Familiar Ring: How Would You Like Living Up to Name of Michael Jordan?
How would you like to try to live up to the pressure associated with the name of your boyhood idol? A versatile player similar to his namesake, Michael Jordan became a three-time All-Ivy League first-team selection with Penn late in the 20th Century. Also nicknamed MJ, Michael Hakim-Jordan, weary of constant comparisons to GOAT, eventually included hyphenated second name en route to short stint as Lafayette's coach. He was recently replaced following an internal investigation.
Upon scouring college basketball guides, you can discover a bevy of individuals who make you think of someone else more prominent with the same name inside the world of basketball. To what extent can one take this name game? Following is an alphabetical list including Jordan and other former all-league first-team selections whose names have a more familiar ring for someone else connected to hoopdom:
| All-League Player | Pos. | School | Year(s) All-Conference First-Team Choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Anderson | F-C | Rhode Island | 1955-56 in New England/Yankee |
| Larry Anderson | G | Long Beach State | 2010-11 and 2011-12 in Big West |
| Sam Bowie | F | Southeastern Louisiana | 1995-96 in Trans America Athletic |
| Michael Brooks | G | Tennessee | 1984-85 in SEC |
| Jamonda "Joe" Bryant Jr. | G | Norfolk State | 2020-21 and 2021-22 in MEAC |
| Mike Cooper | F | Fordham | 1982-83 in Metro Atlantic Athletic |
| Walter Davis | C | Texas A&M | 1950-51 and 1951-52 in SWC |
| Jerry Dunn | F | Western Kentucky | 1970-71 and 1971-72 in Ohio Valley |
| Jack Foley | G | Massachusetts | 1956-57 in Yankee |
| Bobby Jackson | F | Western Kentucky | 1962-63 in Ohio Valley |
| Eddie Johnson | F | Maryland | 1938-39 in Southern Conference |
| Kevin Johnson | G | Texas-Pan American | 1987-88 in American South |
| Larry Johnson | G | Rhode Island | 1966-67 and 1967-68 in Yankee |
| Jeff Jones | F | UNC Asheville | 1985-86 in Big South |
| Michael Jordan | G | Penn | 1997-98 through 1999-00 in Ivy League |
| Bob Leonard | G | Wake Forest | 1964-65 and 1965-66 in ACC |
| Dean Smith | G | Maine | 1989-90 in North Atlantic |
| Steve Smith | F-C | Loyola Marymount | 1971-72 in WCAC |
| Steve Smith | G-F | Marist | 1982-83 in Northeast |
| Isaiah Thomas | G | Washington | 2009-10 and 2010-11 in Pacific-10 |
| Jimmy Walker | F | Alabama | 1933-34 and 1934-35 in SEC |
| Bill Walton | G | Eastern Kentucky | 1965-66 in Ohio Valley |
| Jerry West | C-F | St. Mary's | 1967-68 in WCAC |
| Jason Williams | F | Radford | 1999-00 and 2000-01 in Big South |
| Ben Wilson | F | Mercer | 1987-88 in Trans America Athletic |