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Mike Marteny takes a look back at the NCAA Tournament Championship Teams of the 2000s ahead of Monday's Championship game. Where does your favorite team rank?
We just crowned another champion. That makes 26 this century. We are a little over a quarter of the way through this century, and we have seen some dominant teams cut down the nets. We've seen a few generationally good teams fail to win the title (Kentucky in 2015 comes to mind).
Some teams tried to build dynasties. Some players came back to school just to win a title, or in the case of some, to chase that elusive repeat. We'll take a trip back to a time when the thought of a transfer portal and paying players was blasphemous.
The next round of national championship teams will be vastly different from these last ones. Last year's Florida team was the first one that was really built through the portal. The portal is ever-changing, and so is the amount of money being dumped into college athletics. Basketball is no different. The tournaments that follow will feature far fewer upsets after the first round. A three seed (a team that some thought was underseeded) is a Cinderella now.
26. 2013-14 Connecticut Huskies (32-8)
One year after serving a postseason ban for poor academic progress, UConn was back in the NCAA Tournament as a 7 seed. The Huskies wound up in the American Conference with Louisville and Rutgers after the collapse of the Big East in 2012.
Guards Shabazz Napier and Niels Giffey were part of the 2011 championship team and were the veteran leaders on this team, along with Ryan Boatright.
Notably, this team lacked star power. Only Napier went on to any bit of success in the NBA. Amida Brimah, who was a freshman on this team, had a brief cup of coffee with the Pacers in 2021, but all of his success was overseas.
The same was true of Boatright, Giffey, and DeAndre Daniels. This team is a story of a team that couldn't beat Louisville, but got hot at the right time and took out heavyweights Florida and Kentucky in the Final Four.
Top 5 #UConn Final 4 Games
2) Florida 2014
The fact that we were a 7 seed & Florida hadn’t even lost a game since their trip to Storrs in December of 2013. The fact that we fell behind 16-4 early & looked completely outmatched before Shabazz, DeAndre & Boat Show took over… pic.twitter.com/MpLynpBx88
— Mr. Smith 👑 (@BadChoiceBurner) April 3, 2026
25. 2016-17 North Carolina Tar Heels (33-7)
In what was uncharacteristic of a North Carolina team, the 2016-17 squad only had two players drafted into the NBA (Justin Jackson and Tony Bradley). Isaiah Hicks and Theo Pinson eventually made it onto NBA rosters, but only Pinson had some lasting power outside of Jackson.
This was a well-balanced North Carolina team that truly lacked a star. Jackson was close. Three other starters (Joel Barry II, Kennedy Meeks, and Hicks) also averaged double figures in points aside from Jackson.
Meeks, Hicks, Bradley, and sophomore Luke Maye were a problem up front for most teams. Still, going into the NCAA Tournament, many thought the Tar Heels wouldn't cut down the nets despite being a No. 1 seed.
They lost to Duke in two out of three meetings and lost to Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic in December. Despite Jackson's star power, it was Meeks and Berry who made the difference in the Final Four.
K. Meeks vs Oregon 4/1/2017 pic.twitter.com/7bVhJHeNg2
— Tar Heel Tapes (@UNCVids) February 6, 2026
Meeks had 24 rebounds in the two games and scored 25 in the semifinal win over Oregon. Meeks had a successful overseas career in Japan and Korea.
Maye, Berry, and Nate Britt all played in foreign leagues. Maye is still active in Europe.
24. 2012-13 Louisville Cardinals (35-5)
This Louisville team is best remembered as the team that was stripped of the title because of getting ladies to sleep with recruits to get them to come to Louisville.
Though Louisville was highly ranked coming into the season, this is a team that lacked a lot of star power. What they did have was a veteran team that played well together.
Led by talented guards Peyton Siva and Russ Smith, the Cardinals' only loss before Big East play was to Duke in Atlantis. They played that game without monster center Gorgui Dieng.
That led to the emergence of freshman phenom Montrezl Harrell. Louisville got revenge on Duke in the NCAA Tournament, giving Coach K his worst loss (22 points) since the 1990 National Title Game loss to UNLV.
11 DAYS UNTIL SELECTION SUNDAY. 🏀🔥
Luke Hancock. #11.2013 National Championship run. 🏆
Four straight threes.One unforgettable swing of momentum. 🎯
That’s what March is.
One run. One shining moment.#11Days #MarchMadness #SelectionSunday #Louisville #BracketSeason 🔴🚀 pic.twitter.com/8nvNmphtV6— The 3 Ball Podcast🏀🎙️ (@3ballpodcast) March 4, 2026
Unheralded Luke Hancock won the Final Four Most Outstanding Player Award. He is still the only reserve player ever to win that award. Hancock scored 38 points in the Final Four, leading the Cardinals to 12-point comebacks over both Wichita State and Michigan.
