VU Hall of Fame 2017 -- Lubos Barton

[valpo84]

The Athletics Department announced today on twitter that Lubos Barton has been named to the VU Athletics HOF.  Congrats to Lubos. So many memories of his setting the bar for SFs at Valpo, which has been raised even farther by Ryan Broekhoff and Alec Peters.  His Frosh debut at the Hoosier/RCA Dome (for us older timers) set the stage for a 4-year run of Valpo hoops greatness following the Bryce Drew years.  Valpo beat South Carolina and Seton Hall that weekend and Lubos, by recollection had over 20 each game.

https://twitter.com/valpoathletics

[wh]

Loved Lubos as a player!  I wonder if he'll come back for the induction ceremony? 

Amazing pro career in Europe and still going at age 36.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubo%C5%A1_Barto%C5%88

[VU2624]

Loved Lubos as a player!  I wonder if he'll come back for the induction ceremony? Amazing pro career in Europe and still going at age 36. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubo%C5%A1_Barto%C5%88

Wiki says he retired in October and is now coaching.

[valpotx]

He had arguably the second best pro career of a Valpo basketball alum, though his longevity would trump Bryce.  He was THE top Czech national team player for around a decade, beating out the guy that was given a chance in the NBA (Jiri Welsch).  Lubos was to the Czech Republic, what Stalin Ortiz has been for Colombia. 

[vu84v2]

I really enjoyed Lubos as a player too. He did everything and was a wonderful all-around player.

Besides his first two games at the Hoosier/RCA dome, another great memory regarding Lubos was his senior day speech. It was a thoughtful, endless, caring, funny, rambling speech that went on forever and came close to thanking every person individually in the ARC and the town of Valparaiso.

[vu72]

Top 10 ever to wear the brown and gold.

5th in career scoring
5th in career rebounding
Tie for 7th in career assists
7th in career Field Goals
9th in career Blocked Shots
3rd in career 3's
1st in career steals.

[Valpo89]

Not sure if Lubos will make it, but I know his brother Jaroslav (Jerry) has remained in town and is successful accountant. I'm sure he will be there.
And speaking of Jerry, correct me if I'm wrong, but he was brought in as a team manager along with Lubos. I wonder if that "package deal" helped bring Lubos to Valpo.

[valpo84]

valpotx, you mention Lubos as having the 2d best pro career -- you pose an interesting question.  1. Who was 1st in your tally, and if it's Bryce is that because he was in the NBA?  2.  Who would folks top 5 pro careers nominees. I would have Bryce, Lubos, Chris Ensminger, Ryan Broekhoff and Ron Howard -- criteria success in those leagues, longevity and level of the leagues.  Honorable mentions include Joakim Gomes, Casey Schmidt and Ali Berdiel (maybe more for his singing career....) and Dan Oppland, who once said in an interview:

"Q: Austria isn´t so much different than Germany, but there are its differences. What have you missed about Germany the last years?

A: (Oppland) I have probably missed the beer the most if you want me to be honest. There is no better beer in the world in my opinion."

Obviously, his Valpo showing.

[humbleopinion]

Not sure if Lubos will make it, but I know his brother Jaroslav (Jerry) has remained in town and is successful accountant. I'm sure he will be there.
And speaking of Jerry, correct me if I'm wrong, but he was brought in as a team manager along with Lubos. I wonder if that "package deal" helped bring Lubos to Valpo.

I know that Jerry got a full ride, but maybe that was because  he was really brilliant.

[valpotx]

I would also say Bryce, but to be honest, Lubos played in the best European leagues for longer than Bryce played in the NBA/Italy.  It is very close, in my opinion, due to Lubos' longevity in some of their top leagues.  Grafs didn't have the professional career he could have, as after a few years in some decent leagues, he just went back to the Baltic League in Latvia, which isn't bad, but not a top league.  Rowdy and AP will challenge Lubos for top spot, in my opinion.

[Valpo89]

Six years in the NBA, when you really think about it, is incredible for Bryce. It's even more incredible when you consider this: Indiana "legends" Steve Alford (4 years) and Damon Bailey (0 years) didn't last as long as Bryce in the NBA.
Someone who has the time should look at all the Indiana Mr. Basketball's since about 1980 and see how long they played in the NBA, if at all. I'm pretty sure Jeff Grose of Warsaw, 1985 Mr. Basketball, didn't play in the NBA. Or 1986 Mark Jewell of Lafayette Jeff. Even Jay Edwards and Lyndon Jones (1987 co-Mr. Basketballs) didn't play much in the NBA - Jones maybe not at all, Edwards a little bit proving he never should have left IU early.

[vu72]

valpotx, you mention Lubos as having the 2d best pro career -- you pose an interesting question.  1. Who was 1st in your tally, and if it's Bryce is that because he was in the NBA?  2.  Who would folks top 5 pro careers nominees. I would have Bryce, Lubos, Chris Ensminger, Ryan Broekhoff and Ron Howard -- criteria success in those leagues, longevity and level of the leagues.  Honorable mentions include Joakim Gomes, Casey Schmidt and Ali Berdiel (maybe more for his singing career....) and Dan Oppland, who once said in an interview:

"Q: Austria isn´t so much different than Germany, but there are its differences. What have you missed about Germany the last years?

A: (Oppland) I have probably missed the beer the most if you want me to be honest. There is no better beer in the world in my opinion."

Obviously, his Valpo showing.

He hasn't been playing that long, nor do I understand the level of play in Europe and elsewhere, but I expect Brandon Wood to be playing for a long time.  He is in Switzerland at the present.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandon_Wood_%28basketball%29