The 20 best Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball players of all time

We're going way back in the history of Virginia basketball to tip off our list. As legend goes, Strickling played while attending law school at Virginia, and had previously been a member of the Marshall basketball program. For the Cavaliers, however, Strickling was a captain in his final campaign, and member of the "Famous Five," in 1915, under coach Henry H. "Pop" Lannigan, that went 17-0. Stickling, who averaged 17.8 points that season, was recognized as Virginia's first All-American basketball player.

While Bill Strickling was the Cavaliers' first All-American, Buzzy Wilkinson was the program's first star and the first Virginia hooper to have his number (No. 14) retired. Entering the 2022-23 season, Wilkinson's 2,233 career points rank third in school history, while his 28.6 scoring average is still, by far, the best among all Cavaliers and in ACC history. A third-team All-American selection by The Associated Press in 1955, Wilkinson still has the two-best scoring seasons in Virginia history: 898 points (32.1) in 1954-55 and 814 (30.1) in 1953-54.

Buzzy Wilkinson holds nine of the top-10 single-game high for points at Virginia. The other belongs to Parkhill, who dropped a school-record 51 on Baldwin-Wallace in December 1971. Parkhill averaged 21.6 points during that 1971-72 campaign, for which he was named both ACC Player and Athlete of the Year. Parkhill totaled 1,437 points during his three seasons at Virginia and his 18.2 scoring average ranks sixth in school history. As of 2022, Parkhill is one of eight Virginia players to have his number (No. 40) retired by the program.

Known as "Wonderful Wally," Walker ranks seventh in school history with 1,849 points and eighth with an 18.9 career scoring average. Walker's best season came in 1975-76, when he averaged 22.1 points and shot 54.8 percent. He also helped the Cavaliers win their first ACC tournament title, scoring 21 points and pulling down seven boards during the championship-game victory over North Carolina. Walker was named tournament MVP while helping Virginia earned its first NCAA Tournament berth as a result. Walker's No. 41 was retired by the school.

When it comes to college basketball's all-time greats, Lamp should be worthy of a mention. He was a key figure who helped Virginia go from a budding ACC favorite to national championship contender. An All-ACC pick each of his four seasons with the Cavaliers, including two first-team selections, Lamp sits second on the school's career scoring list with 2,317 points. His 18.8 points per game for a career rank fifth in the program. He averaged 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists during the 1980-81 season, while helping Virginia reach the Final Four for the first time — and a year after it won the NIT. Lamp's No. 3 was retired by the school.

A high school teammate of Jeff Lamp in Louisville, Raker wasn't flashy. But, when it came to dependability and consistency, Raker was the guy. An off-and-on starter for Virginia, Raker averaged at least 10.6 points in each of his four collegiate seasons for coach Terry Holland. Another key member of the Cavaliers' NIT title team in 1980 and Final Four participant from '81, Raker averaged 12.8 points, on 50.3-percent shooting, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists for his career.

Before Jones guided the Cavaliers' program from the sidelines during most of the 1990s, he was perhaps the greatest point guard to ever play the position at the school. A four-year starter at Virginia, Jones, who averaged only 6.6 points but shot 52.2 percent for his career, is third all-time in program history with 598 assists. He was the first Cavalier to record 200 assists in a season, during the 1979-80 campaign that ended with that NIT championship. Jones finished averaging 4.6 assists per game. His 189 career steals are tied for third-most in school history.

The greatest player in Virginia basketball history also happens to be one of the best to ever play the game. When we talk college superstars, the 7-foot-4 Sampson was one of the most dominant figures in college basketball in the early 1980s. A freshman on the NIT-winning team in '80, and the backbone of the '81 Final Four group, Sampson won 112 games during his four seasons at Virginia. The three-time national player of the year and ACC Player of the Year, Sampson, whose No. 50 was retired by the program, is the school's all-time leader in rebounds (1,511), rebounding average (11.4), made field goals (899) and blocks (462). He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. 

Wilson was the last significant remnant of that '81 Final Four team and often overlooked when it comes to his place in the annals of Virginia basketball. Wilson is the school's all-time steals with 222, and until recently, held the single-season record with 69 steals from 1983-84. The three-time All-ACC performer also ranks seventh at Virginia with 493 assists, and averaged 11.6 points while shooting 51.1 percent for his career with the Cavaliers. 

We've established that Jeff Jones is arguably the greatest point guard in Virginia history, but there are those who could make the same case for Crotty. He's the school's all-time leader with 683 assists, topping Jones' mark. Crotty also recorded the two highest single-season assist performances with 214 in 1989-90 and 208 from 1988-89. However, Crotty wasn't all about the pass. He averaged 16.0 points in '89-'90, 15.5 the next season and 12.8 for his collegiate career. 

With 2,516 points, Stith is the all-time scoring leader at Virginia. And he seemed to make it look easy. His 19.2 career average ranks fourth in school history, and he did it all while shooting an impressive 48.3 percent from the field — and 35.3 from 3-point range. The three-time All-ACC first-team selection, Stith averaged at least 20 points for a season twice and scored at least 30 nine times during his college career. He was the NIT MVP in 1992, when Virginia won the event. Stith also ranks fifth among all Cavaliers with 859 career rebounds.

Staples was the NCAA leader with 413 made 3-pointers until February 2006, when Duke's J.J. Redick surpassed that number. Still, Staples' mark at Virginia will be tough to beat. His 130 3s from the 1997-98 season, when he also averaged a career-high 18.1 points, are still a school record. Staples, who shot 38.3 percent from beyond the arc for his career, totaled 1,757 points at Virginia. His jersey was also retired by the university. 

Williams essentially made an impact from the first moment he stepped on the court for the Cavaliers. He was ACC Rookie of the Year in 1998-99, when he averaged career highs of 16.8 points and 7.5 rebounds. Though Williams never exceeded those the numbers in any of the following three seasons, he was again an All-ACC pick in 2000 and '01. Known as the "Big Smooth," the 6-7 Williams ranks eighth in school history with 1,812 points (15.2 ppg) and ninth for pulling down 786 boards (6.6 ppg). His 189 steals are tied with Jeff Jones third all time at Virginia.

Watson joins Ralph Sampson as the only two Virginia players to record at least 1,000 rebounds. Not bad company. In Watson's case, his 1,115 boards rank second on the school's all-time rebounding list. Watson's 9.4 average rebounds for his career sits fourth at Virginia. He also recorded 130 career blocks, which also rank among the top 10 in school history. Offensively, Watson could more than hold his own, averaging 13.0 points and shooting 51.9 percent for his career with the Cavaliers.

Quite the decorated Cavalier, Singletary wasted no time making a name for himself. He averaged 10.5 points in his debut season and was a member of the ACC All-Freshman Team in 2004-05, and then earned first-team league honors each of the next three seasons. By his senior season, Singletary averaged a career-high 19.8 points. Singletary is the fifth and most recent Virginia player to reach 2,000 points (2,079, to be exact) for his career. He averaged 16.9 points per game as a Cavalier, but also ranks among the school's top 10 in made field goals (642), made 3-pointers (222), made free throws (573), assists (587), steals (200) and starts (123). Singletary's No. 44 was retired at Virginia.

Scott actually played parts of five seasons for the Cavaliers, and when it was all said and done, he amassed and impressive 1,538 points, but more notably 944 rebounds. The latter still ranks third in school history for a career. After an ankle injury limited Scott's first senior campaign to just 10 games in 2010-11, the bounced back in 2011-12 to average 18.0 points, on 56.3 percent shooting, and 8.3 rebounds to earn first-team All-ACC honors in his final full season at Virginia.

Anderson rose from a serviceable bench contributor during his first two seasons at Virginia (highlighted by ACC Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2013-14) to a straight-up star for his third and final campaign in the program. Despite a finger injury that forced him to miss eight games in 2014-15, Anderson averaged career highs of 12.2 points, on 46.6 percent shooting and made a team-leading 47 3-pointers on 104 attempts, while also averaging 4.0 rebounds. Anderson's junior season resulted in second-team All-ACC honors, and opened the door for him to declare early for the NBA Draft.

After a foot injury forced Brogdon to redshirt his 2012-13 sophomore season at Virginia, he returned determined to prove his worth. And he certainly did, starting all 108 games he played over the next three seasons for the Cavaliers. A first-team All-ACC performer in each of his final three collegiate seasons, Brogdon was twice honored as the league's defensive player of the year (2015 and '16). He was named ACC Player of the Year in 2015-16, when he averaged 18.2 points, shot 39.1 percent from 3-point range, and also set a career high with 3.1 assists per contest, while pulling down 4.1 rebounds a game. A two-time All-American (first and second teams), Brogdon, Virginia's all-time leader with an 87.6 free-throw percentage, also ranks among the school's career top 10 in points (1,809), made 3-pointers (185), made free throws (422), games (136) and minutes (4,157). Brogdon's No. 15 was retired at Virginia.

Guy was more than just the person who hit those three memorable free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining to beat Auburn and send Virginia to its first national championship game in 2019. The Cavaliers would go on to win that game against Texas Tech in overtime thanks to 24 points from Guy, the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. He was a two-time first-team All-ACC performer and twice named third-team All-American. Though he averaged just 12.5 points for his three-year career at Virginia, Guy is the school's all-time leader with a 42.5 3-point percentage. His 254 career made 3-pointers rank third among all Cavaliers.

Hunter spent two memorable seasons at Virginia, and helped Guy and Co. lead the program to its first national title in 2019. After being named ACC Sixth Man of the Year while coming off the bench in all 33 games for the Cavaliers in his redshirt first 2017-18 season, Hunter broke out in '18-'19. He averaged 15.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Hunter also shot 52 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from beyond the arc as a sophomore to help earn various All-American honors and ACC Defensive Player of the Year.