Photo Credit: Liam Sment
Round 1 of the All-Time Virginia Tech Basketball Draft is here with myself, Tim Thomas, receiving the first overall pick. For more details on the draft and the charitable causes that we are drafting and competing for, check out the details on our draft here.
Now the first round of the draft is about getting the type of star player that can win games for you and take over with his skill set. And our round 1 saw four of the greatest Hokie basketball players of all-time get taken from some of the greatest teams to ever play inside Cassell Coliseum.
The four players selected in Round 1 combined for three All-Conference Player of the Year awards, nine All-First or Second Team conference honors, two retired numbers, and an abundance of memories that Hokie fans cherish. Two of these players have already had their numbers retired while the other two both have solid cases for their numbers to be retired very soon (especially the most recent VT player on this list).
This round also focuses on the backcourt with all four players being guards and three of the four players being point guards.
So with that, here is the first round of the All-Time Virginia Tech Basketball Draft.
1. Team Tim: Dell Curry
There is no one else more fitting of the title of Virginia Tech basketball GOAT than Dell Curry. Curry was dominant throughout his career from finishing second on Virginia Tech's all-time scoring list to earning three All-Metro Conference First Team honors including a special 1985-86 season where he also earned Metro Conference Player of the Year honors and was a Consensus Second Team All-American.
The Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Famer also was a part of one of the great eras in VT basketball history as the Hokies reached the NIT in his freshman and sophomore seasons followed by back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 1985 and 1986. Curry was a great two-way player and one of the first great three-point shooters once he reached the NBA.
If you're building a great team, you need a star player who can lead on both ends of the floor, something that Curry did throughout his illustrious career at Virginia Tech.
2. Team Robert: Bimbo Coles
With Dell Curry being taken number one overall, it was an easy choice for me at the number two spot: legendary VT point guard Bimbo Coles.
He is Virginia Tech’s all-time leading scorer and second in school history in assists, and I might have still taken him if I had the first pick. What he lacked in size (6’1, 180 lbs), he more than made up for with scoring, athleticism, and hustle during his Virginia Tech career.
Coles averaged just under 22 points a game for his career as well as five assists, four rebounds, and two steals.
Coles made his presence felt during his time at VT, and he is perhaps the best two-way player in school history. Not only was he an elite scorer, but he was also known as a lockdown defender.
After just his sophomore season, Coles was chosen to represent Team USA in the 1988 Olympics. He went on to dominate in Blacksburg for the next two seasons.
He also enjoyed a long NBA career, playing 14 seasons for the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics. Coles’ number 12 is one of the four numbers retired by the team and hanging in the rafters of Cassell Coliseum.
I could not think of a better player to be the focal point of my roster. He is the perfect point guard to lead my team on both ends of the floor.
3. Team David: Justin Robinson
My mindset heading into this draft was to take a combination of my favorite players, the most talented players, and fan favorites.
I started off by taking Robinson, which came as a shock to the others, but he’s exactly the guy I need. 23rd on the all-time scoring list, Robinson is one of two players in Virginia Tech basketball history to play in three NCAA Tournaments in their career, the other being Ahmed Hill.
I can’t forget to mention that he’s the all-time assist leader as well, and if Tech’s rules for retiring jerseys weren’t so strict, his jersey would be hanging up alongside Curry, Custis, Coles and Bristow. He was my favorite player to watch on the Buzz Williams teams and I know he holds a special place in every fan’s heart.
4. Team Grant: Erick Green
Erick Green saw more growth during his time at Virginia Tech than any player in recent history. After averaging just 2.6 points a game during his freshman year, he steadily progressed until becoming one of the best players in the country during his senior season in 2012-13. He was second in the nation in total points with 801, and he was named ACC Player of the Year by the media writers despite the Hokies’ 13-19 record.
The Hokies’ lack of national relevance that season somewhat overshadowed what a great player Green was. He had a nose for the basket, and he was just an old fashioned scorer. That’s a quality I’m happy to bring to my All-Time team.
There you have it for Round 1 of the All-Time Virginia Tech Basketball Draft. Stay tuned for Round 2 tomorrow and the rest of the rounds to follow throughout this week.
