Just hopefully a fun topic away from all the recruiting and roster conversation. Pretty self explanatory a topic.
In today’s era of NBA teams drafting off potential would the members of the Fab Five be One and Dones? Webber obviously had the talent and easy candidate to say of course. A few years later than he was and he would have been a probable straight from high school to the pros guy. But how about Howard and Rose and to a lesser extent King and Jackson. In today’s era of coming out of high school hyped and only having to show potential what are your guys thoughts. After their freshman year all 5 guys were being labeled with all the potential in the world. I think all of them would have been labeled with as much potential as Kentucky’s guys this year all to varying degrees.
My thoughts Webber (yes), Rose (yes), Howard (maybe), King (maybe), and Jackson (no).
I’m in the same place as you, with Howard being a “probably” more so than a “maybe”.
In the doc “Fab Five” by Jalen Rose, Jackson said they all wanted to come out after their sophomore year if they won the nat. champ.
But, in today’s climate. . .after their freshman year, Rose comes out, Webber comes out, Howard probably does, King would be on the fence and Jackson doesn’t.
King’s report from the committee would (and I know someone will remember everyone picked in the draft in order) probably show him deep in the second round (a bunch of other freshman who in real life didn’t put their names into the draft would in today’s climate). Would he choose to go and take an express train to the D league (which is close to what really happened)? In real life, he went all 4 years, so I’d bet today he’d stay til his sophomore year to raise his stock. Jackson would think he’d star as a sophomore. In terms of how it really happened, I think they all went out at the right time, even though I once heard Jalen say he wished he would’ve gone out after his Sophomore year. I’d love to stumble upon a Hansbrough or a lesser talent but still a star who sticks around an extra year or two.
If I recall correctly - both from the Fab Five documentary and my own memory - Webber, Rose and Howard were top 10 guys per Bob Gibbons, who was the recruiting guru in the pre-Internet days. I believe King was right outside the top 10 and Jackson was somewhere between 50 and 80.
Based on this and their actual play from 91-92 including their stock peaking at the right time (in March), I think Webber, Rose and Howard would all be one-and-dones. I also think King would be as well, since his pure athleticism would give him a first-round grade, not unlike GRIII a few years back. Jackson strikes me as someone who would probably leave after his junior year, even if not “ready” since his fellow class members would have all been early entries by that point.
Only Jackson would have come back. Webber probably goes #2 in that draft after Shaq. Rose probably top 10, Juwan right around there too, King in the high 20s.
Ray Jackson never got the respect he deserved.
In my Opinion Ray was better than GR3