Let’s round out the all-time Maryland basketball team

Last summer, we ran a series of polls to determine the best players in Maryland football history by position, which gave us a fan-voted all-time Terps team. We’ve been running it back this summer, but with basketball. We’ve got our starting five: Steve Blake, Juan Dixon, Len Bias, Buck Williams and Joe Smith. Now we’re going to fill out the edges.

First, let’s pick a sixth man.

For the purpose of this, choose a player who placed second in a positional poll, or comment your choice. (Players considered for this spot aren’t required to have come off the bench in college.)

John Lucas — Lucas became Maryland’s first-ever No. 1 overall pick in 1976 and is the only Terp to ever earn First Team All-American honors twice. The three-time All-American—earning a second-team nod in 1974—ranks No. 6 in career points and No. 5 in career assists. Read more in the point guard poll.

Albert King — Considered a better high school prospect than Earvin “Magic” Johnson in 1977, King is tied with Lucas for the most field goals in school history. He sits fourth in career points and earned a Second Team All-American nod and ACC Player of the Year awards before he left College Park. Read more in the shooting guard poll.

Walt Williams — The versatile 6’8 swingman is credited as the first Maryland star under Gary Williams. His senior year stands as one of the best seasons in program history, having averaged a single-season program record 26.8 points to go with 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists a game. More on him in the small forwards poll.

Tom McMillen — The No. 1 recruit in 1970, McMillen was one of the most heavily recruited high schoolers before choosing the Terps. He’d leave Maryland as a three-time All-American and two-time First Team All-ACC selection, as well as a first round pick in both the 1974 NBA and ABA drafts. More on McMillen in the power forward poll.

Len Elmore — Elmore earned three All-ACC nods before he was done with the Terps. Having run next to both Lucas and McMillen, Elmore wasn’t a big scorer, but he gobbled rebounds en route to a 1974 Second Team All-America selection. More on the eventual color commentator in our center poll.

Then decide who’s the best coach in Maryland history.

It’s a two-horse race, but feel free to vote for any of Burton Shipley, Flucie Stewart, Bud Millikan, Frank Fellows, Mark Turgeon or Bob Wade (lol are there any Wade fans?) in the comments.

Lefty Driesell — Maryland’s head coach from 1970 to 1986, Driesell set the standard for the Terps. His 348 wins as head coach rank second in program history, as he helmed the Terps to eight NCAA tournaments, two ACC-regular season championships and a conference-tournament crown. Under Driesell’s watch, Maryland won its only NIT crown, broke a 15-year NCAA tournament drought and advanced to two Elite Eights and three Sweet 16s. His .686 win percentage is best in program history and he oversaw five All-Americans and 15 NBA draft picks, including No. 1 overall pick Lucas.

Gary Williams — While Lefty gets credit for giving Maryland legitimacy in the college basketball landscape, it was Williams that would get the Terps to the promised land, coaching the team to its 2002 national title. His 468 career wins are a program best, as are his 14 NCAA Tournament appearances (including two Final Fours), three regular-season conference crowns and two conference tournament championships. Six All-Americans and 18 NBA Draft Picks, including 1995 top pick and the program’s only Naismith Award winner Joe Smith, walked through the doors for Williams between 1990 and 2011.

And a jersey to play in.

The best team in Maryland history would have to suit up in the best uniform in Maryland history. Here are our nominees, ordered chronologically. Take your pick, or comment your choice.

1968-69 Red — The Terps kept it simple with these, with Maryland’s red taking center stage next to the simple lettering and black, white and red trim along the waistband and bottom of the shorts.

1980s home uniform/2015 Georgetown throwback — Donned by the likes of Len Bias and Len Elmore, Under Armour paid tribute to these unis when Maryland and Georgetown faced off in 2015.

2002 White — Of course the uniforms the Terps won the title in have to be in the discussion.

2010 Gold — Some of the most iconic photos from Greivis Vasquez’s Bob Cousy Award winning season feature him fired up in the yellow.

2018 Maryland Pride Uniform — Under Armour tinkered with the theme for a couple years, but found its zone with an adequate sprinkling of the Maryland flag along the trim to go with the simple lettering and the flag on the waistband.