If you can only pick one, who is the best defensive player in program history?
From the players that I have seen, I would pick Chris Kramer.
From the players that I have seen, I would pick Chris Kramer.
Best defender
- Thread starter nagemj02
- Start date
I agree Nag. But it is a tough call when DEFENSE lives here. I'll say that Kenny Lowe is a damn close second. PU has also had some good rim protectors as well like JJ.
According to Wikipedia:
Defensive Player of the Year
Defensive Player of the Year
- Ricky Hall (1984)
- Porter Roberts (1996)
- Kenneth Lowe (2003, 2004)
- Chris Kramer (2008, 2010)
- JaJuan Johnson (2011)
- Rapheal Davis (2015)
- A. J. Hammons (2016)
Gotta agree with tenwest. Ricky Hall was so quick that Skiles, Alford, and Olsen (Wisconsin, before they were good) are still looking for him. Still remember how he so frustrated Skiles that he turned it over about 7 times, holding him to 4 pts. Or keeping Alford in single digits when few kept him below 20. The only one he couldn't handle was Randy Wittman, about 5 inches taller and 20 pounds heavier.
2018 Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Kramer (191-G-88) of Lietuvos rytas…………30 years old and still getting DPOY honors in Lithuania!
Kenny Lowe might be the best overall. Kramer a close second and Cardinal third. Davis ended up being an elite defender his junior (corrected) year but it took him awhile to get there.
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Davis won the award as a junior. Hammons won it their senior years.
I would actually go with Hammons as the best defender I can remember. Kramer was so good that he could shut down his player, no matter who it was. Hammons was able to shut down the entire lane. He made up for any mistakes his teammates made.
That's a great clip of the Alabama game. I remember him taking over that game on the defensive end.
He had a similar game at Northwestern. It was close and then he single handedly took control.
Most of the teams that Kramer was a part of were better than Lowe's. Plus, Lowe was not a regular his freshman season while Kramer was a four-year starter.
Herm Gilliam - He played his man and Mount's as a 6-3 forward.
Kramer was a "clutch" defender if there is such a thing.
Love that play and have to go with Kramer. Has to be one of my all time favorite highlights. Whenever I go looking for the Kramer swimming play that is the best clip I can find. Wish there were a better source saved somewhere.
How cool that Purdue has had the defensive player of the year seven times in the past 16 seasons.
I would also go with Lowe and Kramer, though I would also add Herb Dove to the honorable mention list. That guy put up some outstanding defensive performances against bigger players.
I would also go with Lowe and Kramer, though I would also add Herb Dove to the honorable mention list. That guy put up some outstanding defensive performances against bigger players.
As a former IU fan, and one who detested the Boilers, Brian Cardinal was the one player I hated to see. Played so hard and so "aggressive".
Late wife who was a die hard Boiler. The fact that I've always liked the clean way Painter runs the program. The way IU handled the Knight deal. Mike Davis. Kelvin Sampson. The fact Dakich cleaned up the mess and didn't get the job. Tom Crean and the drinkers and druggers he allowed to do as they pleased. Is that reason enough. Now watch the IU trolls start posting.
Only five players in conference history have been named B2G DPOY twice...Lowe and Kramer make that list. Arguably Kramer should have won it three consecutive years.
The award has been given out 30 times. A Purdue player has won it 7 times. No other school has more than 5 (OSU).
The award has been given out 30 times. A Purdue player has won it 7 times. No other school has more than 5 (OSU).
A Purdue player has won it more than 7 times. However, only 7 Purdue players have won it.
Nearly a third of the time, a Purdue player wins it! That's incredible!
Personally, I think Dove was over rated on defense. The true defender on that team was Cuonzo Martin. He could guard anyone.
The best I've seen (when he was focused) was Hammons. I also loved watching Everett Stephens get in people's face.
Good friends with Kenny Lowe. Brought up the conversation going on. Told him it appeared to come down to himself, Kramer, and AJ. His response:
‘Damn, didn’t think it would even be a close discussion.’
Lowe is ever the competitor and if he can get his legs under him as a recruiter, we may see him back at Purdue as an assistant. He is currently at the UA tourney recruiting. Would love him to be back in West Lafayette if a spot opened up.
‘Damn, didn’t think it would even be a close discussion.’
Lowe is ever the competitor and if he can get his legs under him as a recruiter, we may see him back at Purdue as an assistant. He is currently at the UA tourney recruiting. Would love him to be back in West Lafayette if a spot opened up.
Kenny Lowe bleeds Gold and Black. His passion while playing was not to be matched. One of my favorites for sure. Class act, stand up person. And although he had an infectious smile, I think he would have killed someone for Gene Keady. Good stuff JDB!
He put his nose on the line.....and Manny Harris broke it
That incident is what changed the freedom of movement rules in college basketball. It's why D.J. Byrd was assessed a flagrant foul in a loss to Villanova about 4 years later.
I can't find any other clip of the elbow play other than this LOW quality one...….if anyone can find a better video, post it!
I ran into Kenny Lowe in the Mackey concourse after his final home game, and told him how much I had enjoyed watching him play. He actually apologized to me that they (the team) weren’t able to win more for the fans.
Gilliam was an under appreciated defender. He had a tremendous leaping ability and timing to trail a fast break and trap the ball against the board. Kramer of course was always in his man's grill. I also liked Mel Garland with his quickness and canny ability to wrap around the defender and knock the ball away, resulting in many breakaway baskets.
So his answer was himself?
I thought he was video coordinator or something. If not that, where is he now?
He left with Jack Owens to be an assistant at ???
I was there the day Kramer was elbowed. They left the blood puddle lying there the whole time the refs were discussing what to call. Painter the psychologist at work.
I was there the day Kramer was elbowed. They left the blood puddle lying there the whole time the refs were discussing what to call. Painter the psychologist at work.
Miami oh.
I was at the manny elbow game too. The crowd absolutely forced the refs to toss manny.
I have never been in such an angry mob of people. Everybody was standing and yelling “throw him out”, but it wasn’t synchronized, so it was just a cacophonous blend of anger. It honestly felt like we were at a gladiator match. Looking at the slow mo replay later that night, I can understand beilein’s argument. But at the time there’s no way to be rational when you’re part of a riotous crowd.
I have to go with Ricky Hall. There are guards who get steals by playing the passing lanes and intercepting the ball. Ricky got steals by getting up in his man's grill and taking the ball away.