Smith, Siva, Harrell, and Dieng all went on to play in the NBA. Guards Kevin Ware and Wayne Blackshear had some success overseas after college.
23. 2010-11 Connecticut Huskies (32-9)
Unlike many teams on this list, the 2011 Huskies weren't supposed to be anywhere near the Final Four, or the NCAA Tournament for that matter. The 2009-10 squad missed the NCAA Tournament amid investigations into the recruiting practices of assistant coach Nate Miles.
Even though Kemba Walker was on most preseason watch lists, the rest of the UConn roster was unproven, and they were unranked in the preseason. Wins over Michigan State and Kentucky in Maui changed the outlook a bit.
Then this team lost nine Big East games and was the ninth seed in the Big East Tournament. Walker put the team on his back and set a Big East Tournament record by scoring 130 points in UConn's run to the title. They won five games in five days.
Because of the elongated run through the Big East Tournament, UConn became the first team to play 41 games in a college basketball season.
In 2011, Kemba Walker put @UConnMBB on his back and led the Huskies to the national championship 🏆 pic.twitter.com/YfaxH5UbDm
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 11, 2026
Walker was the heart of this team, but freshmen Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb contributed heavily. This team was also an anomaly because of the freshman contribution.
Most freshman-dominated teams struggle come tournament time, but Walker was so good that it didn't matter. Walker, Lamb, and Napier all went on to success in the NBA, the only three players from this team to make it to the NBA.
22. 2018-19 Virginia Cavaliers (35-3)
It is generally accepted by most people that the 2017-18 team was more talented than this one. That team became the first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament to lose to a 16-seed.
This team was a team on a mission. All of the starters lived through that and were on a mission in 2019. Led by the guard trio of Ty Jerome, De'Andre Hunter, and Kyle Guy, the Cavaliers didn't lose their first game until mid-January at Duke.
Two of the three losses on the season were to Duke. When the Cavs were ousted in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament by Florida State, many fans had a pit in their stomachs. Here they go again!
Virginia’s National Championship Run ☄️🏆 (2019) pic.twitter.com/iXeaKKmTQR
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) March 5, 2024
Virginia won two overtime games in the NCAA Tournament (against Purdue in the regional final and against Texas Tech in the National Championship).
Six players from this team (Guy, Hunter, Jerome, Mamadi Diakite, Braxton Key, and Jay Huff) made it onto NBA rosters. Jerome, Hunter, and Huff are still active in the NBA.
Jack Salt and Kody Stattmann are active in Australia. Francisco Caffaro, Guy, and Kihei Clark are in the EuroLeague. Diakite joined them this season.
Though the three main players on this team were the leaders, several other players have gone on to professional careers.
21. 2021-22 Kansas Jayhawks (34-6)
Kansas added graduate transfer Remy Martin and freshman recruit K.J. Adams to the already strong core of Christian Braun, Dajuan Harris Jr., Ochai Agbaji, and Jalen Wilson. Martin was key in the run through the NCAA Tournament.
Agbaji emerged as a star on this team, but the supporting cast is what made this Kansas team a championship team. Kansas did not beat another No. 1 seed on the way to the title.
Even the North Carolina team that Kansas faced in the National Championship was an 8 seed. That has led some to claim that this Kansas title was an easy run.
This team will be best remembered for the 15-point comeback on Carolina in the National Championship Game, the largest erased halftime deficit in championship game history.
Ridiculous how many big shots Remy hit late in the title game pic.twitter.com/SxnCuPD0hh
— Braiden Turner (@bturner23) April 8, 2022
Despite the success of this team at the collegiate level, only Agbaji, Braun, and Wilson went on to play in the NBA. All three are still active. Adams tore his Achilles tendon in the 2025 NCAA Tournament and entered coaching instead of pursuing basketball.
Harris and Cam Martin are still active in the G-League and are hoping for chances in the NBA. David McCormick and Remy Martin play professionally in Europe.
20. 2001-02 Maryland Terrapins (32-4)
It's easy to forget that Maryland was a national power early in this century. It has mostly been downhill since. Maryland hasn't reached an Elite Eight since this 2002 team, and missed the NCAA Tournament seven times in 10 years between 2005 and 2014. Maryland has been better since then, but hasn't come close to the heights of this team.
Led by experienced guards Juan Dixon and Steve Blake, the Terrapins won 12 in a row to end the regular season after a loss at Duke in late January. Dixon won the ACC Player of the Year and was a first-team All-American.
NC State bounced them in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, but Dixon went nuclear in the NCAA Tournament. Dixon scored 184 points in the six games leading to the title.
