The breakup of the Pac-12 Convention was one of many greatest low season happenings of 2023, however is it actually all that stunning? For West Coast hoop followers and people who like conventional rivalries in NCAA sports activities, what has transpired with the “Convention of Champions” needs to be a bit heart-breaking, however it shouldn’t be all that stunning. We check out the previous Pac-12 and a few of its resonating moments from a hoops perspective.
Let’s be sincere, we expect some issues are going to final eternally. Who can think about life with out Finest Meals Actual Mayonnaise? Or an iPhone? There are two certainties in America: One, change is fixed and two, should you don’t put out a top quality product, it’ll ultimately catch as much as what you are promoting a method or one other.
The demise of the Pacific-12 Convention was stunning, however it actually shouldn’t be any shock contemplating the inept management of the previous decade. The convention had a poor broadcast distribution bundle for the reason that inception of the Pac-12 Community in 2011 and it was by no means rectified. The convention’s management by no means did something substantial to resolve the issue and the underside fell out. The poor product lingered and the implications reached a head when all however 4 of its 12 members bolted for different conferences by summer time 2023.
Let’s face it, the convention was by no means going to be the identical when flagship faculties USC and UCLA introduced they had been leaving for the Large 10 in July 2022. In any case, the L.A. market is the nation’s second largest and by far the most important and most essential on the West Coast. With solely Cal, Oregon State, Stanford, and Washington State remaining, the convention may stop to exist sooner or later. Ought to it add different packages, the Pac-12 nonetheless gained’t be wherever close to what it as soon as was.
We determined to take a fast journey down reminiscence land at among the as soon as proud basketball convention’s resonating moments and prime recruits from the angle of a Metropolis of Angels native.
• The largest recruit ever from the Pac-12 convention, in fact, is Lew Alcindor of Energy Memorial (New York) in 1965 to UCLA. He’s most likely the most effective highschool participant of all-time and he was already the most effective gamers on the planet when he determined to attend UCLA. He would ship UCLA three NCAA titles in his three seasons on the varsity, however take note UCLA gained back-to-back NCAA crowns in 1964 and 1965 earlier than he arrived. Then UCLA coach John Picket completed his profession with 620 wins and 147 losses. Between 1963-64 and 1972-73, he misplaced solely 15 video games and should you take away the 1965-66 season when Alcindor was on the freshman group, he solely misplaced seven video games in that time-frame. The distinction from the early years? Picket stepped up his nationwide recruiting efforts tremendously and helped the then Pac-8 Convention acquire nationwide respect.
• The largest Pac-12 recruit within the final 30 or so years? Off hand my vote can be Charles O’Bannon out of Artesia (Lakewood, Calif.) in 1993. He was extremely coveted and beating out Kentucky for his companies was a swoon though his older brother Ed (who graduated from Artesia in 1990) was already at UCLA. Kentucky coach Rick Pitino even spoke at Artesia’s banquet that 12 months in an effort to shut the deal. It was entrance web page information when Charles picked UCLA. Recruiting Charles gave then UCLA coach Jim Harrick credibility and made UCLA a serious contender for the NCAA title, which it gained in 1994-95. It stays UCLA’s solely NCAA crown within the post-Picket period. Bear in mind, Harrick didn’t actually win the recruiting sweepstakes for Ed. He selected UNLV (which was a part of the Large West Convention) out of highschool, however later enrolled at UCLA after UNLV went on NCAA probation, one thing his household knew would possibly occur whereas he was being recruited.
• Ed missed his freshman season at UCLA with a torn ACL, which made him a medical redshirt and eligible for the 1994-95 membership. Since Picket gained his final title in 1975, the Pac-12 (and your entire West Area) has solely gained two NCAA titles, as Arizona gained two years later in 1996-97. That Arizona group was the No. 4 seed within the Southeast Area, however defeated three No. 1 seeds on its option to the NCAA title. Arizona was 11-7 within the Pac-10 play that season.
