Where does Greg Brunner rank all-time?

[CVHawkeye]

Listened to a podcast with Greg Brunner this morning and it made me wonder where he ranks among Iowa's all-time greats. It's a shame that he and Haluska never played in the NBA when both were talented enough to do so. Brunner still played 9 years overseas and is the all-time leading rebounder. Where does he rank? Top Ten?

Listening to him go through those early 2000s rosters reminded me that this year's team is similar in that there are, once again, a lot of Iowa kids on the floor.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/moonlightgrahamshow/GregBrunnerFinal.mp3

 

[hawkinthelou]

We can't even figure out how tall he is, let alone where he ranks.

 

[mstp1992]

We can't even figure out how tall he is, let alone where he ranks.

Somewhere between 5'9" and 7'2" from what I've read.

 

[TouchdownMyPants]

#17

 

[Lamoni]

I don't rank Brunner among the all-time greats but then I looked at his stats after reading the post and was surprised how good he was. 1,516 points and the all-time leading rebounder. When that team lost to NW State it left a bad taste in my mouth, especially since it was in the Alford era. Brunner might be in the top 15 but not in the top 10.

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

On the All-Time list? I think I could justify squeezing him into my top 20.

 

[CuttyDoesIt]

He is top 5 for me. He is the guy that got me into Iowa Basketball as a kid

 

[Suterman]

Bru would probably be in my Top 20-25. I have been watching Iowa hoops for a long time so my list is long.

 

[BrunoMars420]

I started to remember Iowa basketball around the early to mid 90s. I am guessing for the older folk he wouldn’t be but for the younger crowd he would be in the top 10 if not top 5 for some.

1. Aaron White
2. Dean Oliver
3. Andre Woolridge
4. Greg Brunner
5. Jeff Horner
6. Devyn Marble
7. Jordan Bohannon (moving up the list)
8. Peter Jok
9. Reggie Evans
10. Adam Haluska

 

[flyfishstout_CO]

I started to remember Iowa basketball around the early to mid 90s. I am guessing for the older folk he wouldn’t be but for the younger crowd he would be in the top 10 if not top 5 for some.

1. Aaron White
2. Dean Oliver
3. Andre Woolridge
4. Greg Brunner
5. Jeff Horner
6. Devyn Marble
7. Jordan Bohannon (moving up the list)
8. Peter Jok
9. Reggie Evans
10. Adam Haluska

That's about the time I started remembering too... how can you not have Jess Settles, Chris Kingsbury, Kent McCausland... not on your list?! Those are the guys I grew up idolizing.... they're in my top 10 even if they're not by the stats

 

[flyfishstout_CO]

The top 10-20 list of iowa players would be a fun conversation to have with Jess Settles... the last podcast with Jess was great revisit of 90s basketball!

 

[BrunoMars420]

That's about the time I started remembering too... how can you not have Jess Settles, Chris Kingsbury, Kent McCausland... not on your list?! Those are the guys I grew up idolizing.... they're in my top 10 even if they're not by the stats

Because I liked the other players better haha

I enjoyed those 3 but I liked other players more

 

[iowa surfer]

We can't even figure out how tall he is, let alone where he ranks.

Tall???? Still him not in NBA.Head scratcher huh? Real good player+++

 

[CVHawkeye]

Brunner's senior year had 8 Iowans on the roster. This year's team has 9 Iowans on the roster. For comparison: Iowa State has 1...

 

[twindman]

Bruno, you are right about us old folks. Fred Brown, John Johnson - each played 15-20 years in NBA. Krafcison, Kevin Boyle, and others. And Brown listed was the only guard in this group.

 

[Packer54]

Ronnie
BJ
J Johnson
Marble Sr.
DownTown Freddie Brown
Gamble

After this is all gets a little jumbled for me.......

 

[flyfishstout_CO]

This might change opinions of where he ranks...

His 32 double-doubles rank fourth in Hawkeye history. He, Acie Earl and Greg Stokes are the only players in the program with more than 1,000 points, 700 rebounds and 100 blocks in their careers. Brunner scored 1,516 points, the 14th best total all-time at the school.

https://www.hawkeyenation.com/basketball/greg-brunner

 

[Packer54]

Ronnie
BJ
J Johnson
Marble Sr.
DownTown Freddie Brown
Gamble

After this is all gets a little jumbled for me.......

Then again....I have to have Chris Street in the top grouping somewhere. Most heart ever at Iowa.

