There have been so many great women’s college basketball players that even choosing a top five is no easy task. No all-time list will ever appeal to everyone. That was also the case with AP’s latest attempt. AP released a first and second team with the best women’s college basketball players, sparking quite the debate on social media, especially about Caitlin Clark’s place on the list. Clark still holds the all-time scoring record in college basketball, but her lack of a championship gives some people pause when naming her among the top college players of all time.
The first team features Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart, Candace Parker, Cheryl Miller, and Caitlin Clark, while Sue Bird, Dawn Staley, Chamique Holdsclaw, Maya Moore, and Lusia Harris made the second team.
Candace Parker found only one mistake with the two teams. “I’m completely honoured and humbled, but I will give up my spot on the first team for Chamique Holdsclaw,” Parker said on Post Moves, her podcast with Fever star Aliyah Boston. “Chamique Holdsclaw… [won] three championships in a row. She was the first to do that. She is the leading scorer at the University of Tennessee, dominated college, was like Jordan in college, was on SLAM Magazine before they were just giving covers to everybody. I’m being honest, Chamique Holdsclaw not being on this first team hurt my soul, my heart.”
Chamique Holdsclaw put together a successful college career
Holdsclaw played for the University of Tennessee from 1995 to 1999. Over that time, Holdsclaw won three NCAA championships and was named the NCAA Tournament MOP, Naismith College Player of the Year, AP Player of the Year, and USBWA Player of the Year twice. She was also a four-time All-American, led Tennessee to an undefeated season, and graduated as the leading scorer and rebounder in the University’s history of men’s and women’s basketball and the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in NCAA tournament history.
Few players found that much success in their college careers.
All-time lists always have the same problem
Chamique Holdsclaw certainly put together a career worthy of a first-team selection. However, there are only five spots, and that is the fatal flaw of pretty much every all-time list. There are fewer spots than there are great players, meaning that someone worthy will always be left off. It is the same problem with All-WNBA, All-Rookie, or All-Defensive teams. Some fans will always feel like their favorite player was snubbed.
The other players on the first team also had stellar college careers and deserve to be in their spots. Diana Taurasi’s resume is just as stacked as Holdsclaw’s with three NCAA titles, two NCAA Tournament MOP awards, two Naismith College Player of the Year selections, and many other accolades. Breanna Stewart won four NCAA championships and was the Tournament MOP in each year.
Cheryl Miller was one of the brightest stars in women’s basketball in the 80s, winning two NCAA championships and being named Tournament MOP twice and Naismith Player of the Year three times. Clark, as mentioned, broke the all-time scoring record, and Candace Parker also racked up an impressive collection of championships and individual awards, including NCAA Tournament MOP, AP Female Athlete of the Year, and Naismith College Player of the Year.