Step aside, Michigan, and take a seat, Ohio State. There's a new Fab Five, and they're for real.
During a week that culminated in the rising of a savior for Christians, the Florida Gators started it with a rise to the occasion and secured a second consecutive national championship. Unlike Michigan's Fab Five — whose star, Chris Webber, blew their chance to establish themselves as not only some of the best talent to breach the hardwood, but also the most successful in terms of titles (he signaled for a timeout when the team's supply of them had expired) — Florida's five didn't blink.
In the past two NCAA tournaments, the Gator Fab Five — Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer, Lee Humphrey and Taurean Green — bared their teeth, going 12-0 and winning by at least eight each time. True to form, Florida's starting group was simply too much for previous winners of 22 straight — Ohio State — in the championship game. They won by nine, 84-75.
It was the way Florida won, however, that truly sets them apart. After playing close in the early stages of the game, the Gators' Five opened a hole in the Buckeyes' armor, striking them with dagger after dagger. Not once could OSU's star-studded front five close the gap to less than six. Each time they reared back and gave it their all, and each time All-American freshman Greg Oden threw down ferocious, earth-shaking, two-handed slams or came up with a big-time block, Florida's bunch had a response.
Inside and everywhere in between — on the run, leaning in, off the glass — it was Horford coming up big. If it wasn't the junior forward, it was Brewer, Humphrey or Green spotting up from the outside and draining pure-released 3s time and time again. In all, the four combined for 61 points and 10-for-18 from downtown. Last year's star, Noah, didn't play up to par, battling foul trouble all night and finishing with eight points. Still, he happily swallowed his tough night in exchange for a second championship in as many years, something Michigan's bunch couldn't realize at all.
Four of the Wolverine's Fab Five dressed in the NBA. Two of them went on to become quite solid players — Jalen Rose and Juwan Howard. Even one, Webber, reached the brink of superstardom before injuries and attitude brought him down. But that's just it: Attitude brought him down. Sure, Michigan's Fab Five had undeniably talented players, but ultimately, selfish play, and of course that dimwitted timeout call, resulted in their demise. Money-grubbing Webber left soon after his costly error to become the 1993 Draft's lottery pick, and Howard left early the following year. The Fab Five quickly dissolved, preventing something that could have been historic from coming to fruition.
Unless guard Jamar Butler can work his magic and retain backcourt mate Mike Conley Jr., and unless Oden does the right thing and sticks around another year to develop into something more prolific than what the world witnessed last Monday night — 25 points, 12 boards and four blocks — OSU's "Thad Five" will be nothing more than an unpronounced nomenclature.
It's not that Conley Jr. or Oden are selfish should they decide to pursue professional careers. It's that the real Fab Five players aren't. That was evident throughout the tournament, and it was evident last Monday.
During the press conference following the decision for all four juniors — Noah, Horford, Brewer and Green — to enter the draft, Horford summed up the group's togetherness with a moving, tearful speech. It was difficult for him to say goodbye, to leave his family.
Always willing to make the extra pass, always willing to stick around just long enough to secure another title, always playing above the competition when it mattered most. That's what Florida's group stood for.
As is typically true, great teams go through periods where they get conceded or lackadaisical — unable to motivate themselves to play inferior competition. Florida was no exception, losing three of four at the end of February.
Even throughout its struggles, the Fab Five never played for themselves. They never pointed fingers. And they remarkably never clashed egos. Instead, they shouldered the blame, regrouped and went on to wrap up the season as winners of 10 straight.
They played together for three seasons. They won two championships. And at least four of them are headed to the NBA. Although those four juniors are leaving a year early, it's fitting that they all went out together in one last glorious hurrah.
Whether any of Florida's Fab Five amount to anything in the NBA is not significant. That they all came back and played together one more year when millions were waiting for a few on the table in front of them is.
They truly are the embodiment of what you want in a Fab Five. They are the real deal. And they will be remembered.
Kevin is a junior double majoring in journalism and economics. If you want to talk all-time great college basketball teams he can be reached at [email protected].