(2002) Juan Dixon goes off for 33 points in the Final Four!
During their title run, Dixon dropped 29, 29, 19, 27, 33, and 18. Maryland legend. 🐢 pic.twitter.com/VDckD4qZXC
— Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) March 20, 2026
Blake, Dixon, Lonny Baxter, and Chris Wilcox all went on to play in the NBA. Drew Nicholas led the EuroLeague in scoring in 2005-06 and had a successful career in Europe. Byron Mouton and Baxter also had some success in the EuroLeague.
19. 2009-10 Duke Blue Devils (35-5)
This Duke team was known more for defense than offense. With Brian Zoubek and the Plumlee brothers in the middle, Duke pushed everything outside and defended the perimeter well. They held teams to 27.8% from three-point range on the season, while leading the ACC with 38.2%.
Jon Scheyer, the heartbeat of Duke’s championship run in 2010. 💪
In Scheyer we trust 😈
Credit: NCAA March Madness pic.twitter.com/5Om26QLwI1
— Duke Central (@duke_central) April 30, 2025
Senior guard Jon Scheyer (maybe you've heard of him...he's now Duke's coach) was the engine of the offense, but it was Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith alongside him that formed most of Duke's scoring core. Scheyer, Singler, and Smith averaged a combined 53.3 points per game. Duke averaged 77 points per game on the season.
Duke won the ACC Tournament for the second straight year, and the ninth time in 12 years. This was Duke's fourth title, and the one that tied Mike Krzyzewski with Adolph Rupp for the second-most titles among coaches.
Despite Scheyer's college success, he never played in the NBA. The Plumlee brothers went on to solid NBA careers. Kyle Singler was a regular in the NBA for six years. Smith, Lance Thomas, Andre Dawkins, and Ryan Kelly all spent some time on NBA rosters, but had more success overseas.
18. 2004-05 North Carolina Tar Heels (33-4)
Some Carolina fans were panicked when the Tar Heels opened the season with a loss at Santa Clara in the Pete Newell Challenge. The team then won the Maui Invitational and didn't lose again until mid-January at Wake Forest. Don't laugh. The Deacons were ranked in the Top 5, led by Chris Paul.
Led by veteran guard Raymond Felton and big men Rashad McCants and Sean May, the Tar Heels mowed down the ACC and beat four ranked teams in the pursuit of the title. May had one of the best seasons ever for a Carolina center, averaging 17.5 points and 10.7 rebounds.
20 YEARS AGO TODAY: Marvin Williams’ clutch three-point play with 17 seconds left lifted UNC past Duke, 75-73. Sean May dominated with 26 points and a Smith Center-record 24 rebounds.
pic.twitter.com/H1658wsM3y— Tar Heel Tapes (@TarHeelTapes) March 6, 2025
Freshman phenom Marvin Williams, who was the second pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, didn't even start for this team. Williams and Felton were both top-5 picks in the 2005 NBA Draft. May and McCants were both top-15 picks.
Felton and McCants went on to some success in the NBA. Marvin Williams played 15 seasons in the NBA, retiring after the 2020 season. Jawad Williams, David Noel, Reyshawn Terry, and May all had more success overseas than in the NBA.
Guards Jesse Holley and Brooks Foster both went on to play in the NFL. This was a talented team, and not just in basketball.
17. 2002-03 Connecticut Huskies (33-6)
Connecticut had a good core of star guard Ben Gordon, with Hilton Armstrong and Emeka Okafor up front. Okafor was a dominant force in college, averaging 17.6 points and 11.5 rebounds in the 2002-03 season.
The team added freshmen Josh Boone to the trees and an awkward, lanky 6-foot-11 Charlie Villanueva. Villanueva ended up being a key component of the championship run.
The Huskies trailed Duke by eight with two minutes left in the game when Rashad Anderson and Okafor took over, propelling UConn to the title game.
Top 5 #UConn Final 4 Games
1) Duke 2004
The Huskies overcome an 8 point deficit with two minutes remaining to beat the Blue Devils & advance to the title game. Rashad Anderson hit two massive threes late & Emeka Okafor took over down the stretch…pic.twitter.com/aGX5rxB1L3
— Mr. Smith 👑 (@BadChoiceBurner) April 4, 2026
The NBA gutted this team. Okafor and Gordon were the second and third picks of the 2004 NBA Draft. Villanueva (2005) and Armstrong (2006) were also lottery picks.
Boone and Marcus Williams also spent some time in the NBA. They had more success in Europe, as did Denham Brown and Anderson.
