All-Time Greatest March Madness Players

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, MJ and more superstars take top honors.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson  and Michael Jordan are among the NCAA's picks for the best college hoop stars of all time. — Britt Middleton Among his many honors, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won three NCAA championships with UCLA (1967-1969) and was a three-time recipient of the Most Outstanding Player award (1967-69). Abdul-Jabbar was also named the first Naismith College Player of the Year in 1969 before cementing his status in the NBA. (Photo: Courtesy of The Library of Congress)

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson  and Michael Jordan are among the NCAA's picks for the best college hoop stars of all time. — Britt Middleton Among his many honors, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won three NCAA championships with UCLA (1967-1969) and was a three-time recipient of the Most Outstanding Player award (1967-69). Abdul-Jabbar was also named the first Naismith College Player of the Year in 1969 before cementing his status in the NBA. (Photo: Courtesy of The Library of Congress)

Larry Bird - Playing for Indiana State, Larry Bird led the Sycamores to the NCAA Championship game in 1979, where Bird faced off against Michigan State's Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Their friendly rivalry would follow them for many years as superstars in the NBA. (Photo: Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

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Larry Bird - Playing for Indiana State, Larry Bird led the Sycamores to the NCAA Championship game in 1979, where Bird faced off against Michigan State's Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Their friendly rivalry would follow them for many years as superstars in the NBA. (Photo: Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Earvin "Magic" Johnson - Playing for Michigan State, Magic Johnson bested the Bird-led Indiana State 75–64 for the NCAA title in 1979, a game that has been credited as the most watched in college basketball history. Johnson went on to enchant fans for 13 seasons in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers, and after announcing he had contracted HIV in 1991, he retired for good in 1996. (Photo: Michigan State/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)

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Earvin "Magic" Johnson - Playing for Michigan State, Magic Johnson bested the Bird-led Indiana State 75–64 for the NCAA title in 1979, a game that has been credited as the most watched in college basketball history. Johnson went on to enchant fans for 13 seasons in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers, and after announcing he had contracted HIV in 1991, he retired for good in 1996. (Photo: Michigan State/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)

Bill Bradley - Princeton's Bill Bradley holds a number of Ivy League career records, including total points (1,253) and average points per game (29.83). He earned the Final Four MVP title in 1965. He went on to play professionally for the New York Knicks before retiring in 1977. (Photo: Courtesy of The Library of Congress)

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Bill Bradley - Princeton's Bill Bradley holds a number of Ivy League career records, including total points (1,253) and average points per game (29.83). He earned the Final Four MVP title in 1965. He went on to play professionally for the New York Knicks before retiring in 1977. (Photo: Courtesy of The Library of Congress)

Ed Pinckney - In 1985, power forward Ed Pinckney was a member of Villanova University's championship team and snapped up Most Outstanding Player honors. He played for the Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat before retiring in 1997. Post-retirement, Pinckney worked as a sports commentator and is currently an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls. (Photo: Georgetown/Collegiate Images/Getty Images.)

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Patrick Ewing - Playing for Georgetown, Patrick Ewing led the team to the NCAA Championship in 1984 and also picked up the tournament's Most Outstanding Player designation. Post college, his star continued to rise in the NBA, most notably playing center for the New York Knicks. (Photo: Georgetown/Collegiate Images/Getty Images.)

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Grant Hill - The future Los Angeles Clippers star first shined with Duke University, leading the Blue Devils to two NCAA titles (1991 and 1992) and was named Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year (1994).  Over his college career, Hill hit 53 percent of his shots and 70 percent of his free throws. (Photo: Doug Pensinger/ALLSPORT)

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Grant Hill - The future Los Angeles Clippers star first shined with Duke University, leading the Blue Devils to two NCAA titles (1991 and 1992) and was named Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year (1994).  Over his college career, Hill hit 53 percent of his shots and 70 percent of his free throws. (Photo: Doug Pensinger/ALLSPORT)

Michael Jordan - Before Michael Jordan ever splashed onto the NBA scene and subsequent international super-stardom, Dean Smith was molding his skills at the University of North Carolina from 1981-84. In fact, his game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA championship game really put MJ on the basketball map. That shot would serve as the springboard for a Hall of Fame career, which included 14 All-Star selections, six NBA titles to go with six Finals MVPs, and five league MVPs with the Chicago Bulls, as arguably the greatest player ever. Through the years, MJ would not only credit Smith as a great basketball mentor, but he would refer to the coaching legend as his "second father."  (Photo: Jerry Wachter/Sports Imagery/Landov)

