A Bronco Legend’s Dream Team

Carroll Williams was named the 2016 Bronco Legend by the SCU Alumni Association. He brought his coaching talents to SCU basketball in 1963 and went on to serve as head coach and athletics director before retiring in 2000. So if he could pick his basketball dream team, who would it be? We asked.

Center: Bill Russell | “He did more to influence the game than anyone ever has. He changed so many rules because of his uniqueness and shot blocking. He not only blocked shots, he blocked them to his teammates.”

Power forward: Kurt Rambis ’80 | “We have enough scorers. I need a tough guy and a rebounder. He would play his role beautifully—he’d guard anybody and give the ball up to anybody.”

Small forward: Oscar Robertson | “Oscar was the most versatile player in pro basketball. He was a great scorer, he led the league in assists, and he could guard anybody.”

Shooting guard: Jerry West | “A great defender and a great offensive guy and a tough, tough competitor. I played against Oscar and Jerry in the 1960 Olympic trials.”

Point guard: Steve Nash ’96 | “I recruited and signed Steve Nash, but I took the athletics director job and never got to coach him. Now this would be a chance to coach him.”

FIVE COACHES

And here are the five coaches who he says influenced him the most:

Dick Garibaldi (SCU coach 1962–70): | “He took a chance and hired me and brought me into this unique community. I’ll be forever thankful to him.”

Pete Newell: | “I learned a lot from Pete. I first met him when I was playing AAU basketball and he was the Olympic coach (in 1960) and I was selected as an alternate.”

Bobby Knight: | “As controversial as he is, he was a good pal. I learned a lot from his fundamentals and the things that he stressed. I don’t think we had the same personality, but I learned a lot from him.”

Walt McPherson: | “Just a wonderful human being. He taught me a lot about working with kids. He was a teacher/mentor rather than a disciplinarian or a philosopher of the game.”

Phil Woolpert: | “He initiated the pressing, challenging game that wasn’t in great use until that time. He forced teams to play against his strengths, and I thought that was really exciting.”