March Madness: 4 Unexpected Stars of Past NCAA Tournaments

• The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is now in full swing with many big stories and busted brackets
• While certain players are expected to star, the tournament is frequently upended by an unexpected player who introduces himself on the biggest stage
• A March Madness star turn does not necessarily indicate the player is a star, but some have gone on to major professional careers and even the Hall of Fame
• So which 4 players from the past made their names known with a big-time performance?

Jason Kidd – California Golden Bears, 1993

Cal had gone 21-9 during the season and entered the NCAA Tournament as a #6 seed in the Midwest. The year was not without drama. The team all but mutinied against head coach Lou Campanelli. They were 10-7 at the time. Todd Bozeman replaced Campanelli and they won 11 of their final 13 games.

After beating #11 Louisiana State in the First Round 66-63, they faced off against #3 Duke. The Blue Devils were going for a three-peat. But Cal, led by Kidd, upset Mike Krzyzewski’s team and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen where #2 Kansas bounced them.

Kidd’s ball-handling and speed flummoxed Bobby Hurley as he logged 14 assists in the upset. After the tournament, everyone recognized the freshman Kidd with his fade haircut. He had a Hall of Fame NBA career and is now a successful head coach.

Pervis Ellison – Louisville Cardinals, 1986

Ellison was a high-end prospect for Denny Crum at Louisville. By the end of his college career, he was the first overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. He had a nondescript professional career.

However, as a freshman, he led the Cardinals to the National Championship. The team did not sneak up on anyone as they went 32-7 and were a #2 seed in the West. Still, led by Ellison, they ended up beating top-seed Duke in the Final.

Ellison was a force on the boards, especially in the Final Four pulling down 24 combined rebounds. Against Duke, he scored 25 points in the 72-69 upset.

Billy Donovan – Providence Friars, 1987

With Rick Pitino’s St. John’s Red Storm losing to Arkansas in the Second Round and Billy Donovan’s NBA coaching career with the Chicago Bulls on thin ice, it’s easy to forget how they captivated the nation with unheralded Providence’s run to the 1987 Final Four.

The Friars went 25-9 and were a #6 seed in the Southeast. they dropped #2 Alabama in the Sweet Sixteen and #1 Georgetown in the Elite Eight before losing to #2 Syracuse in the Final Four.

Donovan was a machine for much of the 1987 tournament. He scored 35 and logged 12 assists in the First Round; 25 and 7 in the Second Round; 26 and 10 in the Sweet Sixteen; and 20 and 6 in the Elite Eight. Syracuse shut him down completely in the Final Four.

He had an ever-so-brief NBA career playing in 44 games for Pitino when the coach left Providence to take over the Knicks. In 2005-06 and 2006-07, he won consecutive NCAA titles as the head coach of Florida. He’s had a mediocre NBA coaching career.

Steph Curry – Davidson Wildcats, 2008

It sounds ludicrous to say now that Steph Curry was unheralded, but he did end up at a small school like Davidson. He was not heavily recruited out of high school despite the pedigree of being Dell Curry’s son. The elder Curry was a first-round draft pick out of Virginia Tech and carved out a 16-year pro career as a sharpshooter.

In Steph’s sophomore season, the Wildcats went 29-7 and were ranked #10 in the Midwest for the tournament. They upset #7 Gonzaga in the First Round; #2 Georgetown in the Second Round; #3 Wisconsin in the Sweet Sixteen; and lost 59-57 to eventual champion #1 Kansas in the Elite Eight.

Steph lit up the scoreboard and showed his 3-point prowess throughout the tournament. It was a window as to what was to come when he went to the NBA. He scored 40, 33, 33, and 25 in Davidson’s four games and nailed a total of 23 three-pointers.

Who Will Be the 2025 March Madness Unsung Heroes?

As the tournament proceeds, there will be more upsets, great performances, star turns, shocking plays, mistakes, good and bad luck. Some players will burst onto the scene and end up as NBA Hall of Famers as Kidd has done and Curry assuredly will. Others will flame out like Ellison and Donovan.

Who are your unsung heroes from March Madness past and who do you think will emerge this time?

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