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Michael Jordan - Playing for North Carolina, Michael Jordan sunk the game-winning shot to win the 1982 NCAA Championship, beating Georgetown, led by future NBA star the Patrick Ewing. MJ next conquered the NBA, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls among many other honors. (Photo: Jerry Wachter/Sports Imagery/Landov)

Christian Laettner - Duke's Christian Laettner went down in history for a buzzer-beating, game-winning jump shot in the 1992 NCAA East regional final against Kentucky. He is the only player in NCAA history to be a starter in four consecutive Final Four games and hold the record for most tournament games (23, out of a possible of 24) among other titles. (Photo: Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

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Christian Laettner - Duke's Christian Laettner went down in history for a buzzer-beating, game-winning jump shot in the 1992 NCAA East regional final against Kentucky. He is the only player in NCAA history to be a starter in four consecutive Final Four games and hold the record for most tournament games (23, out of a possible of 24) among other titles. (Photo: Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

Jerry Lucas - Jerry Lucas played for Ohio State, winning the Most Outstanding Player award twice (1960–1961) and leading the team to the national championship in 1960. He went on to play for several teams in the NBA before retiring with the New York Knicks in 1974. (Photo: Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

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Jerry Lucas - Jerry Lucas played for Ohio State, winning the Most Outstanding Player award twice (1960–1961) and leading the team to the national championship in 1960. He went on to play for several teams in the NBA before retiring with the New York Knicks in 1974. (Photo: Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Danny Manning - Danny Manning is the all-time leading scorer (2,951 points) and rebounder (1,187) for the University of Kansas and led the Jayhawks to the national championship in 1988. After playing 15 years in the NBA, he retired in 2003 and went on to coach college basketball at his alma mater, winning another NCAA championship in 2008. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Danny Manning - Danny Manning is the all-time leading scorer (2,951 points) and rebounder (1,187) for the University of Kansas and led the Jayhawks to the national championship in 1988. After playing 15 years in the NBA, he retired in 2003 and went on to coach college basketball at his alma mater, winning another NCAA championship in 2008. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Hakeem Olajuwon - Hakeem Olajuwon led the University of Houston to back-to-back NCAA Championship games in 1983 and 1984. Even though Houston lost to North Carolina State in 1983, Olajuwon received the NCAA Most Outstanding Player award, and went on to win two NBA championships with the Houston Rockets (1994, 1995). (Photo: Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images)

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Hakeem Olajuwon - Hakeem Olajuwon led the University of Houston to back-to-back NCAA Championship games in 1983 and 1984. Even though Houston lost to North Carolina State in 1983, Olajuwon received the NCAA Most Outstanding Player award, and went on to win two NBA championships with the Houston Rockets (1994, 1995). (Photo: Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images)

Oscar Robertson - In three years with the University of Cincinnati, Oscar Robertson dominated, setting the third highest scoring record in NCAA history (33.8 points per game) and being named to NCAA's All-America First Team three times (1958-1960). He won an NBA Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970 before retiring after the 1974 season and was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. (Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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Oscar Robertson - In three years with the University of Cincinnati, Oscar Robertson dominated, setting the third highest scoring record in NCAA history (33.8 points per game) and being named to NCAA's All-America First Team three times (1958-1960). He won an NBA Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970 before retiring after the 1974 season and was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. (Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Bill Russell - Basketball legend Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to two consecutive NCAA Championships (1955, 1956) and is one of only five players who scored 20 points and 20 rebounds during his college career. He went on to have a stunning NBA career, including 11 NBA championships. (Photo: San Fransisco/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)

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Bill Russell - Basketball legend Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to two consecutive NCAA Championships (1955, 1956) and is one of only five players who scored 20 points and 20 rebounds during his college career. He went on to have a stunning NBA career, including 11 NBA championships. (Photo: San Fransisco/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)

Bill Walton - Nicknamed "The Big-Red Head," Bill Walton went big for UCLA, helping the Bruins claim two NCAA championship titles (1972, 1973) and was named to the NCAA All-American First Team three times (1972–1974), among other honors. (Photo: Courtesy of WikiCommons)

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Bill Walton - Nicknamed "The Big-Red Head," Bill Walton went big for UCLA, helping the Bruins claim two NCAA championship titles (1972, 1973) and was named to the NCAA All-American First Team three times (1972–1974), among other honors. (Photo: Courtesy of WikiCommons)

Jerry West - Over his college career with West Virginia, Jerry West scored 2,309 points, 1,240 rebounds and averaged 24.8 points per game and 13.3 rebounds.  West was named the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 1959. (Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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Jerry West - Over his college career with West Virginia, Jerry West scored 2,309 points, 1,240 rebounds and averaged 24.8 points per game and 13.3 rebounds.  West was named the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 1959. (Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)