Will Willie leave OU after this season as the best guard in school history?

[Sam]

Yes or No

Willie's Credentials

Unanimous choice as Big 12 Freshman of the Year ... A second-team All-Big 12 selection ... A consensus first-team freshman All-American ... Named national freshman of the year by Athlon Sports ... Named to NABC All-District 12 first team ... Seven-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week (one shy of league record) ... Ranked second on team in scoring (14.6 ppg) and in assists (3.1 apg) ... Also averaged 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 31.3 minutes per contest ... Shot .473 from the field, .372 from 3-point range and .781 from the free throw line ... Set school freshman records for games started (34) and 3-pointers (67) ... Finished year ranked third in OU freshman history in scoring (525 points), fourth in free throws made (114) and attempted (146), fifth in assists (113) and steals (41) and sixth in points per game ... His seven games of at least 20 points were the most by an OU freshman since Tim McCalister had nine such outings in 1983-84 ... Shot .273 from 3-point range over team's first 10 games but posted a .404 figure over the last 26 contests ... Made at least two 3-pointers in 17 games and at least three treys eight times (high was seven at Arkansas on 11 attempts on Dec. 30) ... Flourished in road games by averaging 17.0 points and 3.8 assists while shooting .460 from 3-point distance (29-for-63) ... Scored 31 and 35 points against Rice (Dec. 22) and Arkansas, respectively ... Registered 29 points, a career-high six rebounds and four assists at Iowa State (Jan. 31) ... Finished with 27 points (6-for-10 on 3-pointers) and six assists at Texas (Feb. 21) ... Netted 23 points against No. 15 Kansas (Feb. 23) and 22 points versus No. 10 Purdue in NIT Season Tip-Off title game win in New York City (Nov. 28) ... Scored 18 points in NCAA Tournament Elite Eight against eventual national champion North Carolina (March 29).

Also a preseason all american and is expected to score 20+ this season, along with the potential for some 30+ games and maybe even break 40.

His competition.
TIM McCALISTER

Played in 136 career games, 12 shy of the NCAA record held by Duke's Christian Laettner ... Named 1984 Big Eight Conference Newcomer of the Year after averaging 16.1 points as a freshman ... Averaged career-best 19.8 points as a senior when he was named to Big Eight's first team ... Stands as the seventh-leading scorer in Big Eight history ... OU's leader in career minutes and field goal attempts ... Is second to Terry Evans on Sooners' career assists list (628) and stands third on career steals list (258) ... Drafted in the third round by the Los Angeles Clippers in 1987.

Finish career with 2,275 on a 16.7 career average, career average for assists is 4.6 and 2.3 for steals.

DARRYL KENNEDY

Oklahoma's all-time leader in games played (137) ... Stands third on career minutes played list (4,099) ... A 1986 All-Big Eight selection after finishing second in scoring (21.0) and first in rebounding (8.2) ... Ranks second on OU's all-time rebounding list (954) and 10th on the career steals list (128) ... Selected by the Boston Celtics in the fourth round of the NBA Draft in 1987 ... Collected two world titles as a member of the World Basketball League's Las Vegas franchise ... Named MVP of the 1990 championship series.

2,097 Career average of 15.3 points.

HOLLIS PRICE

A two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection and 2003 AP Big 12 Player of the Year ... Two-time Big 12 Tournament MVP (2002 and 2003) ... A USBWA, NABC, Sports Illustrated and Wooden Award first-team All-American in 2003 (finished third in Wooden Award balloting) ... Earned second-team AP All-America acclaim in 2003 (sixth in voting) ... Two-time member of Big 12's All-Defense Team ... Holds OU records for free throw percentage in a season (.929) and a career (.861) ... Made 36 consecutive free throw attempts in 2003 to set school mark ... Holds school postseason records for games played (tied with Stacey King at 12), minutes played (393) and 3-pointers (21) ... Led team to 2002 Final Four and 2003 Elite Eight ... Won more games (110) than any other Sooner ... Ranks second at OU in 3-pointers (241), second in minutes played (4,296), second in games played (136), fourth in steals (224), sixth in assists (462) and 10th in field goals (611) ... OU went 110-26 (.809) in games he played.