• With the arrival of cable tv within the Nineteen Eighties, many highly-regarded recruits within the Pac-10’s prime recruiting areas opted to play elsewhere within the nation. Sure, there’s a larger focus of schools East of the Rockies, however it was broadcast distribution (sound acquainted?) that made recruits want to attend faculties far-off from residence. California’s Class of 1986 was thought of one of many state’s greatest ever, however the Pac-10 was harm when the highest two gamers within the state, Scott Williams of Wilson (Hacienda Heights, Calif.) and Stevie Thompson of Crenshaw (Los Angeles), determined to attend North Carolina and Syracuse, respectively. One other future NBA participant, Elden Campbell of Morningside (Inglewood, Calif.), selected Clemson. For the reason that NCAA event expanded to 64 groups in 1984-85, the ACC and Large Ten have despatched at the least three groups to every March Insanity. In 1985-86, the Pac-10 didn’t have a single group within the AP High 25 at any level within the season and Arizona (No. 9 seed) and Washington (No. 12) had been the one two groups to make the Dance. The Pac-10 was additionally a two-bid league in 1987 and 1988, a foreshadowing of what can occur when a serious convention has a poor broadcast distribution deal.
• Arizona St. and Arizona joined the Pac-8 in 1978, whereas Utah and Colorado joined the Pac-10 in 2010-11. In addition to Arizona, there was one NCAA title between the opposite three faculties when Utah gained in 1943-44. Since Arizona gained the title in 1997, outdoors of UCLA the convention groups which have made the NCAA Ultimate 4 are: 1998 Stanford, 2001 Arizona, and 2017 Oregon.
• Listed here are the consensus High 3 recruits that enrolled at a Pac-12 college since Alcindor: Paul Westphal of Aviation (Redondo Seaside, Calif.) in 1968 to USC, Invoice Walton of Helix (La Mesa, Calif.) in 1970 to UCLA, Richard Washington of Benson Tech (Portland, Ore.) in 1973 to UCLA, David Greenwood of Verbum Dei (Los Angeles) in 1975 to UCLA, Jason Kidd of St. Joseph (Alameda, Calif.) in 1992 to CAL, Baron Davis of Crossroads (Santa Monica, Calif.) in 1997 to UCLA, Spencer Hawes of Seattle Prep (Seattle, Wash.) in 2006 to Washington, Kevin Love of Lake Oswego (Ore.) in 2007 to UCLA, O.J. Mayo of Huntington (W. Va.) in 2007 to USC, Jrue Vacation of Campbell Corridor (North Hollywood, Calif.) in 2008 to UCLA, Shabazz Muhammad of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) in 2012 to UCLA, Kyle Anderson of St. Anthony (Jersey Metropolis, N.J.) in 2012 to UCLA, Stanley Johnson of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) in 2014 to Arizona, Jaylen Brown of Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) in 2015 to CAL, Lonzo Ball of Chino Hills (Calif.) in 2016 to UCLA, DeAndre Ayton of Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) in 2017 to Arizona, Evan Mobley of Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) in 2020 to USC and Isaiah Collier of Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) in 2023 to USC. Muhammad and Anderson are the one consensus prime 3 duo to enroll in the identical school in the identical recruiting cycle. It nearly occurred in 1975, as nicely, when Greenwood’s highschool teammate at Verbum Dei, Roy Hamilton, went to UCLA. He’s extra of a consensus prime 5 participant however it nonetheless was spectacular for 2 highschool teammates to be that extremely regarded, select the identical school and go on to play within the NBA.
• UCLA has efficiently recruited a consensus High 3 recruit 10 occasions, whereas USC has performed it 4 occasions. Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) is the one highschool to have multiple consensus High 3 recruit attend a Pac-12 college. In reality, Wheeler may have been credited with three gamers, however most take into account Shareef Abdur-Rahim a consensus High 10 participant when he graduated from Wheeler in 1995 and selected CAL. The 1995-96 Pac-12 Participant of the 12 months was ranked No. 4 by the Hoop Scoop and No. 8 by All-Star Sports activities.
