To celebrate 30 years of SLAM, we’re featuring the 30 most influential men’s college teams of the past 30 years. Stats, records and chips are not the main factor here, it’s all about their contribution to the cultural fabric of the game. Over the next 30 days, Monday through Friday, we’ll be featuring full list here. We also have an exclusive retro collegiate collection out now that pays homage to the threads of each squad. Shop here.
Let’s go back to 08. The Memphis Tigers, led by then-head coach John Calipari, had lost in the South Regional final the previous season, but heading into the ’07-08 season, all eyes were on them to see what they would do next.
Certainly, the arrival of the highly-touted 6-3 football prospect from Chicago, who had captured the nation’s attention during Simeon’s career at the academy, added to the buzz around the Tigers. Boost might be an understatement. We’re talking about Rose, who would eventually become one of the youngest ever to win the NBA MVP award. Not some story, or something that was, but what remains of it.
Even then, and with far fewer tattoos, Derrick Rose was flashier than ever when he suited up for the Tigers, averaging 15 points and 4 assists per game. His court vision and playmaking ability lifted the Tigers to unprecedented heights as they went on a 26-game winning streak to start the season, earning them the No. 1 ranking for the first time in 25 years. While Calipari, one of the best college coaches ever, was at the helm, Rose and veteran leaders like Joey Dorsey and Chris Douglas-Roberts helped guide the Tigers all the way to the NCAA Tournament.
They defeated No. 16 Texas-Arlington and No. 8 Mississippi State, defeated No. 5 Michigan State and topped No. 2 Texas and No. 1 UCLA in a dramatic regional final to advance. until the national championship game against Kansas. Rose, ever so composed for someone yet to play on the big stage, held his own for the full 45 minutes of extra time. He spilled dimes effortlessly, commanded the offense like a true quarterback general and fought off two, sometimes three defenders on his way to the basket.
Despite the loss, that game was just a glimpse into the future. The Tigers sent three players to the League that June; In the 08 NBA draft, Rose was selected with the #1 pick by the Chicago Bulls, while Douglas-Roberts and Anderson were both drafted in the second round; A testament to Calipari’s legacy in shaping the game’s brightest stars. That 07-08 season is also tied for the most wins (38) in a single season in NCAA history, second only to Calipari. He would do it again during his tenure at Kentucky, but the record books will tell you that the 07-08 Memphis team did it first.
Photos via Getty Images.
