The historical significance of the Florida Gators repeated championships in basketball over and over again will be posted much before this article on AC. Also, it’s been 15 years since the last repeat of the streak in Division I basketball. The Gators are indeed the first team in history to repeat as champions with all five starters returning from their previous title run. Florida is also the first school in history to win a national championship in both football and basketball in the same year. I will add one more accolade to describe this team.
The Florida Gators are the greatest team in college basketball.
I know that just suggested blasphemy in the eyes of many basketball fans. After all, UCLA’s teams have been won by John Wooden an amazing ten national championships. The captain of the squad was full of superstar players, not to mention, coached by one of the all-time greats (of course Coach K). But the Gators are better than those teams. They are better than anyone before the pain itself.
There are several attributes that the “greatest” should have. A great basketball team should be full of talent. It should be a team that plays well and is a proven winner. A very talented basketball player can play excellent basketball at both ends. Finally, he led the greatest team with an excellent coach. While these are obviously not the final determining factors it is a great starting point. Here are some reasons why the Florida Gators are the greatest team in college basketball history.
The number one reason why the Florida Gators are the greatest team in college basketball history: These kids can shoot.
During the season, Florida shot slightly over 40 percent from three-point range. This isn’t a record-breaking mark, but it’s still pretty darn impressive. Both last year and this year it was the perimeter game that made the difference for the Gators overall. Every time an opponent seemed ready to make a save, someone would drain the three Gators.
And how tired is Humphrey Lee? If he shot, he had to pull the ball within 30 feet of the rim and pull it out. Accidents also entered into the school.
The second reason why the Florida Gators are the greatest team in college basketball history: The inside game isn’t that bad.
The trio of Corey Brewer, Al Horford, and Joakim Noah have dominated all season. The three of them combined for over 38 points and 22.6 rebounds per game in 2006-07. Horford (13.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game) and Noah (12 points and 8.4 rebounds per game) were close to a double-double contest. When there are two players going out on the court nearly a double-double every time it makes for quite a challenge for opposing teams.
The third reason why the Florida Gators are the greatest team in the history of college basketball: Joakim Noah.
Without question, Noah was not the best big man in college basketball this year. Truth be told, he probably isn’t the best big man on his team. Things that Noah contributed to the Gators are not found on the sheet. Noah’s passion for the game, his desire to win and his overall energy boost come to Florida every time he steps out on the court. Any coach will tell you that having a player of Joakim Noah’s caliber is immense. All great teams have a player like that.
The fourth reason why the Florida Gators are the greatest team in the history of college basketball: Billy Donovan
Donovan is one of the most underrated coaches in the game today. Anyone looking for proof of his team’s handling ability need only look to the championship game against Ohio State. Buckeye superstar Greg Oden is an elite player and he played very well against Florida in the title game. But if you go back and watch the game, you’ll see that Oden was only involved in one defense. The reason is that Donovan kept the pressure on Ohio State shooters, causing the Buckeyes to be beyond anemic from the arc. This was done with Florida’s guards shooting three pointers to the left and Florida’s right three for two. It was a stroke of lightning for a coach who was fully aware of what needed to be done to beat Ohio State and worked to perfection.
The fifth reason why the Florida Gators are the greatest team in the history of college basketball: they are unbeatable when it counts.
Two in Florida’s never lost season in either the conference tournament or the NCAA Tournament. Obviously, nothing is better than perfect.
The sixth reason why the Florida Gators are the greatest team in college basketball history: They came back one more year to win it again.
The fact that the starting five Gators returned to college to defend their title gave them great experience. They also sharpened the ability of those characters. All Florida starters averaged over ten points a game this season, a remarkable feat for college basketball. They attribute success to individual success, something unheard of in this age.
Simply put: The Gators were all the heart of Florida.
The Florida Gators are truly one of those “good” stories in sports. It doesn’t even have to deal with their historical significance. This is a team for the ages, which most certainly came out on top of any opposition it was thrown at.
