Shockers’ all-decade team: Picking the best WSU basketball players of the ’90s and ’00s
Who are the best men’s basketball players in Wichita State history?
How about the best players from their respective eras? Instead of trying to rank all of the standout players spread across different eras, The Eagle examined players from the same era to select an all-decade team for each decade in the modern era of Shockers basketball.
Starting with the 1950s, we picked the best starting lineup — trying to adhere to a traditional lineup of two guards, two forwards and a center — complete with a bench of five players and a head coach.
Last week, the 1950s and 1960s all-decade teams were released, followed by the 1970s and 1980s all-decade teams. Today, the Eagle will make its picks for the 1990s and 2000s all-decade teams.
The 1990s all-decade team
Paul Guffrovich
6-3 guard (1987-91)
Nanticoke, Pa.
Picking the point guard of the 1990s was the most difficult decision, but Guffrovich gets the nod because he scored 1,247 points in his career and was a career 43% three-point shooter. He was a three-year starter for WSU, peaking his senior season when he averaged a team-best 15.8 points for the 1990-91 Shockers.
Jason Perez
6-4 guard (1996-00)
San Antonio
There’s no doubt that Perez was the best player of the 90s for the Shockers. He has been the most prolific scorer in the program since Xavier McDaniel graduated in 1985, as Perez finished sixth on the all-time scoring list with 1,839 career points. Perez, who averaged at least 12 points all four seasons, delivered a standout senior campaign, averaging 20.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists to earn first-team all-Missouri Valley, the first player to do so for WSU in 11 years.
Maurice Evans
6-5 guard (1997-99)
Wichita (Collegiate)
Evans, a Wichita native, only played two seasons for the Shockers before transferring to Texas, but he delivered two outstanding years. After averaging 12.1 points as a freshman, Evans followed that up by scoring 22.6 points per game on 46% shooting, including 42% shooting on three-pointers. He is the only player in WSU history to score at least 1,000 points (1,007 in 59 games) in his freshmen and sophomore seasons combined.
John Cooper
6-6 forward (1987-91)
Kansas City
Cooper scored 1,153 points in his career, but that figure would have been even more if a foot injury didn’t end his senior season eight games in. He was averaging 20.8 points and 6.8 rebounds as a senior, this after averaging 17.0 points and 7.2 rebounds as a junior. Cooper would have to play bigger than his size to be the power forward for this team, but his offensive punch is too good to keep off the floor.
Jamie Arnold
6-8 center (1993-97)
Oak Park, Mich.
Arnold may be overlooked for just how talented he was due to WSU’s lack of success during his four years. Arnold finished with 1,046 career points and 749 career rebounds, 12th on the all-time list. His best season came his senior year when he averaged 15.0 points on 53% shooting, making one three per game on 36% accuracy, and 9.1 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks.
The bench: Robert George (6-0 guard from Irvington, N.J.); Gaylon Nickerson (6-3 guard from Wichita North); L.D. Swanson (6-2 forward from Garland, Texas); John Smith (6-8 center from Columbia, S.C.); Darin Miller (6-9 center from Wellington).
Randy Smithson
Head coach from 1996-00
The 90s weren’t exactly a sterling period of time for the program, as the Shockers finished with just two winning seasons and no postseason appearances. But it was Smithson who delivered those two winning seasons, a 14-13 campaign followed up by a 16-15 record in his first two years with the Shockers. Smithson, who was a former WSU player and assistant coach under his father, Gene, finished with a 55-62 record in four seasons. Randy and Gene Smithson were also just the second father-son combination in Division I history to become a head coach.
The 2000s all-decade team
Randy Burns
5-11 guard (2001-05)
Houston
It doesn’t get much more consistent than Burns, who averaged at least 12.1 points in all four seasons with WSU. Add it all up and he scored 1,599 career points, ninth-most in program history. He also made the most three-pointers in a career in WSU history and it wasn’t because he was taking the most. While he did average 5.1 attempts per game, Burns made an impressive 39% of them in his career and finished No. 1 in program history with 248 treys.
P.J. Couisnard
6-4 guard (2004-08)
Houston
It’s an all-Houston backcourt for the 2000s all-decade team. And for good reason, as Couisnard finished top 21 in program history in points (1,303, 21st), rebounds (685, 17th), assists (332, 11th), steals (148, eighth), and blocks (98, eighth). Not to mention he was selected three times to the all-Missouri Valley defensive team. That kind of versatility makes Couisnard an easy plug-and-play for any all-decade team.
Jamar Howard
6-5 forward (2001-05)
Shawnee Mission
The most recent Shocker Sports Hall of Fame inductee, Howard is still remembered for being one of the most competitive and animated players in recent memory. He ranks 10th all-time in scoring with 1,571 points and averaged double-digit points for all four seasons. He was also a consistent rebounder, averaging between 5.4 and 5.8 rebounds per game for all four seasons. Howard finished as a two-time all-Missouri Valley player.
Kyle Wilson
6-8 forward (2003-07)
Plano, Texas
After transferring from Illinois following his freshman season, Wilson made his impact for the Shockers with three straight superb seasons. He averaged 13.7 points and 5.2 rebounds his senior year, but his best season came his junior campaign when he averaged 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds for the 26-9 WSU team that reached the 2006 Sweet 16.
Paul Miller
6-10 center (2001-06)
Jefferson City, Mo.
Speaking of that 2006 Sweet 16 team, Miller was the best player for the Shockers that season. He finished his ascent from project to Missouri Valley Player of the Year his senior season by averaging 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds to spur WSU forward on its only NCAA Tournament run of the decade and first since 1988. Miller, a four-year starter, ranks 20th in program history in career scoring (1,317) and 13th in career rebounding (724).
The bench: Clevin Hannah (5-11 guard from Holly Springs, Miss.); Matt Braeuer (5-11 guard from Belton, Texas); Sean Ogirri (6-2 guard from Denver); Terrell Benton (6-5 guard from Derby); J.T. Durley (6-8 forward from Pittsburg, Texas); Ramon Clemente (6-6 center from Queens, N.Y.).
Mark Turgeon
Head coach from 2000-07
While Gregg Marshall would soon take the Shockers to national prominence, Turgeon deserves the credit here for taking the first step of making WSU relevant again. The program hadn’t been to a postseason tournament since 1989 and Turgeon guided WSU to three straight NIT appearances from 2003-05, which led to the memorable Sweet 16 run during the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The Shockers finished with a 26-9 record that season, won the Missouri Valley regular-season title for the first time since 1983 and won its first NCAA Tournament game since 1981.
This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
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