[Mick]

You could have extended your survey back a few more years and noted Adam Keefe, NIT MVP in 1991.

True. I selected a very arbitrary 30-year horizon. Apologies to Mr. Keefe, of whom I'm a big fan.

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Not exactly a hotbed of talent, the NIT.

Mick, I am going to pick a nit with your characterization.

Chasson Randle is Stanford's all time leading scorer. He scored more points than Adam Keefe, Todd Lichti, Brevin Knight, et. al. Coming out of high school, he was the Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year. I think he was a VERY talented basketball player. He just was not an NBA talented player.

True. Apologies to Mr. Randle, of whom I'm a big fan.

And while we're on the topic, Stanford has won it three times; 1991, 2012, and 2015. 2012 win had one of my all-time favorite headlines "Stanford Exterminates Gophers" (win over Minnesota).

1938, the first year of the NIT, the best basketball player in the country was Hank Luisetti, who was a senior and Stanford was 21-3. Stanford had crushed Long Island in New York (and crushed LIU the year before in Stanford), LIU was invited. Stanford lost to Temple 35-31 -- Temple was invited and won the tournament, beating Colorado in the final 60-36.

Stanford's coach, John Bunn, was vocal about not being included in the inaugural NIT, and mentioned the need for a nationwide tournament, and the next year, 1939, was the first year of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, which was won by Oregon.

[Mick]

You could have extended your survey back a few more years and noted Adam Keefe, NIT MVP in 1991.

True. I selected a very arbitrary 30-year horizon. Apologies to Mr. Keefe, of whom I'm a big fan.

---

Not exactly a hotbed of talent, the NIT.

Mick, I am going to pick a nit with your characterization.

Chasson Randle is Stanford's all time leading scorer. He scored more points than Adam Keefe, Todd Lichti, Brevin Knight, et. al. Coming out of high school, he was the Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year. I think he was a VERY talented basketball player. He just was not an NBA talented player.

True. Apologies to Mr. Randle, of whom I'm a big fan.

And while we're on the topic, Stanford has won it three times; 1991, 2012, and 2015. 2012 win had one of my all-time favorite headlines "Stanford Exterminates Gophers" (win over Minnesota).

1938, the first year of the NIT, the best basketball player in the country was Hank Luisetti, who was a senior and Stanford was 21-3. Stanford had crushed Long Island in New York (and crushed LIU the year before in Stanford), LIU was invited. Stanford lost to Temple 35-31 -- Temple was invited and won the tournament, beating Colorado in the final 60-36.

Stanford's coach, John Bunn, was vocal about not being included in the inaugural NIT, and mentioned the need for a nationwide tournament, and the next year, 1939, was the first year of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, which was won by Oregon.