16. 2007-08 Kansas Jayhawks (37-3)
Kansas didn't lose its first game of the season until January 30 at the Octagon of Doom. They lost their last game on February 23. Kansas took down two No. 1 seeds in the Final Four after surviving a scare from Steph Curry's Davidson team in the regional final.
Kansas obliterated North Carolina in the Final Four and came back on Memphis because of missed free throws to send the game to overtime.
"A Kansas comeback for the history books. Rock Chalk Championship."
This 2008 Mario Chalmers shot sent the @KUHoops game into OT. pic.twitter.com/3mhnrJru60
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 16, 2024
The Memphis team of Derrick Rose, Robert Dozier, and Chris Douglas-Roberts is widely regarded as the best team to never win a title.
Led by veteran guards Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush, this team had a great combination of veteran leaders (Chalmers, Rush, Darnell Jackson, and Sasha Kaun) and budding stars (Cole Aldrich, Sherron Collins, and Darrell Arthur).
Arthur, Rush, Chalmers, Jackson, Collins, Kaun, and Aldrich all spent time on NBA rosters. Chalmers had a great deal of NBA success. Jackson, Kaun, and Russell Robinson had more success overseas. Chase Buford played in the G-League before heading into coaching.
15. 2014-15 Duke Blue Devils (35-4)
Duke lost Andre Dawkins, Tyler Thornton, Rodney Hood, and Jabari Parker from the 2013-14 squad, but the incoming class of freshmen that season was likely Duke's best until 2024.
Grayson Allen, Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, and Justise Winslow were added to holdovers Quinn Cook, Matt Jones, and Amile Jefferson. Duke didn't lose their first game until January 11 in Raleigh.
Cook, Okafor, Winslow, and Tyus Jones all averaged double figures in points during the season. Allen only played about 10 minutes per game as a true freshman behind the talented guards.
Only No. 19 Utah and No. 3 Wisconsin stayed within double figures of Duke in the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin was the only 1 seed that Duke had to face, and that was in the championship game.
April 6, 2015: Duke beats Wisconsin 68-63 in Indianapolis to win the National Championship. pic.twitter.com/Al9K5heFW1
— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) April 6, 2020
Okafor (3) and Winslow (10) were both lottery picks in the 2015 NBA Draft. Tyus Jones was also selected in that draft. Cook had some success in China before getting a crack at the NBA in 2017.
Matt Jones and Jefferson got some playing time in the G-League before going overseas. Jefferson quit playing in 2020 and went into coaching.
14. 2022-23 Connecticut Huskies (31-8)
It took this version of UConn a bit to get going. This team lost seven games out of 20 in Big East play. The Big East was a bear this season, but still...UConn only entered the NCAA Tournament as a 4 seed.
Captains Adama Sanogo and Andre Jackson Jr. got reinforcements from the year before. Tristen Newton transferred in from East Carolina and was a star on this team.
Freshmen Donovan Clingan and Alex Karaban teamed with Sanogo to form a frontcourt that few teams could play with.
2023 was the season of NCAA Tournament chaos. 1 seed Purdue didn't even make it out of the first round. Another 1-seed, Kansas, didn't make it out of the first weekend. The other 1 seeds (Alabama and Houston) didn't make it out of the Sweet 16.
Texas was the only one of the top eight tournament seeds to reach the Elite Eight. Connecticut, as the 4-seed in the East, was the best seed remaining in the Final Four.
Obviously, it was a little easier run for the Huskies than for other teams. Seed-wise, this was the weakest Final Four in history. Connecticut won every tournament game by at least 13 points, even though San Diego State was only down five with five minutes left.
The University of Connecticut has cemented their place in history, becoming only the 6th program ever to win an NCAA National Championship on five different occasions, taking down San Diego State 76-59 last night🔥
🏆 1999
🏆 2004
🏆 2011
🏆 2014
🏆 2023 pic.twitter.com/kQHuqrlyiV— FirstPoint USA (@firstpointusa) April 4, 2023
That helps to put the "easy road" argument to bed a little bit. Was it easier for UConn? Sure, but this team blew everyone out. They became the first team since the tournament expanded in 1985 to win every game by at least 13 points.
Newton, Jackson, Joey Calcaterra, Samson Johnson, Jordan Hawkins, and Sanogo have bounced between the NBA and G-League. Sanogo is now playing in China. Hassan Diarra and Naheim Alleyne are playing in Europe.
Donovan Clingan is the only member of this team to have any NBA success so far, but he stayed in college for another two years after this title.
13. 2005-06 Florida Gators (33-6)
Coming into the season, many wondered whether Billy Donovan could get the Gators to the promised land. Florida hadn't made it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in five years.
These were the "Baby Gators" of the 2006-07 squad. Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, and Taurean Green were all sophomores. Walter Hodge was a freshman. Lee Humphrey and Chris Richard were the only upperclassmen who contributed.
