re: Who's the best player you've ever seen IN PERSON

Hmm... way, way, back in the day (I wasn't even in HS yet) when my family lived in Vicksburg Warren Central High School had a running back by the name of Carl Blue who for two or so years who looked like a man playing tackle football with 6 year olds.

He vanished out of the spotlight after HS though, not quite sure why. I've heard it was either he blew out his knee in his first practice in college or got into drugs. Possibly both.

In person it would probably be Matt Jones for Arkansas. I had a couple of classes with him when I went back to finish my degree and he was a nice guy, though a bit odd.

Now if we use the term "playa" instead of player it would have to be Nolan Richardson. We had the same bank and I used to bump into him fairly often. He was the only human being I ever knew who would wear suits that would make people from the 70's think he'd gone a bit over the top... and yet still pull it off and look good. Also a really nice guy in public who always stopped to shake hands with everyone and sign autographs.