 

[BeepBeepInMyJeep]

I started to remember Iowa basketball around the early to mid 90s. I am guessing for the older folk he wouldn’t be but for the younger crowd he would be in the top 10 if not top 5 for some.

1. Aaron White
2. Dean Oliver
3. Andre Woolridge
4. Greg Brunner
5. Jeff Horner
6. Devyn Marble
7. Jordan Bohannon (moving up the list)
8. Peter Jok
9. Reggie Evans
10. Adam Haluska

I'm tempted to move Reggie up this list a bit, he was a bit more dominant than Brunner was but of course only had the two seasons. They were pretty similar players though Reggie was just a tad more athletic and an inch or two (?) taller. I didn't follow Iowa until 2001 so I can't judge on Woolridge, but I think Jordan easily gets into the top 3 IF March goes fairly well. I think one of the biggest things that works against Alford's tenure was the fact that the Big Ten conference was much weaker in 2006 than it is today or had been in the recent past.

 

[HawkRugged17]

Fun follow on Twitter ...

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Bru probably top 25 in the past 50 years, maybe a little higher.

 

[goodbyebobby]

I started to remember Iowa basketball around the early to mid 90s. I am guessing for the older folk he wouldn’t be but for the younger crowd he would be in the top 10 if not top 5 for some.

1. Aaron White
2. Dean Oliver
3. Andre Woolridge
4. Greg Brunner
5. Jeff Horner
6. Devyn Marble
7. Jordan Bohannon (moving up the list)
8. Peter Jok
9. Reggie Evans
10. Adam Haluska

The one NBA player is #9? The only one who had any sort of a career.

His two years were better than anyone, outside of White's, four. Your list, your opinions, nice.

 

[goodbyebobby]

Listened to a podcast with Greg Brunner this morning and it made me wonder where he ranks among Iowa's all-time greats. It's a shame that he and Haluska never played in the NBA when both were talented enough to do so. Brunner still played 9 years overseas and is the all-time leading rebounder. Where does he rank? Top Ten?

Listening to him go through those early 2000s rosters reminded me that this year's team is similar in that there are, once again, a lot of Iowa kids on the floor.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/moonlightgrahamshow/GregBrunnerFinal.mp3

Had they been talented enough to play in the NBA they would have played in the NBA.

 

[SSG T]

He is top 5 for me. He is the guy that got me into Iowa Basketball as a kid

As a kid??? Dang...

 

[owenhawk]

Since 86-87 when I really started following, I would rank these as the Top 10 (in no particular order will do later if I have time)

BJ Armstrong
Roy Marble
Chris Street
Acie Earl
Jess Settles
Andre Woolridge
Dean Oliver
Reggie Evans
Greg Brunner
Adam Haluska
Aaron White

I lied that’s 11.

Some other thoughts.

Chris Kingsbury, Ray Thompson, Ricky Davis, Luke Recker, and Tyler Smith all could have potentially been on this list but came up short due to lack of time at Iowa for whatever reason.

Ed Horton and Devyn Marble were my last two off. They both had great senior years and improved a lot in their time.

Jarrod Uthoff was close but I feel like he was not assertive enough thought he had great senior year.

I feel like Ryan Bowen might deserve to be in that list. I think he is greatly under appreciated (including by me apparently). He did so many thing well and little things. Had nice NBA career doing those things.

I have feeling Wieskamp will definitely be on that list before he leaves and potentially Garza.

 

[Bonnell20]

my dad named our dog after him when I was growing up so he's up there on my list

 

[EastIowaHawk]

Brunner was pushing 6-6, but played bigger. Certainly one of the best rebounders we've ever had- if not the best. Played at Charles City High in high school. I think he passed Kevin Kunnert's record. There's another Iowa kid (from Dubuque Wahlert, who was a several- year starter in the NBA). My all-time favorite Iowa player is Jess Settles from little Winfield- Mt. Union High School. A prep All-American, he picked Iowa over ND. My favorite players are always the Iowa kids who achieve major success. .

 

[soybean]

Just listing the players I have seen live there have been so many good ones. I guess my top 20 would be something like this.

Ronnie Lester
Fred Brown
John Johnson
Sam Williams
Acie Earl
Chris Street
Roy Marble
Kevin Gamble
Ed Horton
BJ Armstrong

Then...
George Peoples
Don Nelson
Glen Vindovic
Kent McCausland
Bruce King
Kevin Boyle
Kevin Kunnert
Kenyon Murray
Bill Mayfield
Greg Brunner

 

[Sett1997]

This might change opinions of where he ranks...