As expected, a team this young had some growing pains in conference play. The Gators outscored the first two opponents (South Alabama and Wisconsin-Milwaukee) in the NCAA Tournament by a combined 47 points to get to the second weekend.
Florida beat top-seeded Villanova in the regional final before running into George Mason in the Final Four, perhaps the most famous Cinderella in history. Florida took down UCLA by 16 points to win the school's first national title in basketball.
On this day in sports history, April 3rd, 2006: Florida defeated UCLA 73-57 to win the national championship
It was the first time Florida won the national championship in the program’s long history
Joakim Noah led the way and was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament… pic.twitter.com/6hsUvbuU2G
— ShamusTalksSports (@ShamusTalkSport) April 3, 2026
To the surprise of most, these super sophomores all came back in 2006-07.
12. 2020-21 Baylor Bears (28-2)
Much like the 2020 football season, the 2020-21 basketball season was a strange one. Baylor was forced to withdraw from the Empire Classic because of COVID issues. Games with No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 13 Texas were cancelled due to COVID.
Baylor lost nearly three weeks' worth of games in February due to COVID issues in the Baylor program. Baylor's two losses on the season were suffered after the "COVID break."
As with football, arenas weren't allowed to be at full capacity in most places. That neutralized home court advantages in the Big 12.
The Bears finally got a crack at Gonzaga in the National Championship Game after reaching the first Final Four for the school since 1950. Baylor got its first national championship with a win over Gonzaga, the top overall seed, by 16 points.
Gonzaga.
Baylor.
2021 National Championship rematch.It's going down December 2nd 👀 pic.twitter.com/DRUb02QNUh
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) May 31, 2022
Guards Jared Butler, MaCio Teague, and Davion Mitchell were the heart of the team. Those three formed one of the better backcourts in recent NCAA history. However, this team is hard to rank because of the COVID aftermath and the lack of professional success of this team.
The Bears won every game in the 2021 NCAA Tournament by nine points or more. It was a different hero every night with Teague, Butler, Matt Mayer, and Adam Flagler leading the team in scoring in four of the six NCAA Tournament games.
This was a better college team than a team full of pro prospects. Only Butler, Flagler, and Mitchell have played in the NBA so far. Mitchell is the only one to have sustained success.
Cryer played in college until 2025 and is currently in the G-League. Matt Mayer is also in the G-League. Flo Thamba, Mark Vital, and Teague are still playing professionally abroad.
11. 1999-2000 Michigan State Spartans (32-7)
This team is better remembered for playing the 1999 parts of the season without star guard Mateen Cleaves. When he returned, this team had changed. They only lost three games after Cleaves returned, and none in March or April.
This was a team full of seniors, which made it a great college team since they had played together for so long. Cleaves, A.J. Granger, Charlie Bell, Andre Huston, and Morris Peterson had been in East Lansing together for at least three years coming into this season.
26 years ago today - Apr. 3, 2000 - @MSU_Basketball captured the NCAA title with a convincing 89-76 victory over Florida. A crowd of 43,116 saw Michigan State's seniors bow out in style: Morris Peterson (21 points), AJ Granger (19) and Mateen Cleaves (18) pic.twitter.com/YWgaHtNR7S
— Mike Pearson (@Spartifactsmsu) April 3, 2026
The Spartans dominated in the NCAA Tournament, winning the six games by an average of 15.3 points per game. Every game was decided by double figures. Only Florida scored more than 65 points. That was in the championship game.
This Michigan State team was one of the more dominant tournament teams this century. Surprisingly, only Cleaves, Bell, Peterson, and Jason Richardson (who was a freshman that played less than 10 minutes per game) went on to the NBA.
10. 2002-03 Syracuse Orangemen (30-5)
This will forever be remembered as Carmelo Anthony's run to the national championship, but this team was more than just Melo. Kueth Duany got little recognition, but was a big part of this run.
Anthony wasn't the only star on this team. Hakim Warrick and Gerry McNamara were also Syracuse legends. Warrick spent eight seasons in the NBA before finishing his career overseas.
15 years ago Carmelo Anthony dropped a career-high 3️⃣3️⃣ points in one of his most efficient scoring nights in the Final Four against Texas 📊 #MarchMadness @carmeloanthony pic.twitter.com/lnjSThocpF
— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) April 3, 2019
Syracuse beat two No. 1 seeds (Oklahoma and Texas) en route to the championship game. The Orange outlasted Kansas to win their first title of the modern era.
Josh Pace and Duany both played overseas for several seasons. McNamara is the current head coach for Siena. You know, the team that led the top overall seed in this year's tournament by double digits at halftime. He is slated as the next head coach of his alma mater.