• Whom are the best rated recruits from the West Area to decide on a Pac-12 college over UCLA? Wanting again it must be Westphal and Cliff Robinson of Castlemont (Oakland, Calif.), each whom selected USC. Robinson was the 1977 California Mr. Basketball and was All-Pac 10 as a 17-year previous school freshman. In his rookie season within the NBA with the New Jersey Nets, he set a report for many factors by a young person (19 years previous) with 45 vs. the Pistons on March 9, 1980. The Collins twins, Jason and Jarron, had been additionally coveted by UCLA in 1997 once they graduated from Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) and selected Stanford.
• Whom are the highest-regared recruits from the West Area that acquired away from the Pac-12 once they had been closely recruited by a member college? Three names come to thoughts in Danny Ainge of North Eugene (Ore.) in 1977 who selected BYU and went on to win the Picket Award as school basketball’s greatest participant (1981), Carlos Boozer of Juneau-Douglas (Juneau, Alaska), who in 1998-99 took an official go to to UCLA however finally selected Duke over St. John’s and the Bruins, and Sidney Inexperienced of Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who selected UNLV over UCLA in one of many wildest recruiting battles we’ve ever heard of. UNLV, in lots of respects, was the toast of West Coast school basketball within the Nineteen Eighties, however they didn’t recruit in opposition to the Bruins or different school Blue Bloods as a lot as informal followers might imagine. They typically acquired recruits others couldn’t contact or JUCO transfers they developed.
• If Charles O’Bannon shouldn’t be crucial Pac-12 recruit post-Picket then Sean Elliott of Cholla (Tuscon, Ariz.) is. When he graduated from Cholla in 1985, he stayed residence to play for the Wildcats and was the primary big-time recruit for coach Lute Olson. Elliot, who would go on to be Pac-10 Participant of the 12 months twice and led Arizona to its first Ultimate 4 in 1988, helped give Arizona nationwide credibility. Underneath Olson, the Wildcats made the NCAA Match for 23 consecutive seasons.
• All people is aware of concerning the UCLA greats, notably Alcindor and Walton, arguably the 2 biggest gamers in NCAA historical past. However whom can be the most effective Pac-12 gamers ever that didn’t swimsuit up for the Bruins? Elliott would positively be the ahead that involves thoughts and Oregon State’s Steve Johnson from San Gorgonio (San Bernardino, Calif.) needs to be talked about amongst huge males. He led the Beavers to a No. 1 rating in 1980-81 earlier than Oregon State was upset within the second spherical of the NCAA Match by Rolando Blackman and Kansas St. A backcourt of Kidd and Gary Payton of Skyline (Oakland, Calif.) can be arduous to prime. Kidd made nationwide headlines by selecting CAL, whereas Payton wasn’t fairly as highly-regarded popping out of Skyline however went on to have a terrific profession at Oregon State. In reality, Skyline teammate Greg Foster was extra highly-regarded and went to UCLA. The Pac-12 has produced a plethora of prime backcourt performers and after the Bay Space duo of Kidd and Payton, names that deserve point out embody Westphal, Gus Williams of Mt. Vernon, N.Y. and Harold Miner of Inglewood, Calif., all USC merchandise. Different backcourt performers price point out are Oregon’s Ron Lee of Lexington, Mass., Arizona’s Mike Bibby of Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Washington’s Brandon Roy of Garfield (Seattle, Wash.).
• Whom are my 5 private favourite Pac-12 gamers of all-time? The highest two are straightforward: Miner and UCLA’s Tyus Edney, the Poly (Lengthy Seaside, Calif.) product who didn’t play within the 1995 NCAA title sport however made the shot of the tourney within the second spherical vs. Missouri. Rounding out my favorites can be Ed O’Bannon, Elliott and CAL’s Tony Gonzalez of Huntington Seaside, Calif., who helped the Bears on a shock Elite Eight run in 1996-97.
Ronnie Flores is the Nationwide Grassroots Editor of Ballislife.com. He will be reached at [email protected]. Do not forget to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores