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641 voters

The Greatest Minnesota Basketball Players of All Time

Updated January 24, 2020 5.9k votes 641 voters 14.1k views79 items

List RulesUpvote the best basketball players in Golden Gophers history based only on the player's college career.

Minnesota basketball fans, we’re ranking the best Minnesota Golden Gophers of all-time. This list of Minnesota basketball players includes current and former players, along with the seasons played with the college. Featuring All-Americans, players in the NBA, and school legends who had their jerseys retired, the top players from University of Minnesota men's basketball team history include Kevin McHale, Mychal Thompson, Kris Humphries, and Flip Saunders. Who is the best Minnesota Golden Gopher ever?

Vote up the ones you think are the greatest Minnesota basketball players in Golden Gophers history. Feel free to add any Golden Gopher freshmen, NBA rookies, or Minnesota alumni missing from the list.

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239
76
Kevin McHale
Power forward
Age: 63
Birthplace: Hibbing, Minnesota
Number: 32
Teams: Boston Celtics
Golden Gophers career: 1976–1980

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#36 of 289 The Top NBA Players Of All Time#10 of 232 The Best White Players in NBA History
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180
49
Mychal Thompson
Power forward, Center
Age: 65
Birthplace: Nassau, Bahamas
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers
Golden Gophers career: 1974–1978
3
132
42
Lou Hudson
Shooting guard, Small forward
Age: Dec. at 70 (1944-2014)
Birthplace: Greensboro, North Carolina
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, St. Louis Hawks
Golden Gophers career: 1963–1966

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4
147
57
Bobby Jackson
Point guard
Age: 47
Birthplace: Salisbury, North Carolina
Teams: Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves
Golden Gophers career: 1995–1997
5
103
42
Trent Tucker
Shooting guard
Age: 61
Birthplace: Tarboro, North Carolina
Teams: New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls
Golden Gophers career: 1978–1982
6
85
30
Jim Brewer
Power forward
Age: 69
Birthplace: Proviso Township, Maywood, Illinois
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons
Golden Gophers career: 1970–1973
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86
33
Willie Burton
Point guard
Age: 52
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat
Golden Gophers career: 1986–1990
8
77
29
Ray Williams
Point guard
Age: Dec. at 59 (1954-2013)
Birthplace: Mount Vernon, New York
Teams: Kansas City Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks
Golden Gophers career: 1975–1977
9
84
39
Voshon Lenard
Shooting guard
Age: 47
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets
Golden Gophers career: 1991–1995
10
80
38
Randy Breuer
Center
Age: 60
Birthplace: Lake City, Minnesota
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Milwaukee Bucks
Golden Gophers career: 1979–1983

11
69
30
Archie Clark
Guard
Age: 79
Birthplace: Conway, Arkansas
Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Baltimore Bullets, Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle Supersonics, Detroit Pistons
Golden Gophers career: 1963–1966
12
64
28
Mark Olberding
Power forward, small forward
Age: 64
Birthplace: Melrose, Minnesota
Teams: Kansas City Kings, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls
Golden Gophers career: 1974–1975
13
78
41
Sam Jacobson
Shooting guard, small forward
Age: 45
Birthplace: Cottage Grove, Minnesota, United States of America
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors
Golden Gophers career: 1994–1998
14
65
30
Quincy Lewis
Shooting guard, Small forward
Age: 43
Birthplace: Little Rock, Arkansas
Teams: Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves
Golden Gophers career: 1995–1999
15
54
24
Larry Mikan
Power forward
Age: 72
Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers
Golden Gophers career: 1967–1970
16
65
34
Kevin Lynch
Shooting guard, small forward
Age: 52
Birthplace: Bloomington, Minnesota, United States of America
Teams: Charlotte Hornets
Golden Gophers career: 1987–1991
17
57
30
Dave Winfield
Forward
Age: 69
Birthplace: Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
Golden Gophers career: 1993–1994

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34
8
Daniel Oturu
Center
Golden Gophers career: 2018-present
19
72
46
Flip Saunders
Guard
Age: 65
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio
Golden Gophers career: 1973–1977
20
85
63
Kris Humphries
Power forward
Age: 35
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Number: 43
Teams: Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors
Golden Gophers career: 2003–2004

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61
38
Richard Coffey
Small forward
Age: 55
Birthplace: North Carolina
Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves
Golden Gophers career: 1990-1991
22
45
27
John Thomas
Center
Age: 45
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors
Golden Gophers career: 1993–1997
23
52
35
Trevor Mbakwe
Power forward
Age: 31
Birthplace: Saint Paul, Minnesota
Golden Gophers career: 2010–2013
24
41
23
Myer Skoog
Guard
Age: 94
Birthplace: Duluth, Minnesota
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
Golden Gophers career: 1948–1951
25
51
36
Joel Przybilla
Center
Age: 41
Birthplace: Monticello, Minnesota
Number: 10
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks
Golden Gophers career: 1998–2000