We all know about Anthony. He is a future NBA Hall of Famer, and turned in one of the most exciting seasons for a one-and-done in college history. Anthony averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds per game in his only collegiate season.
9. 2000-01 Duke Blue Devils (35-4)
Shane Battier stuck around for his senior season with holdovers Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy Jr., and Carlos Boozer. Reigning ACC Player of the Year Chris Carrawell was replaced by Chris Duhon. This was still a formidable lineup.
This season was marked by epic battles with the Maryland team that would win the title next season. After splitting the regular season, Duke beat the Terrapins in the ACC Semifinals. A fourth showdown loomed in the Final Four.
THE MIRACLE MINUTE#DukeOnThisDay 2001 pic.twitter.com/HYv6qWKTKp
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) January 27, 2024
Maryland jumped out to a 22-point lead with seven minutes left in the first half. Duke pulled to within 11 at the half. The Blue Devils ended up winning by 11 points.
It was the largest comeback in Final Four history until Kansas came back on North Carolina in 2022. Duke took down the Arizona team of Gilbert Arenas and Richard Jefferson in the championship to win Duke's third title.
All five Duke starters went on to play in the NBA. Boozer averaged 16.2 points per game and 9.5 rebounds per game in 13 NBA seasons. Dunleavy played in the NBA for a decade. Battier spent eight seasons in the NBA. Duhon spent nine seasons in the league.
Dahntay Jones, who didn't have a large role on this Duke team, played in the NBA for 15 seasons. Jason Williams was in the league for a couple of seasons, but is best known for his broadcasting work since his 2006 retirement.
The NBA success of this starting five is arguably the best of this century.
8. 2024-25 Florida Gators (36-4)
This is the team that temporarily stopped UConn's reign of terror. The Huskies are back in the Championship for the third time in four years, so you know the team that ousted Connecticut last year had to be a good one.
This was a very different Florida team from this year's version. Last year's championship team was guard-dominant, but they still had the massive size of Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, and Micah Handlogten inside.
The heart of this team was guards Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, and Alijah Martin. Clayton, in particular, had a monster NCAA Tournament. Clayton scored 134 points in six tournament games, hitting 20 three-point shots.
On this day, Walter Clayton Jr put together one of the BEST performances in Final Four history vs #1 overall seed Auburn 🐊
34 Points
11/18 FG
5/8 3PT
7/7 FT
4 Rebounds
2 AssistsGENERATIONAL PERFORMANCE. pic.twitter.com/Cr2olepnIy
— Florida Gators 🐊🔥 (@gatorsszn) April 5, 2026
It's no wonder that Florida struggled without all three guards and reserve guard Sam Alexis. Florida was good in 2025-26, but they lacked the perimeter assault that this team had.
7. 2015-16 Villanova Wildcats (35-5)
This team set a school record with 35 wins (broken by the 2017-18 team), and was one of the most dominant teams according to analytics. Villanova's run through the NCAA Tournament is widely regarded as one of the best in history.
The Wildcats are the only team in history to beat four consecutive teams ranked in the AP Top 10 (No. 10 Miami, No. 1 Kansas, No. 7 Oklahoma, and No. 3 North Carolina). In February, this Villanova team became the first in school history to earn an AP No. 1 ranking.
Villanova's average margin of victory in the 2016 NCAA Tournament was 19 points. They beat five ranked teams. In the wins over Miami and Oklahoma, the Wildcats averaged over 1.5 points per possession. Fellow analytics nerds know how impressive that stat is.
🗣 "Gives it to Jenkins... for the Championship... YES!"#OTD: Kris Jenkins (@Smoove2you_) delivered a championship-winning BUZZER-BEATER for @NovaMBB in 2016! 🚨 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/j8nz3TMLLV
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 4, 2021
Those were two highly ranked teams reduced to rubble by Villanova. While most of this team were not darlings on the recruiting trail, NBA fans know why this team won so many games.
Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges were all on this team. So were Donte DiVincenzo and Ryan Arcidiacono. Four of those five (all except Arcidiacono) are still starters in the NBA.
6. 2006-07 Florida Gators (35-5)
Everyone knew they were in trouble when Al Horford, Joakim Noah, and Corey Brewer didn't declare for the NBA Draft. All three would have been first-round picks in 2006, with Noah and Horford likely lottery picks.
The Gators returned the entire starting five from the 2005-06 championship team while adding a key bench piece in freshman Marreese Speights. Florida earned its first No. 1 seed in school history in the NCAA Tournament.
