GW Hoops / GW player of the Decade: The 2000s

**Posted by The Dude** 4/27/2023 11:06 pm

A series, of GW player of the decade, decade by decade. Next up the 2000s. Like the 2010s (great answers btw) a very close call for player of the decade with many compelling choices.

You can pick anyone you'd like, but here's a list of some candidates:

Your choice is? Runner up??

Carl Elliott
Pops
Chris Monroe
Val Brown
Rob Diggs
JR Pinnock
TJ Thompson
Mike Hall
Omar Williams
Damian Hollis
Mo Rice

Last edited by The Dude (4/28/2023 11:57 am)

**Posted by creeksandzeeks** 4/28/2023 8:45 am

I'm partial to players like Chris Monroe, Tony Taylor, and Ellis McKennie... guys who shined in otherwise inauspicious moments for the program and made going to games worthwhile, but I don't know how you don't put Carl Elliott at the top of this list for getting the 07 team to the NCAAs despite the loss of Omar, Mike, JR and Pops. It's Carl and then everyone else.

**Posted by The Ross-Man!** 4/28/2023 10:03 am

Carl 1 - 4 years of postseason play, including the NIT run as a freshman, and willing the 07 tourney run as creeksandzeeks said. Plus he was so clutch (see the Dayton and Charlotte games, among others).

2. Has to be Mike Hall for me. Not the flashiest player on those teams, but did EVERYTHING. The epitome of a glue guy.

**Posted by Free Quebec** 4/28/2023 10:21 am

Carl

**Posted by AT Hiker** 4/28/2023 12:57 pm

Chris Monroe is my guy!

**Posted by DC Native** 4/28/2023 2:10 pm

I've got to go with the only player to score more points at GW that Joe Holup, who is the best MBB player to ever don a GW uniform.

**Posted by The Dude** 4/28/2023 11:39 pm

I'd pick Carl, and you can't go wrong with Chris Monroe....

Anyone think it should be Pops or JR (or someone else?) Those two guys really carried GW to incredible athletic heights

**Posted by porter71** 4/28/2023 11:44 pm

It's gotta be Pops. Nobody personified those Hobbs teams more than him and for 4 years he was the unofficial mayor of Foggy Bottom. Carl may have been more of a winner, but when I think of those teams, I think of Pops dunking on everyone.

**Posted by danjsport** 4/29/2023 8:19 am

As one who lived these years as a student, this choice is SO hard because it depends on the criteria.

JR was, for me, the most fun guy to watch play. Omar, while probably the most talented, was the most infuriating to me. His standing at the free throw line and bulldozing his way into wild shots overrode all of the positives for me, repeatedly. Pops was the face of those teams. Carl did it with those guys and without em. And Mike Hall was the glue of all of it. Oh, and the leading scorer in GW history played in that decade.

For me, I go Pops. He just defined those teams. And his injury probably cost them the most. But there's no wrong answer to this question.

While clearly NOT the answer to this question, we should also through a loving mention to Dokun, who sacrificed for GW and kept the team's success rolling for an extra year.

**Posted by The Dude** 5/02/2023 3:12 pm

Its interesting how views do tend to change with the passing of time
Here was a GW Fan vote of greatest players of all time, from 10 years ago:

GW Men's Basketball Top 10 Players Fan Vote
1. Joe Holup
2. Mike Brown
3. Pops Mensah-Bonsu
4. Shawnta Rogers
5. Chris Monroe
6. Yinka Dare
7. Carl Elliott
8. Kwame Evans
9. Bob Tallent
10. Mike Hall

**Posted by GWAlum2001** 5/02/2023 3:25 pm

danjsport wrote:
As one who lived these years as a student, this choice is SO hard because it depends on the criteria.

JR was, for me, the most fun guy to watch play. Omar, while probably the most talented, was the most infuriating to me. His standing at the free throw line and bulldozing his way into wild shots overrode all of the positives for me, repeatedly. Pops was the face of those teams. Carl did it with those guys and without em. And Mike Hall was the glue of all of it. Oh, and the leading scorer in GW history played in that decade.

For me, I go Pops. He just defined those teams. And his injury probably cost them the most. But there's no wrong answer to this question.

While clearly NOT the answer to this question, we should also through a loving mention to Dokun, who sacrificed for GW and kept the team's success rolling for an extra year.

Love the Dokun shout out, definitely the most impactful walk-on of my era (since 1997).

**Posted by Free Quebec** 5/02/2023 3:26 pm

The Dude wrote:
Its interesting how views do tend to change with the passing of time
Here was a GW Fan vote of greatest players of all time, from 10 years ago:

GW Men's Basketball Top 10 Players Fan Vote
1. Joe Holup
2. Mike Brown
3. Pops Mensah-Bonsu
4. Shawnta Rogers
5. Chris Monroe
6. Yinka Dare
7. Carl Elliott
8. Kwame Evans
9. Bob Tallent
10. Mike Hall

That’s probably a sampling difference more than changing attitudes. Carl Elliot is probably much more appreciated by the sickos who come to this board in the off-season than he is by the broader fan base that voted in that poll (and Pops probably much more popular among casuals, especially those who were in school then because he’s the guy who got all the media attention, even if true BBall junkies knew it was Carl and Mike who made that team go.)

**Posted by The Dude** 5/02/2023 4:21 pm

That sounds about right, yet that fan vote IMO largely did a very good job all thing considered!

I do think though that as time passes, some guys guy tend to slide down lists more than their greatness suggests they should

**Posted by BM** 5/02/2023 5:44 pm

Chris Monroe. Taught all the others how to play hard. Mike Hall would be my runner up.