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The 2011-12 Kentucky Basketball team is the most talented champion over the last 10 years

As if there was any doubt to this team being one of the best champions in recent memory.

By TJ Barnett
Kentucky Basketball News Conference Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

There’s been a lot of talk of how the recent NCAA champions stack up against each other. Well, we may have found a definitive answer on who reigns supreme.

Eric Bossi of rivals came out with his latest ‘Bossi’s Best’ and ranked Kentucky’s 2012 team as the most talented champion over the last 10 years. For more context — he looked at each teams top six players and based his talent ranking off of that. The champs are a little hard to remember, so here’s how he ranked them, by talent:

  1. Kentucky Wildcats (2012)
  2. Duke Blue Devils (2015)
  3. North Carolina Tar Heels (2009)
  4. North Carolina Tar Heels (2017)
  5. Duke Blue Devils (2010)
  6. UConn Huskies (2011)
  7. Villanova Wildcats (2016)
  8. Louisville Cardinals (2013)
  9. Villanova Wildcats (2018)
  10. UConn Huskies (2014)

The first thing that jumps out to you is how many blue bloods there are on this list. Then, you realize that there has been some phenomenal basketball over the last 10 seasons to go with some extremely talented teams.

Eric Bossi didn’t just give his opinions on this, his list is based on pure numbers. Kentucky led the way in both average recruit ranking and number of 5-star recruits.

The Cats average recruit ranking was 14.3 and they had five 5-stars on the 2012 team. Here’s how it shaped up:

1. Anthony Davis | 5-star | Class of 2011

3. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | 5-star | Class of 2011

9. Marquis Teague | 5-star | Class of 2011

9. Terrence Jones | 5-star | Class of 2010

24. Doron Lamb | 5-star | Class of 2010

42. Darius Miller | 4-star | Class of 2008

When you compare these guys to Duke’s team in 2015 that had an average recruit ranking of 18.3 and three 5-stars, it really puts this list into perspective. The 2012 team is arguably the most talented champion of all time.

To have your top five guys all be five stars, along with a 4-star senior leader to come in and help, it’s not surprising that Kentucky dominated everyone in their way to a championship.

Will there ever be a more talented championship team than Kentucky’s 2012 squad?

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