In a lot of ways, it is completely unnecessary and unfair to compare college basketball to the NBA. As similar as the two sports may be, there are enough differences between the two that you might as well compare apples to oranges.

For these reasons, it is far more common for a person to love college basketball and hate the NBA than it is for a person to love the NFL and hate college football.

For one thing, players in the NBA are so much bigger, stronger, and faster that it’s almost like comparing JV and Varsity. Additionally, the longer NBA 3-point line creates more space for the professionals and makes it much more difficult to guard individuals one on one. And the shot clocks are different, the jump ball rules are different, and even the traveling rules are different.

The most important difference, however, is that the college game is actually far more physical OFF the ball than the NBA game.

David Stern and the NBA higher ups want the their wonderful athletes to play fluidly and beautifully. Because of that, defenders aren’t allowed to simply grab or bump any offensive player that dares to run through the lane. Duke and Butler fans know very well that the college game is hugely different in this aspect.

Interestingly enough, this difference between college and NBA basketball may be one of the larger, less-recognized reasons that the 2004 USA Olympic Basketball team didn’t bring home the gold.

The international game is much more similar to college than it is the NBA, and you could tell that the NBA guys in 2004 simply weren’t used to being grabbed, bumped, scratched, and pulled at every single turn.

Insert Coach K into the equation a few years later, and all of the sudden, Kobe, Westbrook, and everyone else is hounding Spain all over the floor. Coach K’s aggressive and physical defensive style that he teaches at Duke was in a lot of ways directly responsible for the United States bringing home the gold.

All of these differences make the games hard to compare. When we do compare them, we end up treating people unfairly.

When Tyler Hansbrough was manhandling the ACC, there was little that opposing fans could do to disparage him. That is, unless they started spouting off about how bad he would be as a pro. Of course, this became one of the biggest story lines of his senior year.

Rather than appreciate a guy who worked hard, maximized his talent, and scored at will in the college game, the media began to criticize his “short arms,” lack of athleticism, and inability to be as good at the next level.

Were they right? Of course they were. But why should that matter?

Tyler Hansbrough was about as dominant as you could possibly be at the college level. Why did it matter that he would likely be a perennial bench player at the next level?

Other players, like Paul George, simply aren’t made for the college game. As soon as the floor opened up and individual skills mattered more at the next level, George began to blossom – and will undoubtedly become a better pro than he ever was in college.

This naturally brings us to Rick Barnes – a coach who has gotten out of the Sweet Sixteen exactly twice while at Texas even though he has arguably had one of the greatest collections of talent anywhere.

This got me thinking: which coaches have gotten the LEAST out of their talent? Which schools really HAVE put out the best pros in the last fifteen or so years? Are the stereotypes still true?

The old adage is that Duke players are much better collegians, but UNC players become NBA stars. Of course when you compare Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Vince Carter, and Rasheed Wallace to Christian Laettner, Danny Ferry, and other Duke busts, the stereotypes seem to be true. But after some deep research, the stereotypes for those schools seem to have been reversed as of late.

So, what school has put out the most talent? Let’s rank the schools from 10 to 1. Tomorrow, we will enjoy a March Madness-style tournament and see who would come out on top. (Update: Click here to see the final rosters and Jon’s bracket.)

Important note: this is only for CURRENT players…I don’t care how good Vince Carter may have been once…how good is he now? [Editor’s note: In this post, Jon leaves out Wake Forest. Upon further reflection, he not only includes them, but has them all the way up at #4.]

#10 – Butler Bulldogs

Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack.

This may seem like shameless homerism, and it is. But trust me, there are really only nine legitimate teams…and every list has to feature ten items, right?

Plus, I’m pretty sure that Brad Stevens could figure out some way to keep any game close … even if he only had two players.

#9 – Ohio State

Starters:

Kosta Koufos

Jared Sullinger

Daequan C0ok

Evan Turner

Mike Conley

Bench:

Byron Mullins

This team is weak and lacks any true stars. However, it is still quite an accomplishment to have six legitimate players in the NBA at once.

