15 best NCAA basketball players we wish played in the Twitter era

11. Best NCAA basketball players before Twitter: Larry Johnson, UNLV

Johnson was a big part of one of the most dominant teams in the history of NCAA basketball. From 1988 to 1991, the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels were a ridiculously fun team to watch, and likely none of that would’ve been true without the help of the 1990 John R. Wooden Award winner and two-time first-team All-American.

Before he went on to become the first overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft, Johnson took quite the interesting route to collegiate, and then NBA stardom. Hailing from Tyler, Texas, a place that at the time of Johnson’s time there was rampant with drugs, crime and all manners of other things. Johnson’s way of dealing with all of the troubles around him?

Basketball.

After becoming a member of the 1987 edition of the McDonald’s High School All-American, Johnson originally committed to Southern Methodist, but would start his career at Odessa College in Texas. And start it, he did. There were rumors that after Johnson’s two years at Odessa he could’ve been a possible NBA lottery selection (thanks to becoming the 2x NJCAA Player of the Year), but instead he transferred to UNLV and became a story that would’ve been a fan favorite in today’s world.

After finishing his time at community college, Johnson went on to lead a team that also included an impressive cast of characters like Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony to the 1990 NCAA Championship, beating the Duke Blue Devils to win the title.

Johnson has an epic story that has gone on to include two NBA All-Star appearances, an NBA Rookie of the Year award, and multiple collegiate awards, as well as multiple gold medals with the United States Men’s Basketball team.

With a great story, great dunks and tons of personality, the big No. 4 for the Runnin’ Rebels would’ve been a hit in the Twitter age.