1,821 points scored 13.4 career average

BRENT PRICE

A starter in 64 of 65 games at OU after transferring from South Carolina following his sophomore season ... A first-team All-Big Eight selection as a senior ... Performance (56 points) against Loyola Marymount in his junior campaign rates as the second best in OU history (five off the record) ... Career scoring average of 18.0 is the third highest among all OU guards ... Holds school single-game records for three-pointers (11) and three-point attempts (19) ... Led the team in assists and steals his two years as a Sooner ... Picked by the Washington Bullets in the second round of the 1992 NBA Draft.

MOOKIE BLAYLOCK

Regarded as one of the best defensive guards in Big Eight history ... Named Big Eight Newcomer of the Year in 1988 ... Garnered All-America and all-conference honors in 1989 ... Set the NCAA single-season steals record (150) as a junior ... Became first player in NCAA history to record 200 assists and 100 steals in consecutive seasons ... Also holds the NCAA record for most steals in a game (13 twice) ... Averaged an incredible 3.8 steals per game during his career ... Ranks first on OU career steals list (281) and fifth on assists list (465) ... The first-round selection (12th overall) of the New Jersey Nets in 1989 ... A 1994 NBA All-Star and All-Defensive First Team selection in 1994 and 1995.

1,338 career points on a career 18.1 average, 6.3 assists per game

JOHN McCULLOUGH

Named Big Eight Conference Player of the Year in 1979 ... One of five OU players to receive the honor ... A two-time All-Big Eight selection (1977 and 1979) ... Led OU to its first Big Eight title in 1979 and first league crown in 30 years ... Ended his career as the third-leading all-time scorer at Oklahoma ... Stands ninth on the school's all-time assists chart (381) and ranks 15th in career rebounds (606) ... Set OU postseason record with 11 assists versus Texas in 1979 NCAA Tournament ... Picked in the fourth round of 1979 NBA Draft by the Kansas City Kings.

1,507 career points on a 13.8 career average

TERRY EVANS

Holds OU career records in assists (651), 3-pointers (259) and 3-point attempts (698) ... Also holds Big Eight records for 3-pointers and 3-point attempts ... Trails only Mookie Blaylock on the school's all-time steals list (265) ... Tied for third in postseason games played (10) ... An honorable mention All-Big Eight selection in 1992 and 1993 ... A member of the Big Eight's All-Academic team all four years ... Served as OU's director of basketball operations in 2001-02 .... Currently head coach at Central Oklahoma.

1,361 points, 11.1 career average, 5.3 career assist average, 2.2 career steals average.

Rickey Grace
939 total points, 13 career average, 6.5 assist per game, 2.5 steals per game

I think that covers most of Willie's competition for top guard spot, if I left somebody off feel free to add.

 

[Sooner23]

Not if he leaves after this year, unless he leads us to a national title, which is unlikely. If he stayed for his junior year and was a two-time All-American then I would say yes, but as we all know that's a pipedream.

 

[ousooners1baby]

Mookie will always be my favorite guard.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Mookie will always be my favorite guard.

I will say that as of right now Mookie is my favorite guard too but I wouldn't mind seeing WW move Mookie into second place this year.

 

[Krugerfan52]

He might already be the most talented guard we've ever had, or at least the most complete scorer.

But I voted no, because I'm guessing that since the question was "after this season" that you meant to include how great his career was. I think that he'd have to play 3-4 seasons to go down as the best guard in OU history, unless he led us to a National title this year.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Hollis & Mookie are ahead of WW for me. Check with me again after the season is over.

 

[Sooner79]

What MsProud said.

 

[Seymore Cox]

He won't even be the best two year guard. Mookie, Grace, Brewer probably ahead of him. He'll be the best pro, though.

 

[BigTime]

The odds are stacked against him, but you never know. He has the talent level to do so if he can bring us a championship. I don't think anyone can really answer this until after his career is done and we see his total body of work.

A similar poll with similar results was done for Blake.

 

[NickZepp]

What Mookie did in 2 years will be impossible to top. And I really love Hollis's heart. It'll be tough to top Mookie's pro career also. He played like 12 or 13 years in the NBA.