Chris Richard (41st pick), Al Horford (3rd pick), Taurean Green (52nd pick), Corey Brewer (7th pick) and Joakim Noah (9th pick) were all members of the 2006 and 2007 Florida Gators men's basketball team that won back-to-back NCAA championship.
📸 2007 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot pic.twitter.com/fSI8khguL5
— PoloMan (@polo_man404) February 22, 2025
Florida beat its eventual championship opponent, Ohio State, by 26 points just before Christmas. Purdue and Butler pushed Florida a bit in the early rounds, but they were never really threatened in the quest for a repeat.
The Gators set a record with three players from this team going in the first 10 picks of the NBA Draft. Horford was the third pick, Brewer was the seventh pick, and Noah was the ninth pick.
All three played a combined 46 years in the NBA. Horford, at age 39, is still active in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors.
5. 2008-09 North Carolina Tar Heels (34-4)
No one was sleeping on the Tar Heels in 2008-09. This team was hungry after getting embarrassed by Kansas in the Final Four the year before. They were so hungry that Wayne Ellington, Danny Green, and Ty Lawson all decided to withdraw from the 2008 NBA Draft.
The consensus National Player of the Year, Tyler Hansbrough, never even declared for the draft. The Tar Heels began the season ranked No. 1. They didn't relinquish the spot until early January when they lost to Boston College.
The Tar Heels were back on top of the polls after a regular-season finale win against Duke. A loss to Florida State in the ACC Semifinals dropped Carolina down to the No. 2 overall seed, but they ran through the South Region, beating the best possible seed in each game.
The Final Four was much of the same. Carolina won the two games over Villanova and Michigan State by a combined 31 points. Oklahoma was the only team to stay within a dozen points of Carolina in the tournament in the Regional Final.
Hansbrough, Lawson, Ellington, and Green were all drafted in 2009. Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller were freshmen on this team. They were also first- round picks in 2010 and 2012, respectively.
Tyler Hansbrough’s HOF Career at North Carolina 🐏
• 4x Consensus AA
• 1x NPOTY
• 1x National Champion pic.twitter.com/e8Zlk3XbwA— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) February 20, 2024
Hansbrough is one of the few Carolina players in the last 40 years to go 4-0 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Even though he was never as good in the NBA, Hansbrough was one of the best college players of this century.
4. 2017-18 Villanova Wildcats (36-4)
This team lost Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins, two key components of the 2016 Championship team, to graduation before the season. Villanova still had enough left to set a school record with 36 wins.
What makes this team better than the 2016 version? Two more years of seasoning for Jalen Brunson (a freshman in 2016), Donte DiVincenzo (2016 freshman), and Mikal Bridges (2016 sophomore).
This team added Collin Gillespie to Brunson and DiVincenzo to alleviate the loss of Jenkins and Hart. Whereas the 2016 version didn't have a lot of size, this team did.
Omari Spellman and Jermaine Samuels were loads. Six Villanova players averaged double figures (Brunson, 18.9; Bridges, 17.7; DiVincenzo, 13.4; Spellman, 10.9; Eric Paschall, 10.6; and Phil Booth, 10.0) per game.
This team was deeper, stronger, and more experienced than the 2016 version. While they didn't quite run the gauntlet in the NCAA Tournament that the 2016 team did, they still beat four consecutive top-15 teams.
What makes it all the more impressive is that Villanova won every game by at least 12 points.
April 2nd, 2018: Villanova defeats Michigan in the National Championship #NovaNation pic.twitter.com/mXOKmJctiS
— Back Then Sports (@BackThenSports) April 2, 2026
3. 2025-26 Michigan Wolverines (37-3)
It's hard to believe that this team only won eight games just two years ago. Michigan brought in Dusty May from Florida Atlantic to replace legacy Juwon Howard.
The turnaround was immediate. Michigan won 27 games last year and was the 7th-ranked team in the AP Poll to start the season. This Michigan team was the fourth in 110 years to win the first 14 games of a season. It was the only Michigan team to win 25 of the first 26 games.
When it was all said and done, Michigan won a program record 19 regular-season conference games and 37 games overall. The 37 wins tie a Big Ten record set by Illinois in 2004-05 (another great team that didn't win a title). Michigan was the first Big Ten team to go undefeated on the road in 50 years.
Michigan scored 541 points in six NCAA Tournament games, the most in a tournament since the 1989-90 Runnin' Rebels of UNLV. Michigan outscored opponents by 713 points on the season, which is a Big Ten record. The conference has been around for 130 years.
Surprisingly, Michigan became the first team to beat Connecticut in a championship game. The Huskies were 5-0 in championship games coming into this one. Michigan did this despite one of the worst nights from the floor of any championship team.
Michigan finishes their 37-3 season with a 39.70 Kenpom ranking, putting them at #2 ALL-TIME.
They played their D game, with half of a Yaxel Lendeborg and won the National Championship.
This team was special and 100% deserved to be the last team standing.
World was on… pic.twitter.com/HkLP6oy4t5
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) April 7, 2026
The Wolverines became the first team in NCAA history to win a championship with five starters who did not begin their college careers at the school. That's an indictment of where college basketball is heading.
On the flip side of that, former Michigan recruit Tarris Reed Jr. played two years for Michigan and two years for Connecticut. Those two schools have won three of the last four national championships. Reed somehow didn't win one.
When you think of what this team lost, it's kind of amazing that they reached the pinnacle of the sport this year. Michigan lost Danny Wolf, Vladislav Goldin, Tre Donaldson, and Justin Pippen from the 2024-25 team.
Michigan only had four incoming transfers, but made them count. They got Elliot Cadeau from North Carolina, Morez Johnson Jr. from Illinois, Aday Mara from UCLA (who set a school record for blocks this season), and Yaxel Lendeborg from UAB. Lendeborg was the prize of the portal.
Rounding out the starting five was Nimari Burnett, who came in from Alabama in 2024-25. Whatever Michigan's roster looks like next year, you can bet it will be a good one.
Who knows, Michigan may even have a starter that was recruited by the school. Trey McKenney played a lot this year as a freshman. Michigan was the first championship team from the Big Ten in basketball since 2000, a span of 9,499 days.
2. 2023-24 Connecticut Huskies (37-3)
You may notice a theme here. Every repeat champion is in the top five of the best championship teams this century. In every case (including Villanova's two titles in three years), most of the core was the same. This UConn team had a little more turnover.
I do wonder how much better this team would have been had Adama Sanogo returned to school instead of going undrafted to the NBA. This team was still monsters up front with Donovan Clingan, Alex Karaban, and Samson Johnson, but adding Sanogo to that could have this team in the discussion for best college team ever.
The core of Tristen Newton, Clingan, and Karaban was still intact. Cam Spencer and Hassan Diarra grew into larger roles. The big difference on this team was incoming freshman Stephon Castle taking over for Jordan Hawkins.
Top 10 #UConn Freshmen Performances
7. Steph Castle- F4 vs Bama (April 2024)
In the 2024 Final Four the Crimson Tide dared @StephonCastle to beat them from deep early. Say less. Castle finished with 21 points & 5 boards in helping lead the Huskies to a 2nd straight title game pic.twitter.com/H6ahxzfBaE
— Mr. Smith 👑 (@BadChoiceBurner) January 29, 2026
Every starter averaged double figures in points and at least 4.7 rebounds per game. The starting lineup had better balance, and the bench was markedly better than the 2023 team.
UConn was the top overall seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, which means a slightly easier road to the championship. What UConn did to those teams was the abnormality.
Connecticut set a record by winning every game by at least 14 points and posting a 23.3-point average margin of victory in the tournament. That is total domination...and another NCAA Tournament record.
Karaban is the key to the UConn team playing for a title tonight. Key contributors Solo Ball and Jaylin Stewart were freshmen on this team.
1. 2011-12 Kentucky Wildcats (38-2)
Yes, this team was better than the 2014-15 Wildcats because this team won a championship. Both teams have the record for most wins in a college basketball season. The loss to Indiana in December was an absolute battle. The loss to Vanderbilt in the SEC Championship was necessary.
Why? Because this team was loaded with freshmen, and needed that learning experience. Perhaps if the 2014-15 version had lost a game before the tourney, they would be the best.
Every starter on this team was a sophomore or younger, including one of the best freshman classes ever assembled. Marquis Teague, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Anthony Davis were men among boys this season.
All seven players who played meaningful minutes on this team (Davis, Teague, MKG, Doron Lamb, Terrence Jones, Darius Miller, and Kyle Wiltjer) played in the NBA at some point.
Davis is still an All-Star when he can stay healthy. Davis averaged 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.7 blocks per game as a freshman for this team.
No team stayed within 10 points of Kentucky until the Final Four. They beat both Louisville and Kansas by eight points.
On this day in 2012, Kentucky holds off Kansas 67-59 at The Superdome in New Orleans to capture the school's eighth national championship.
The 2012 Wildcats (38-2) were later voted Team of the Decade by the Associated Press. pic.twitter.com/LWwCgGNUMw
— catsclassics (@catsclassics) April 2, 2026
Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist were the first two picks in the 2012 NBA Draft. That was the first time in history that the first two picks were from the same college team.
Jones and Teague were also first-round picks. Lamb and Miller were second-round picks, meaning Kentucky had six players drafted into the NBA. That's still a record for one year.
