Fab Five (University of Michigan)

Fab Five was the nickname for a 1991 University of Michigan men's basketball team recruitment class that is considered to by some to be "the greatest class ever recruited." They were: Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, Ray Jackson. [" [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/basketball/men/02tourney/2002-03-27-cover-fab5.htm Fab Five anniversary falls short of fondness] ", "USA Today" March 28, 2002]

As high school players all five members of the Fab Five were rated in the top 100 of high school prospects in 1991. Chris Webber was ranked #1, Juwan Howard was ranked #3, Jalen Rose was ranked #6, Jimmy King was ranked #9, and Ray Jackson was ranked #84. All but Jackson participated in the McDonald's All American game in 1991. [" [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/highschool/03/28/top.10/index.html Fab Four] ", "Sports Illustrated" March 28, 2007] As collegians, they became pioneers in bringing "hip hop flavor" to the game with their trash talk, long baggy shorts, shaved heads, black shoes, and black socks. Their controversial antics on the court garnered much attention from the media. [" [http://www.cavalierdaily.com/CVArticle.asp?ID=14052&pid=932 There's only one Fab Five] ", "The Cavalier Daily" November 12, 2002] In spite of their talent, they never won a championship. They reached the NCAA championship game as freshmen in 1992 and again as sophomores in 1993. They lost to Duke 71–51 in the 1992 title game and lost 77–71 to North Carolina in 1993, a game which is remembered mostly for Chris Webber's costly "timeout", which resulted in a technical foul because Michigan did not have any left. Today their legacy has been tarnished due to a University of Michigan basketball scandal that developed after they had left and forced the university to forfeit many of their achievements.

Four of the five members went on to play in the NBA. Ray Jackson was the only player of the five to never suit up in the NBA. Jimmy King played two seasons. Juwan Howard was a one-time NBA All-Star and is expected to retire at the conclusion of the 2007-2008 NBA season. Jalen Rose emerged as one of the top small forwards between 1999 and 2003, leading the Indiana Pacers in scoring the year they won the Eastern Conference (2000). Chris Webber was a five-time NBA All-Star and is the only one of the five expected to get nominated and possibly inducted into the Hall of Fame. No member of the Fab Five ever won an NBA Championship.

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