If Greg Oden and Michael Redd could make it back from injury and actually be competent, this team might have a legitimate eight man rotation.

#8 – North Carolina

Starters:

Tyler Zeller

Tyler Hansbrough

Danny Green

Harrison Barnes

Ty Lawson

Bench:

Ed Davis

Rasheed Wallace

Jerry Stackhouse

Vince Carter

Marvin Williams

Raymond Felton

John Henson

You probably thought they would be much higher, didn’t you? Well, it’s definitely possible for them to move up, especially if Ed Davis, Harrison Barnes, and John Henson continue to show improvements and grow into the players they could possibly be. Barnes could even one day add some star power to the group that is deep but lacks any All-Star level talent.

As it is currently, however, Ty Lawson is the only guy on the entire team that scares you; and in the NBA, a team without a real star is a team without a real future.

#7 – Kansas

Starters:

Nick Collison

Thomas Robinson

Paul Pierce

Kirk Hinrich

Mario Chalmers

Bench:

Darrell Arthur

Drew Gooden

Marcus Morris

Markieff Morris

Brandon Rush

Josh Selby

While Kansas is not quite as deep as UNC, they make up for it with legitimate size and star power.

Those who thought Paul Pierce was washed up last season have clearly been surprised by his All-Star level play this season. Chalmers and Hinrich are legitimate starters in the NBA, and Thomas Robinson adds HUGE upside at the 4.

Collison, Arthur, and Brandon Rush are all solid role players for their current teams and would do whatever it takes to make this Kansas team roll.

#6 – UCONN

Starters:

Andre Drummond

Emeka Okafor

Rudy Gay

Ray Allen

Kemba Walker

Bench:

Caron Butler

Ben Gordon

Rip Hamilton

Hasheem Thabeet

Jeremy Lamb

This team is nearly a mirror image of Kansas, with the sole exception that it’s star small forward, Rudy Gay, is at the peak of his powers rather than the tail end of his prime like Pierce.

Drummond and Okafor add legitimate size, even if they will never scare you from the free throw line. Allen will still space the floor better than anyone, and Walker would be a legitimate scorer if he ever had teammates.

Add Caron Butler, Ben Gordon, and Rip Hamilton off the bench, and this team would scare a lot of teams.

#5 – Duke

Starters:

Elton Brand

Carlos Boozer

Luol Deng

JJ Redick

Kyrie Irving

Bench:

Shane Battier

Chris Duhon

Mike Dunleavy

Gerald Henderson

Grant Hill

Austin Rivers

Kyle Singler

Gone are the days when Dukies didn’t make good pros.

Kyrie Irving is already a top ten or fifteen player in the league, and he is a better point guard than anyone not named Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook.

JJ Redick has quietly become a starting guard in Orlando that teams all over the NBA are trying to trade for as we speak. Deng is a fringe All Star, and while a front line of Boozer and Brand would be small and slightly washed up, they would both space the floor enough to make this team terrifying to defend.

Off the bench, this team has legitimate pieces that would fill in nicely. Battier and Hill are still defensive stoppers, Dunleavy is a fantastic shooter, and Henderson and Rivers would be instant offense off the bench.

The fact is, every single one of these players plays legitimate minutes on his current NBA team, and as much as you might hate Duke, this team would be solid from top to bottom.

#4 – Florida

Starters:

Joakim Noah

Al Horford

David Lee

Corey Brewer

Chandler Parsons

Bench:

Marreese Speights

Bradley Beal

Mike Miller

Udonis Haslem

Let’s just call this team “Big Man U” from now on.

Maybe this team wouldn’t make any sense on paper. Maybe this team wouldn’t be able to advance the ball past half court. Maybe this team would have more floor spacing problems than any team in basketball history.

But maybe, just maybe, this team would be unguardable. And my could they defend. What if the Gators could play zone? A back line of Noah, Horford, and Lee would be impenetrable while Brewer and Parsons would add a length up top that the Syracuse Orange would be jealous of.

