UConn Basketball Starting Five Since 2000

Is UConn considered a blue blood? The program’s play since the year 2000 has unquestionably been among the best in college basketball. In that time frame, the program has won four National Championships in five trips to the Final Four. Since 2000, 26 Huskies have heard their names called during the NBA Draft.

Without question, UConn has made its mark since the turn of the century. Here is my starting five for UConn basketball since the 2000 season.

Starting Five

G – Kemba Walker (‘08-’11)

Who can forget the run Kemba Walker had to the 2011 National Championship? The step-back jumper that he hit against Pittsburgh in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament is an iconic clip. That season, UConn entered the Big East Tournament as a nine-seed; they rang off 11 straight wins, seven against ranked opponents, and won the Big East Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. During that run, the first-team Consensus All-American and the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player averaged 24.6 points. The McDonald’s All-American went No. 9 overall in the 2011 NBA Draft.

G – Ben Gordon (‘01-’04)

Over his three seasons in Storrs, Ben Gordon averaged 16.9 points and shot 42.3 percent from three. That culminated in a National Championship where Gordon earned NCAA All-Tournament honors. In his time at UConn, Gordon was named first-team Big East All-Freshman, three times All-Big East Tournament, once a second-team All-Big East, and in his junior year, first-team All-Big East. In his junior year, Gordon led the Big East in three-point percentage (43.3%) while finishing top five in the conference with points per game (18.5) and assists per game (4.5). A top 50 recruit out of high school, Gordon went No. 3 overall in the 2004 NBA Draft. 

C – Adama Sanogo (‘20-’23)

UConn has produced a lot of good bigs, but Adama Sanogo might be the most decorated of the group. The 2023 NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player was also twice named first-team All-Big East. His freshman year, he also earned first-team Big East All-Freshman and All-Big East Tournament. In his final season in Storrs, the NCAA Champion led the Big East in points per game and finished fifth in rebounds per game and field goal percentage. 

F – Emeka Okafor (‘01-’04)

Scratch that, Emeka Okafor is most likely the most decorated big – and probably – player UConn has had since 2000. In 2003-04, the year UConn won a National Championship, Okafor won the NABC National Player of the Year, National Defensive Player of the Year, and the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstand Player. In his three seasons, Okafor was twice named the NABC National Defensive Player of the Year. His career 4.3 blocks per game leads the Big East. In his third and final year at UConn, Okafor led the Big East in rebounds per game, blocks per game, and field goal percentage. Barely a top 100 recruit out of high school, Okafor went No. 2 in the 2004 NBA Draft. 

F – Caron Butler (‘00-’02)

This spot was a tough one to decide between Caron Butler and Rudy Gay. Side-by-side, their collegiate resumes are relatively similar. The nod went to Butler on the back of his Big East Player of the Year honors in 2001-02. That year, Butler finished third in the Big East in scoring (20.3) and in the top 20 in the conference in rebounds (7.5), assists (3.0), and steals (2.1) per game. 

Sixth Man

G – Shabazz Napier (‘10-’14)

Shabazz Napier is the only player on the list to win two National Titles. His freshman year, Napier came off the bench to earn Big East All-Freshman honors. In his senior year, Napier was a first-team Consensus All-American and the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. In his career, Napier scored 1,959 points and dished out 646 assists.

The Bench

G Khalid El-Amin (‘97-’00), F Rudy Gay (‘04-’06), G Jeremy Lamb (‘10-’12), James Bouknight (‘19-’21), G Jordan Hawkins (‘21-’23), C Hasheem Thabeet (‘06-’09), C Andre Drummond (‘11-’12), F Charlie Villanueva (‘03-’05), C Josh Boone (‘03-’06)