Ranking Wichita State’s basketball players: 1-10

Eagle columnist Bob Lutz has been ranking the Wichita State basketball program’s best players, 10 per week since early January. Go to Kansas.com to see bios of players already revealed.

1. Dave Stallworth

6-7 forward

Dallas

Years at WSU: 1962-65

They didn’t call Stallworth “Dave the Rave” for nothing. He was a tremendous scorer (24.2 points) and rebounder (10.5 rebounds) during his career and was a first-team All-American in 1963-64. Stallworth shot 55 percent from the field and saved some of his best performances for the Shockers’ biggest games. Stallworth scored 40 or more points four times, more than any other Shocker, and had 30 or more points 20 times.

2. Xavier McDaniel

6-7 forward

Columbia, S.C.

Years at WSU: 1981-85

McDaniel led the country in scoring (27.2) and rebounding (14.8) as a senior and also earned a universal nickname. He simply became “X.” McDaniel is the Shockers’ No. 2 scorer (2,152) and ranks first with 1,359 rebounds, more than 300 more than the next closest. McDaniel had nine 20-point, 20-rebound games in his career.

3. Antoine Carr

6-9 forward

Wichita (Heights)

Years at WSU: 1979-83

When Carr announced he was going to play basketball at Wichita State as a senior at Heights, Shocker fans went crazy. A McDonald’s All-American, he is WSU’s No. 4 scorer with 1,911 points and holds the single-game scoring mark of 47 in his final college game against Southern Illinois on March 5, 1983.

4. Cleo Littleton

6-3 forward

Wichita (East)

Years at WU: 1951-55

Littleton arrived at the University of Wichita with Ralph Miller in 1951 and the two, who had also been together at East, created magic. After a difficult first season, the Shockers went 16-11, 27-4 and 17-9 with Miller and Littleton leading the way. Littleton is the Shockers’ all-time leading scorer with 2,164 points. Remarkably steady, he averaged 18.5, 18.3, 18.2 and 21.2 points during his career.

5. Warren Armstrong

6-2 forward/guard

Kansas City, Mo.

Years at WSU: 1965-68

Armstrong, who changed his name to Jabali after leaving WSU, played in an era in which freshmen were ineligible. But in 78 games, he made an incredible mark. He still ranks as WSU’s 20th scorer and is third in assists and seventh in rebounds. Despite being only 6-2, he averaged 10.8 rebounds during his career, the fourth-best mark in Shocker history.

6. Fred VanVleet

6-0 guard

Rockford, Ill.

Years at WSU: 2012-16

VanVleet has established himself as the best point guard in Wichita State history and become the Shockers’ leader in assists with 619. He’s also nine away from the career lead in steals and ranks 15th in points with 1,389. VanVleet is a two-time Missouri Valley Conference player of the year who has played in a Final Four, led a 35-0 charge in 2013-14 and guided WSU to the Sweet 16 last season.

7. Cliff Levingston

6-8 center/forward

San Diego

Years at WSU: 1979-82

Levingston, nicknamed “Good News,” teamed with Carr to give the Shockers one of the most electric and athletic duos in their history. He averaged 16.2 points and 10.2 rebounds before making himself eligible for the NBA Draft after his junior season. He was taken ninth overall in 1982 by the Detroit Pistons. Levingston is the fourth-leading rebounder in WSU history.

8. Ron Baker

6-4 guard

Scott City

Years at WSU: 2012-present

Baker wasn’t heavily recruited out of Scott City, so he chose to come to Wichita State as an invited walk-on and redshirted his first season. The rest has been historical. Baker currently ranks eighth in scoring (1,586 points), second in three-pointers (237, needs 12 to pass Randy Burns), fourth in steals (159) and 11th in assists (330).

9. Cleanthony Early

6-7 forward

Bronx, N.Y.

Years at WSU: 2012-14

Early was the best player on two of the best teams in Shocker history. He averaged 13.9 points and 5.4 rebounds for WSU’s Final Four team in 2012-13 and was outstanding in a 72-68 national semifinal loss to Louisville with 24 points and 10 rebounds. A season later, Early was instrumental in the Shockers’ 35-0 run to start the season and had 31 points and seven rebounds in a 78-76 loss to Kentucky in the third round of the NCAAs.

10. Cheese Johnson

6-5 forward

New York

Years at WSU: 1975-79

Always smiling, always happy, Johnson — Lynbert is his given first name but rarely used — averaged 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds during his WSU career, highlighted by a trip to the NCAA Tournament during his freshman season in 1975-76. Johnson had an incredible senior season under Gene Smithson, averaging 22.2 points and 10.6 rebounds. He ranks fifth in scoring and third in rebounds.

This story was originally published March 12, 2016 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Ranking Wichita State’s basketball players: 1-10."