On offense, Lee and Parsons are both much better shooters than people think, and there would be mismatches all over the place. Noah would be sprinting around setting screens, and other teams would be exhausted midway through the third quarter. If they absolutely NEEDED shooting, they could bring Beal and Miller off the bench to try and catch fire.

Even though they don’t make 100% sense on paper, this is the team that nobody wants to play come March.

#3 – UCLA

Starters:

Kevin Love

Matt Barnes

Aaron Afflalo

Russell Westbrook

Jrue Holiday

Bench:

Darren Collison

Luc Mbah a Moute

Trevor Ariza

Baron Davis

Maybe this team should be higher. Regardless, this team is stacked and terrifyingly athletic.

Westbrook is a top 5 player in the league, and Chris Paul remains the only PG you’d rather have than him. ove is the league’s best rebounder when healthy, and he is also a prolific scorer.

While you weren’t looking, Jrue Holiday has developed into one of the best PGs in the league and could make a legitimate case of being the All Star starter for the Eastern conference. Afflalo and Barnes are plus defenders and would space the floor for Holiday and Westbrook.

Off the bench, this team just keeps coming at you with athleticism, defense, and aggression. Collison and Mbah a Moute are about as annoying as it gets on the defensive end. They would give opposing benches nightmares.

Really, this team only has one problem – it’s coached by Ben Howland.

#2 – Texas

Starters:

LaMarcus Aldridge

Tristan Thompson

Kevin Durant

Avery Bradley

DJ Augustin

Bench:

Daniel Gibson

Maurice Evans

Jordan Hamilton

PJ Tucker

Dexter Pittman

Cory Joseph

This team is not as deep as Florida, Duke, or even UCLA. Fortunately for them, they have Kevin Durant – the second greatest player in the world and possibly one of the greatest scorers ever.

Even better, if you look at this team as a puzzle, it actually makes sense.

Aldridge gives them one of the top 5 post presences in the league down low. Thompson is a hustler who would rebound and set screen after screen for Durant. Bradley would make it his personal mission to shut down the other team’s best wing every single game, and he’s able to do so. Augustin, while not a scoring threat, would do a decent job of getting everyone involved.

The bench is loaded with role players that are willing to do whatever is asked of them. And oh yeah, they still have Kevin Durant. (But oh yeah…they still have Rick Barnes.)

#1 – Kentucky

Starters:

DeMarcus Cousins

Anthony Davis

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

John Wall

Rajon Rondo

Bench:

Eric Bledsoe

Tayshaun Prince

Patrick Patterson

Jodi Meeks

Chuck Hayes

Doron Lamb

Keith Bogans

This team would absolutely lead the league in bricked wide-open jump shots, technical fouls, aspirin taken by their coach during a game, and unintentional comedy.

However, when all that washed away, you would still have a terrifyingly athletic team with legitimate stars, size, and depth.

Cousins, for all of his cons, tries hard every night and is already a top five rebounder and post scorer. Davis is a star in the making, Kidd-Gilchrist is already a defensive stopper, and Wall is one of the five most athletic people in the league.

Rondo would run the show, and even though he would refuse to shoot late in games, it probably wouldn’t matter.

Eric Bledsoe is by far the best bench player in this tournament, and the Wildcats probably don’t have a single weakness other than outside shooting. It would definitely be possible for them to lose in March Madness – one poor shooting performance would definitely derail their hopes – but in a best of seven series, there is no doubt that they would eventually wear down their opponent and come away with the win.

So, who you vote as #1?

[Note: The poll includes Wake Forest, who Jon left out in this post, but discussed here.]

[poll id=”459″]

***

Bonus: High Schoolers

Starters:

Dwight Howard

Kevin Garnett

LeBron James

Kobe Bryant

Brandon Jennings

Bench:

Tyson Chandler

Josh Smith

JR Smith

Andrew Bynum

Lou Williams

Monta Ellis

Amare Stoudemire

Al Jefferson

Uh…nevermind. I think we all know who would win this tournament.

*****

Which of the 10 teams above do you think would be the best? Which would win a March Madness-style tournament?