Ben Simmons on Thursday will be the second LSU player to go first overall in the NBA draft. While he joins select company there in Shaquille O'Neal, it also will serve as a reminder that Simmons' school is among a dozen that have produced No. 1 picks in both basketball and football.
In most cases, those colleges' NFL products weren't as good as their NBA products, but there have been a few Hall of Fame combinations at the top of the class.
Davis played four short pro seasons before he served his country proudly in World War II and went back to the Big Ten as an official. Bellamy was rookie of the year, a four-time All-Star and a Hall of Famer, building on the Olympic gold medal he won as an amateur. Benson, a key part of the Hoosiers' undefeated team in '76, was the typical journeyman big man as a pro.
It's surprising that the Wildcats, with their rich basketball tradition and somewhat unmemorable football one, had to wait until Couch to get them on top of the board. The John Calipari era has changed that, with Wall, Davis and Towns all worthy of their lofty statuses. It will be a while before Couch has company in his sport.
Russell has a good case for being the biggest bust in NFL draft history. The only thing he had in common with Shaq (7-1, 325) was being massive (6-6, 265) for his position. If Simmons can put together half the career O'Neal did at a different position, the Sixers should be thrilled.
Harmon, better known as beloved "Old 98," is a legendary Heisman winner whose jersey number still resonates around campus. Like his son Mark, he chose to follow his Hollywood dream, and by the time he came back from military service, he went on to play only two seasons for the local Los Angeles Rams. Long was a Pro Bowler for four in Miami before injuries slowed him down. Russell and Webber each had strong careers as bounce-around stars.
Although Smith was a good pass rusher for the Colts, Raiders and Oilers, he found his true calling as an actor, namely as Office Moses Hightower in the "Police Academy movies.” Johnson, before becoming a failed late-night talk show host and successful businessman, was an all-time everything who everyone loved with the "Showtime" Lakers.
Thompson, who dominated the ABA and led the Wolfpack to a national championship in 1974, was an easy choice to go No. 1 in both the NBA and ABA (Virginia Squires) before beginning his pro career with the latter league's Denver Nuggets. Williams, in contrast, was a surprise over USC running back Reggie Bush, who went No. 2 overall to the Saints.
The Golden Domers used to sparkle with superstars going to the NFL, and Hornung was the most impressive of those five. He went from Heisman winner to league MVP, multiple Super Bowl champion and the Hall of Fame running for the Pack. Carr was a smooth shooter and scorer for the Irish, but injuries kept his great career from becoming an all-time one in the NBA.
The Buckeyes produced some top-flight talent in the Woody Hayes and John Cooper eras, but it's a little surprising that the Jim Tressel or Urban Meyer runs haven't delivered someone at the top. Oden was the big early prize from Thad Matta's tenure before injuries brought him down quickly. Since then, Evan Turner and D'Angelo Russell fell just short, each going No. 2.
The late, great Selmon dominated for Bucs on his way to the Hall of Fame, while Sims ran well for the Lions before Barry Sanders. Bradford is still waiting for his breakthrough after winning the trophy 30 years later. Griffin has been a very exciting player in Lob City, but he's trying to find another gear of greatness in his prime.
Davis was one of Syracuse's three awesome backs who wore No. 44, between Jim Brown (No. 6 in '57) and Floyd Little (No. 6 in '67). He won the Heisman in '61, and "The Elmira Express" seemed fast-tracked to NFL stardom after being traded to Brown's team, the Browns. Sadly, Davis never played in the league after being diagnosed with incurable leukemia and dying in the spring of '63. Coleman was rookie of the year and later an All-Star for the Nets with his all-around game, but he fell well short of being a surefire superstar.
Super Bowls, championships, Halls of Fame, greatness, recognition, smarts, recognizability — they're all there with this amazing Bruins trio of Aikman, Walton and the future Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It doesn't get any better in terms of post-career passionate ambassadors of their respective games.
There was plenty to celebrate for the Utes in '05, as Smith and Bogut pulled off the only April-June double in the same year. Bogut became an NBA champion as a good passing tall man, while Smith became a late-blooming Pro Bowler as a short-passing athletic man.
Dudley lived up to "Bullet,” remaining a speedy back for the Steelers as a rushing champion and league MVP before finding a special third wave with the Redskins in the 1950s. It was more impressive that he ran his way to the Hall of Fame while also serving in the U.S. Army in World War II. Sampson arguably was the most hyped draft pick in NBA history after dominating college for three years with his agile, 7-4, 228-pound frame. Before injuries derailed him post-Rockets, he lived up to his Hall-bound promise, tag-teaming with Hakeem Olajuwon as the "Twin Towers" in Houston.
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