Generation Hex: Bob Boozer Might Be Most Overlooked Two-Time All-American
May 25th, 2012 - 19:34
When Bob Boozer passed away last weekend in his hometown of Omaha, hoop aficionados endured a classic lack-of-proper-perspective example of the cult-of-personality outweighing amateurish hoops history. More sports columnists and self-proclaimed basketball experts were emotionally attached to the Bee Gees' Robin Gibbs dying rather than a two-time NCAA first-team All-American and 1960 Olympian on a star-studded squad that might have been better than the "1992 Dream Team." Sports commentators, columnists and producers either were overwhelmed by booze or are overvalued as much as they undervalued the Kansas State forward.
Granted, Boozer didn't seek the limelight during his playing career or in his post-playing days. For instance, Boozer was appointed to the Nebraska Parole Board in the 1990s and volunteered at Boys Town, the home for troubled youth. But has there ever been a more underappreciated two-time NCAA first-team All-American?
Boozer powered K-State to the 1958 Final Four as a junior and a #1 national ranking in the final 1958-59 poll as a senior. He averaged 22 points and 10.7 rebounds in six NCAA Tournament games, posting higher marks in both categories than playoff luminaries such as frontcourters Mark Aguirre, Len Bias, Patrick Ewing, Tyler Hansbrough, Marques Johnson, Christian Laettner, Danny Manning, Jamal Mashburn, Scott May, Alonzo Mourning, Sam Perkins, Keith Van Horn, Chris Webber, Sidney Wicks, Corliss Williamson and James Worthy.
It also wasn't as if Boozer's influence waned because he flopped as a pro inasmuch as the 6-8 power forward averaged 14.8 ppg and 8.1 rpg in 11 NBA seasons with six different franchises, including the 1971 titlist Milwaukee Bucks. The virtual news blackout regarding Boozer's death made one wonder how many other former All-Americans past and present are in the same vastly underrated category.
Unlike Boozer, numerous premier players are bound to be overlooked because they failed to take center stage in the NCAA playoffs or NIT. Notre Dame's Kevin O'Shea is the only four-time All-American in this category while Purdue's Terry Dischinger is the only three-time first-team All-American.
No multiple-season All-American has failed to appear in national postseason competition since the NCAA tourney expanded to at least 40 entrants in the late 1970s. Eight three-time All-Americans never participated in a "Big Dance." Following is an alphabetical list of 34 two-, three- and four-time All-Americans, seven with Minnesota, who did not compete in the NCAA Tournament or NIT since the start of national postseason competition in the late 1930s: