Ok I hate to tell you Gordon is definitely a better player all around then alford but.....
Steve Alford shot freaking 54% from 3 his senior year!!!! Jay Edwards was the prettiest shooter I have ever seen!!!! Gordon ended the season something like 10-57 from 3pt range!!! Alford and Edwards never did that!!!

What about Kent "The Brick" Benson?

You guys are forgetting Pat Graham...best pure shooter I have ever seen.

I also agree that Bracey Wright should not be on this list.

ALH:

You're pretty close with the years. Jay Edwards' Freshman year was after IU's 1987 Championship. He only played two years at IU before entering the NBA. His years were from 1987-1988, 1988-1989.

Edwards also played against Damon Bailey and Bedford North Lawrence in the High School final four at Market Square Arena in one of the three championships.

Jay Edwards was AWESOME and could drain it from anywhere. Growing up, I remember seeing the Marion/Concord (Sean Kemp) semi-state game in 1987, a pre-season exhibition in Fort Wayne in '88, and once in the Hall in '88-'89. (I hope I have my years right). I also remember him with the Ft. Wayne Fury...where he could still jack up the three ball.

On that note, also AWESOME were Alford, Cheaney, Evans, and Guyton.

I have to say, though, I've never seen a better basketball player (at IU) that EJ. (The older crowd must forgive my lack of knowledge pre-1984-ish). Kid has got it all (even passing and D, despite what some here say...he'd be a great passer if teammates were looking and/or could catch his sometimes "brisk" passes)

My Bottom Line:
1. EJ
2. Jay Edwards
3. Alford
4. Guyton
5. Evans

I believe that Wittman and Kitchel had a 3 point line for 1 year - the Big Ten experimented with it for a brief time. As I recall, the line was at 22 or 23 feet and Knight's (who had always been against the 3 point line) comment at the time was, "Sure, put in a 3 point line...there's only three guys in the league who can hit it and I've got two of'em."

Say what you want about Knight, but he did have style ...

The first guy that came to my mind is Pat Graham. He could shoot light out. He was like Alford that he needed picks to get open. He also suffured with re-occurring foot injuries which reduced his productivity.

How can you forget Jay Edwards from Marion, IN. Edwards and Lyndon Jones were the dynamic duo from Marion High School(produced stars such as Zack Randolph, Mays etc..) The two won three straight High School Championships under Hall of Fame Coach Bill Green back in the mid to late eighties.

Jay Edwards made every shot look easy with his silky smooth touch and mid to long range shot. Edwards holds the IU Freshman record for points- 38 at Minnesota. He was also one of the best clutch shooters in college basketball history just ask Glen Rice and the Michigan Team along with Kendall Gill, Nick Anderson and the Illinois team that had to face Edwards.

Here are the top 10 best shooters that played at IU: After Eric Gordon's career is over, he might be #1 or #2.

1. Jay Edwards
2. Steve Alford
3. Jimmy Rayl
4. Mike Woodson
5. Randy Wittman
6. Ted Kitchel
7. Brian Evans
8. Calbert Cheaney
9. A.J. Guyton
10. Pat Graham

Honorable mention:

Kyle Hornsby
Damon Bailey
Scott May
John Laskowski
Steve Green
Kreigh Smith
Neil Reed- (Did he transfer?)
Marty Simmons- (Transfer to Evansville)
Todd Leary
Robert Vaden- (Transfer to UAB)

I know I forgot a few but this is a good list.

MIKEY M, thanks for the article about Jimmy Rayl !!

Eric Gordon is a ridiculous talent. His range is truly limitless. Mainly because he's not even thinking about it. Catch and shoot. Bang. The confidence level for this freshman is off the charts.

Where does he rank among the best? Hard to say because we'll never really know. This guy has a pro game and will soon join it's ranks. Here's my take, anyway.

1. Cheany
2. Gordon
3. Alford
4. Evans
5. Kitchel/Wittman tie
6. Guyton

i seem to remember neil reed having some range.

1. Evans
2. Gordon
3. Alford
4. Guyton
5. Edwards

I'm biased towards Evans. Loved his style of play.

If I may shift gears for a moment gentleman, Eric Gordon vs. The Hurricane, who would win?

Gordon, Gordon!!

Hold on, Hold on, Hold on. The name of the Hurricane is Hurricane Gordon.

I think by my user name, you know who I'm putting #1. And it's just because of what Jeff Thomas just posted above me. To me, shooting a free throw is the most basic skill in being a good shooter.

1. Alford
2. Gordon
3. Evans (was the shoulder brace hampering or did it guide his motion?)
4. Guyton
5. Smart (please continue to take me seriously, even though this is a joke #5 pick. but anyone who hits "the shot" deserves a shout-out. for me, kyle hornsby goes here.)

Bracey Wright does not belong on this list. Jay Edwards was amazing! Brian Evans could apparently shoot from anywhere on the court in practice, but you know the reins under Knight during games were pretty tight. Alford was the only guy I remember with 100% green light. Calbert was solid from three, but should be remembered more for his amazing mid-range game. Wittman and Kitchell didn't have the three-point line to test.

Who do you all think would win in a game of H.O.R.S.E? I'd take Alford. Gordon would be the better ultra long range shooter, but Alford would take him to the free throw line and slowly, over 500 shots if need be, grind him into dust. But if the minimum shot was 25 feet, Gordon wins 10 out of 10 games. Just my opinion. It's great that IU has had both of them.

Mandeville, Eggers, and Mujesenovic...that's classic...I had forgotten those names...How did those guys find minutes?

Best Shooters I Have Seen/Watched In An Indiana Uniform - Great Looking Shots and Always On The Money



1. Alford
2. Gordon
3. Edwards (everyone forgets Jay: the man hit on 49% of his three pointers in his career)
4. Cheaney
5. Guyton, Evans (tie)

CATEGORIZED HONORABLE MENTION: (ALPHA ORDER)

STREAKSTERS: Coverdale, Ratliff, Recker, Strickland, Vaden, Wilmont, Wright

MONEY BUT NO SUPER STAR LOVE: P. Graham, Hornsby, Leary, Reed, Tapak

I think Gordon has the best range of any shooter I have ever seen at IU. Never saw Jimmy Rayl play. I would put Jay Edwards next and then Alford. It would be quite a way back to the next best.

Gordon-Rayl-Edwards-Alford-Evans. I was at the Michigan game and his shot appears effortless. Rayl's range was like Ron Bonham's--anywhere past midcourt;Edwards had the high arc;Evans was a pretty shot and Alford was great. Matt Roth will be the next one.

1)Jay Edwards
2)Eric Gordon
3)Steve Alford
4)Bracey Wright
5)Brian Evans

It seems a lot of people forgot the fact that ewe set 2 to 3 picks for Alford every time down the floor. EJ has unlimited range and has the ability to create.

Ryan,

I believe Deron Williams was asked a question about Gordon after he backed out of his commitment to Illinois and Williams responded with..."I Don't Know Who That Is."

**Off topic**

Ok, so I tried googling "IDKWTI" and I came up with "I don't know who that is" and obviously its a reference to Eric Gordon. I apologize if this has been asked/told a million times before, but how did this nickname come about?

Thanks...

Pat Graham was a pretty good shooter ...

RONB

I believe you are refering to Jimmy Rayl "the splendid splinter" from my home town of Kokomo Indiana. He was well before my tiime but, I have heard many stories about him. Here is a nice story about him.

http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/sports/hh/cuw/...

Jay Edwards could stroke some fantastic 3-pointers,but Gordon shoots the most beautiful long range shot of any IU player in the last three decades.

For shits and giggles lets try the 5 worst shooters of IU basketball.

1. Haris Mujesenovic
2. Robbie Eggers
3. George Leach
4. Larry Richardson (now a hair stylist)
5. Richard Mandeville

1.gordon 2.rayl 3.alford 4.marion guard? 5.guydon 6.cheaney 7.wright 8.vaden 9.wilmont 10.evans 11.coverdale 12.hornsby

The insane thing about guarding Gordon is you have to pick him up AT half court and when they say he "stretches" the defense....He really really "stretches" the defense.

If I were opposing coaches I would do a Box and 1 on him beginning at warm ups and through the bus ride home.....and never leave him!

1. Alford
2. Gordon
3. Kitchel
4. Leary
5. Uwe Blab-if you can make a sweeping hook shot then you are a good shooter.

Before they had the 3 point shot there was a player who would
start shooting just after he crossed the 10 second line. Early 60's
I think. He never saw a shot he did not like and he was an Indiana
boy. He was truly a long range bomber. You young dude's guess
who?? As for the last 40 years Eric Gordon is tops!!

I think a better question is, who is the best "long range bomber" ever at IU?

Personally, Tom Coverdale comes to mind, but maybe that's because she says any shot from 25 feet out or more comes from "Coverdale Range".

1. S. Alford
2. C. Cheaney
3. E. Gordon
4. B. Evans
5. K. Hornsby
6. A. Guyton
7. M. Pelkowski
8. R. Tapak

These are among the best "shooters", not scorers by any means.

Who are the best five rappers ever?

1. Gordon
2. Gordon
3. Gordon
4. Gordon
5. Gordon

Because I spit hot fire!

1 Gordon
2 Gordon (that good)
3 Alford
4 Guyton
5 Cheaney

1. Gordon
2. Alford
3. Hornsby
4. Guyton
5. Cheaney

The best shooter I've seen for Indiana is AJ Guyton, and Gordon is every bit as good as he was. While other aspects of their games are easy to break apart, Guyton was a better defender and passer while Gordon is a much better penetrator and creator, I'm not sure how to separate the two of them on shooting alone. Both extremely talented shooters.

Timmy:

I agree on Wright and you could even add Vaden into the mix out of some recent players. But both Wright and Vaden were so horrific on some nights -- I vaguely remember Bracey starting out like 1 for 27 on the road in Big Ten play one season from three-point land ... or was that Vaden? -- that it sort of negates them from this conversation.

But when those dudes were on they were ON. Sort of like Wilmont against Northwestern last year.

Bracey Wright - nba range, could create space for himself, much better ball handler than IDKWTI.

Gordon is in a class by himself!!!!!

i think gordon gets his shots off faster than any of these other guys listed...maybe guyton would compete. then again, it's been a long while.

wow!

1. Alford
2. Leary
3. Gordon
4. Guyton
5. Cheaney