Texas Basketball: Longhorns Mount Rushmore since 2000

Likely the second best former Longhorn in the NBA at the moment is the veteran star (and future Hall-of-Famer) San Antonio Spurs 6-foot-11 power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. Well over a decade now in the NBA, mostly with the Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers, still has yet to deliver a title to Aldridge, though.

In the mid-2000’s, Aldridge was one of the best college power forwards in the entire country. Although he only played in 53 games over the course of two years on the Forty Acres, Aldridge saw a big spike in his production during his sophomore season.

During his sophomore season alone, Aldridge played in 37 games while averaging 15.0 points per game, 9.2 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.4 steals, while shooting 56.9 percent from the field.

Somehow Aldridge isn’t one of the seven consensus All-Americans in the history of Texas men’s hoops. He was a High School All-American in his senior year, and received a number of Big 12 honors. Aldridge was the 2005-06 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, a member of the 2005-06 All-Big 12 Tournament Team, and 2006 All-Regional NCAA Tournament Team.

Aldridge was tops in the Big 12 in total win shares in 2005-06 (8.7) and fourth in the entire country. He was also first in total blocks in that same season, and second in blocks per game in the Big 12.