His 32 double-doubles rank fourth in Hawkeye history. He, Acie Earl and Greg Stokes are the only players in the program with more than 1,000 points, 700 rebounds and 100 blocks in their careers. Brunner scored 1,516 points, the 14th best total all-time at the school.

https://www.hawkeyenation.com/basketball/greg-brunner

Young guys don't know about Stokes, etc .

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

I started to remember Iowa basketball around the early to mid 90s. I am guessing for the older folk he wouldn’t be but for the younger crowd he would be in the top 10 if not top 5 for some.

1. Aaron White
2. Dean Oliver
3. Andre Woolridge
4. Greg Brunner
5. Jeff Horner
6. Devyn Marble
7. Jordan Bohannon (moving up the list)
8. Peter Jok
9. Reggie Evans
10. Adam Haluska

Bru was a better player than everyone else on that except maybe Andre Woolridge. He's underrated because he played in an era where the program was filled with controversy and turmoil, coached by an increasingly unpopular coach, that grossly underachieved given the individual talent.

Weak at the line, not Reggie Evans weak of course, but otherwise a tremendously well rounded player and dominating player.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

A lot higher had he made his free throws vs NW State

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

Only have about 45 years of clear memories.

1. Ronnie Lester
2. Roy Marble

then a big drop and the conversation involves about 15 guys. BJ, Andre, Bru and Acie certainly jump to the top of mind, as do Bob Hansen and Greg Stokes. Whitey is in that group as well.

then another drop to guys like Ed Horton, DeanO, Horner, Haluska.

Two guys tough to rate. Chris Street and Jess Settles. At their respective peaks two of the most well rounded talented and dominating players we've ever had on campus. Sadly, their careers were cut short by disabling injury and, of course, dying. As much as every Iowa fan should love those guys they did not play complete careers.

 

[BrunoMars420]

The one NBA player is #9? The only one who had any sort of a career.

His two years were better than anyone, outside of White's, four. Your list, your opinions, nice.

If it was a list of how good a pro a hawk was it would be different but I picked the hawks I loved to watch the most.

 

[CVHawkeye]

I’ve been seeing a lot of love for “Downtown” Fred Brown on here so I went back and looked at his stats. Only spent two years for the Hawks but scored 27 A GAME his last year!!!

 

[michael.nelson311]

He is top 5 for me. He is the guy that got me into Iowa Basketball as a kid

If brunner is in your top 5...then you don't appreciate history..so is Nathan Chandler in your top 5 QBs too....???

 

[CuttyDoesIt]

If brunner is in your top 5...then you don't appreciate history..so is Nathan Chandler in your top 5 QBs too....???

Lol are you comparing the 14th all time leading scorer with a QB that started 1 year?

 

[CVHawkeye]

Part of what makes players legendary is those memorable moments (which Brunner didn’t have a lot of). This is why JBo will be remembered fondly for many years to come.

 

[StinkyMcFadden]

That's about the time I started remembering too... how can you not have Jess Settles, Chris Kingsbury, Kent McCausland... not on your list?! Those are the guys I grew up idolizing.... they're in my top 10 even if they're not by the stats

Kent McCausland...LOLOLOLOLOL.

What a world.

 

[twindman]

Just listing the players I have seen live there have been so many good ones. I guess my top 20 would be something like this.

Glen Vindovic
Kent McCausland
Bruce King
Kevin Boyle
Kevin Kunnert
Kenyon Murray
Bill Mayfield
Greg Brunner

You sort of misspelled a couple :
It was Glen 'Stick' Vidnovik and Bruce 'Sky' King!
Aaah!! Good times, good times!
p.s. For those that are too young, Stick was 6'6" and weighed 150 lb. Story was he could drive to the hoop so easy because he would turn sideways and they couldn't see him!

 

[Oldgold51]

The best baller Iowa ever had on campus, never played a second. No other Hawkeye baller is even close.

Cornelius “Connie” Hawkins

For all the sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, ‘What might have been.’

6 years after being booted out of Iowa for supposedly shaving points in summer playground games in the Big Apple, as a rookie in the NBA, on one damn leg, Connie did this:

“In 1969, Hawkins hit the ground running in his first season in the NBA, when he played 81 games and averaged 24.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. In the final game of his rookie season, Connie had 44 points, 20 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 blocks and 5 steals. In a seven-game Western Conference Finals series Hawkins carried the Suns, on one good leg, against the Lakers that had future Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylorand Jerry West. For the series, Hawkins averaged 25 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists per game. He ended his rookie season being named to the All-NBA First Team.”