Loyola Chicago is set to honor Sister Jean with a statue this Friday, marking what would have been her 107th birthday, and it’s got everyone buzzing: who’s the next mid-major legend to get etched in stone? SB Nation Reacts surveyed fans across the NCAA, asking that exact question, and the candidates are straight-up legendary.
Coaches Who Changed the Game
First up, you’ve got Pete Carril, the architect behind the legendary Princeton offense. This guy’s Tiger teams were rock solid on defense, leading the nation in scoring defense a wild 14 times! The Naismith Hall-of-Famer snagged 13 Ivy League championships and is the *only* coach to win 500 games without scholarship players. Seriously? He even led Princeton to the 1975 NIT championship. Then there’s Greg Kampe, who’s gearing up for his 43rd season with Oakland. That makes him the longest-tenured active Division I men’s basketball coach, third all-time in DI. This upcoming 2026-27 season pushes him *ahead* of Mike Krzyzewski. Kampe was the man who led the Golden Grizzlies’ move to Division I and cooked up one of March Madness’s most memorable upsets when Oakland, powered by Jack Gohlke’s hot shooting, took down Kentucky. The man lives by his favorite quote: “Consistency is the hallmark of success.” He was even voted sexiest mid-major coach back in 2022, so you know he’s got fans.
From College Courts to NBA Greatness
Now, let’s talk players. Bill Russell, one of basketball’s absolute GOATs, balled out for San Francisco. He guided the Dons to back-to-back national championships in 1955 and 1956, part of a mind-blowing 55-game winning streak. Russell still holds the program’s career rebounds record with 1,606. Beyond the court, he was a huge social justice advocate, even getting the WCC to adopt the “Russell Rule.” Steph Curry, come on, you remember his run with No. 10-seed Davidson in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. That dude nearly shot them into the Final Four! Before becoming the NBA’s career 3-point leader and totally changing how we think about shooting, he led the nation in scoring in 2009 and broke the single-season 3-point record in 2008. Four NBA titles and two MVPs later, his legacy is untouchable. And then there’s Steve Nash, who had an insane college career with Santa Clara. He led the Broncos to three WCC championships and multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, ranking top 10 in program history for points, steals, assists, and free-throw percentage. The two-time NBA MVP led the Suns and Mavericks to Western Conference Finals, got his number retired by both Santa Clara and the Suns, and even consulted for the Warriors during their back-to-back title wins with Curry.
And a Wild Card!
Just for kicks, the survey also threw in Buddy the Street Dog, the “spirit animal” for the Queens men’s basketball team. Hey, why not? It shows what this survey is about: celebrating legends in all their forms.
So, who’s it gonna be? These are some seriously tough choices, full of history-making achievements. The survey is out there, the votes are coming in, and we’ll see who gets their place in immortality next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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