 

[SoopaSooner]

I voted yes. I think Willie will be beyond great this season. This is his team now.

 

[Cheno]

Mookie. 'Nuff said.

 

[jmill1200]

Its hard to say and depends on who you talk too. He is probably going to be the best NBA guard we've put out. Especially since we haven't had one in such along time. But, me personally, I'll take Hollis. He is my favorite OU player of all time, I still break out the #10 jersey and wear it. Price's game winner over tech, in the final seconds and the clock started a half a second late and Price made the end to end run. He slipped a floater in the lane in, and oh Bobby Knight was mad.

If WWIII was to stay another season, he very well could be and we could be in the hunt for a title. But he is, barring an injury(knock on wood) a lock in the draft following this season.

In 3-4 years it won't matter, cuz if TMG, plays as well as I expect him too, he will be the best OU guard. I'm crossing my fingers..

TMG for Life...

 

[MO]

Willie has talent, probably NBA talent, but seriously, in some ways he played like any inconsistent freshman. No disrespect, but I have to believe anyone that would offer this as a legitimate question did not sit in the LNC and watch Mookie play. Even as good as Hollis was, he was not Mookie. Willie's actual performance game in and game out was not even in the same league as Mookie.

 

[OUAllDay28]

Willie has talent, probably NBA talent, but seriously, in some ways he played like any inconsistent freshman. No disrespect, but I have to believe anyone that would offer this as a legitimate question did not sit in the LNC and watch Mookie play. Even as good as Hollis was, he was not Mookie. Willie's actual performance game in and game out was not even in the same league as Mookie.

In my opinion, that's just your opinion myopinion.

 

[BigTime]

Willie has talent, probably NBA talent, but seriously, in some ways he played like any inconsistent freshman. No disrespect, but I have to believe anyone that would offer this as a legitimate question did not sit in the LNC and watch Mookie play. Even as good as Hollis was, he was not Mookie. Willie's actual performance game in and game out was not even in the same league as Mookie.

Well, remember that Mookie was a Junior and Willie was an 18 year old true freshman. I think that is why this thread is pointless until after Willie is done with his Sooner career. That doesn't mean that it isn't fun to debate now, but nothing we say now will matter until Willie is done.

JMill,

Willie will have to have a really, really, really, good NBA career if he wants to top Mookie. Mookie was such a steady PG for Atlanta. I loved watching him play.

 

[MO]

Very true. Talent wise I don't doubt Willie. I don't doubt he will be much better this year after the hints from year one. I don't doubt that he is bound for a career in the NBA, I do think he is that good. I'm just saying that at times last year, he played like a freshman. At times, he wasn't the greatest shooter. Career wise, he doesn't yet merit comparison with either Hollis or Mookie, not yet.

 

[elmocarp]

I think it'll probably wind up being between he and Mookie in the final discussion, with Mookie winning out. A lot has been said in this thread, but how does Willie's first season compare with those other guy's first seasons? When I have more time later I'll post the numbers, but if I remember correctly Mookie and maybe Brewer are the only two guys who produced well enough in their first seasons to compare with Willie. As Big pointed out, those guys were both 20-21 years old juniors, not freshman. I'm guessing (but I will follow up on this) that Mookie is the only guard who clearly had a superior first season than Willie did.

I think Tim McCalister gets overlooked a lot, even though I acknowledge that its tough to gauge him because of the frenetic pace Billy's teams played with. But excluding Warren, right now McCalister is the only real argument against Mookie for OU's all-time best guard, and that is mainly because of his four years vs. Mookie's one year. I love Brewer and Hollis, but I don't think they really quite measure up to those two. If Willie really steps up and winds up being a finalist for the Naismith award then I think we can really start having the conversation.

Even if you want to include pro careers, people around here forget what a good career Mookie had in the NBA. You should check out his wikipedia page and see all the honors we received and where he ranks on some of the all-time NBA lists. He really was a very, very good pro.

So, if Willie has the kind of year we hope (the kind of year I expect), then I think it will be an interesting debate between those two.

 

[MercedeSooner]

Not even close.

 

[sybarite]

Lester Lane Mookie Blaylock, Hollis Price, Quannas White-----Willie has his work cut out for him to be among the best, much less the best.