Sharing Same Name: Many All-League First-Teamers Have Familiar Ring

April 15th, 2012 - 21:26

There is some dispute as to which Larry Anderson had the most impact on the PCAA/Big West Conference. Is it the Larry Anderson who combined with All-American Sidney Green to power UNLV to the Top 10 in 1982-83? Or is it the Larry Anderson who was a two-time all-league first-team selection the past two seasons with Long Beach State?

But there is no dispute about who had to live up to the most pressure associated with the name of his boyhood idol. Penn guard Michael Jordan, a versatile player like his namesake also nicknamed MJ, was a two-time All-Ivy League first-team selection in the late 1990s.

Inspired by scouring old college basketball guides, you can discover a bevy of other individuals with the same name. Following is an alphabetical list of former all-league first-team selections in addition to Jordan who make you immediately think of someone else more prominent inside the world of basketball:

Familiar Name Pos. School 1st-Team Season(s) Conference
Eric Anderson F-C Rhode Island 1955-56 New England/Yankee
Larry Anderson G Long Beach State 2010-11 and 2011-12 Big West
Sam Bowie F Southeastern Louisiana 1995-96 Trans America Athletic
Michael Brooks G Tennessee 1984-85 SEC
Mike Cooper F Fordham 1982-83 Metro Atlantic
Walter Davis C Texas A&M 1950-51 and 1951-52 SWC
Jerry Dunn F Western Kentucky 1970-71 and 1971-72 Ohio Valley
Kevin Johnson G Texas-Pan American 1987-88 American South
Ollie Johnson F San Francisco 1962-63 through 1964-65 West Coast Athletic
Jeff Jones F UNC Asheville 1985-86 Big South
Bob Leonard G Wake Forest 1964-65 and 1965-66 ACC
Dean Smith G Maine 1989-90 North Atlantic
Steve Smith G-F Marist 1982-83 Northeast
Isaiah Thomas G Washington 2009-10 and 2010-11 Pacific-10
Jimmy Walker F Alabama 1933-34 and 1934-35 SEC
Bill Walton G Eastern Kentucky 1965-66 Ohio Valley
Jerry West C-F St. Mary's 1967-68 West Coast Athletic
Jason Williams F Radford 1999-2000 and 2000-01 Big South
Ben Wilson F Mercer 1987-88 Trans America Athletic