. Smith, St. Benedict's (N.J.) Prep
Al Jefferson, Prentiss (Miss.) High School
All-Imagine Fifth Team
Joakim Noah, Florida
Nick Young, USC
Jordan Farmar, UCLA
Wilson Chandler, DePaul
Glen Davis, LSU
All-Imagine Sixth Team
Jason Smith, Colorado State
Rodney Stuckey, Eastern Washington
Ramon Sessions, Nevada
Shawne Williams, Memphis
Daequan Cook, Ohio State
Sebastian Telfair #30
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Sebastian Telfair was as hyped as any high school player ever, but he has failed to live up to the billing in the pros. How would he have done in college?
All-Imagine Seventh Team
Taurean Green, Florida
Josh McRoberts, Duke
Andrew Bynum, St. Joseph (N.J.) High School
Sebastian Telfair, Lincoln (N.Y.) High School
Dorell Wright, South Kent Prep (Conn.) High School
All-Imagine Eighth Team
Shaun Livingston, Peoria Central (Ill.) High School
Robert Swift, Bakersfield (Calif.) High School
Gerald Green, Gulf Shores Academy (Texas)
Martell Webster, Seattle (Wash.) Prep
C.J. Miles, Skyline High School (Texas)
Monta Ellis, Lanier High School (Miss.)
Andray Blatche, South Kent Prep (Conn.)
It boggles the mind to think what the game would be like if these players had stuck around and were dotted across the college basketball landscape right now.These are very significant losses for college basketball, to say the least. After looking at that list, do you think college basketball would be better ifthese players were still in college? You bet. College basketball is still great, but it isn't as great as it should be. And, the NBA draft is to blame.
Jay Bilas is a college basketball analyst for ESPN.
All-Imagine First Team
Greg Oden, Ohio State
Kevin Durant, Texas
Marvin Williams, North Carolina
Rudy Gay, UConn
Dwight Howard, Southwest Atlanta (Ga.) Christian Academy
J.R. Smith
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
If J.R. Smith had gone to college, he would have been wearing Carolina blue.
All-Imagine Second Team
LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas
Tyrus Thomas, LSU
Al Horford, Florida
Rajon Rondo, Kentucky
Jeff Green, Georgetown
All-Imagine Third Team
Josh Smith, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech
Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech
Julian Wright, Kansas
Brandan Wright, North Carolina
All-Imagine Fourth Team
Corey Brewer, Florida
Aaron Afflalo, UCLA
Spencer Hawes, Washington
J.R. Smith, St. Benedict's (N.J.) Prep
Al Jefferson, Prentiss (Miss.) High School
All-Imagine Fifth Team
Joakim Noah, Florida
Nick Young, USC
Jordan Farmar, UCLA
Wilson Chandler, DePaul
Glen Davis, LSU
All-Imagine Sixth Team
Jason Smith, Colorado State
Rodney Stuckey, Eastern Washington
Ramon Sessions, Nevada
Shawne Williams, Memphis
Daequan Cook, Ohio State
Sebastian Telfair #30
Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Sebastian Telfair was as hyped as any high school player ever, but he has failed to live up to the billing in the pros. How would he have done in college?
All-Imagine Seventh Team
Taurean Green, Florida
Josh McRoberts, Duke
Andrew Bynum, St. Joseph (N.J.) High School
Sebastian Telfair, Lincoln (N.Y.) High School
Dorell Wright, South Kent Prep (Conn.) High School
All-Imagine Eighth Team
Shaun Livingston, Peoria Central (Ill.) High School
Robert Swift, Bakersfield (Calif.) High School
Gerald Green, Gulf Shores Academy (Texas)
Martell Webster, Seattle (Wash.) Prep
C.J. Miles, Skyline High School (Texas)
Monta Ellis, Lanier High School (Miss.)
Andray Blatche, South Kent Prep (Conn.)
It boggles the mind to think what the game would be like if these players had stuck around and were dotted across the college basketball landscape right now.These are very significant losses for college basketball, to say the least. After looking at that list, do you think college basketball would be better ifthese players were still in college? You bet. College basketball is still great, but it isn't as great as it should be. And, the NBA draft is to blame.
Jay Bilas is a college basketball analyst for ESPN.