GUARDS
Danny Ainge (1977-1981)

Danny Ainge is arguably the best basketball player in BYU history. Whether you agree with that statement or not, it's hard to argue against Ainge being the most complete. If someone was to combine Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery into a single player you'd have Danny Ainge. Ainge set BYU's career points (2467), assists (539), and steals (195) records in 1981. His assists record would hold for 21 years until is was broken by Matt Montague in 2002. Despite playing at a time when the 3-point field goal did not exist, Ainge's career points record would stand for 30 years until Fredette would surpass it in 2011. If one was to adjust Fredette's stats to count all his 3-point field goals as 2-point field goals, Ainge would still hold the record. Ainge's steals record would also stand for three decades, broken by Emery in the 2011 season. Ainge remains 2nd on the BYU record books in all of those categories.

Ainge led the Cougars to the best finish they have had in the NCAA Tournament advancing to the Elite 8 in 1981. Ainge's coast-to-coast drive and lay-in with 7 seconds remaining to give BYU the win over Notre Dame in the Sweet Sixteen is one of the most well-known plays in NCAA Tournament history and the most iconic play in BYU Basketball history. Among his accomplishments at BYU, Ainge started all 118 games he played in for the Cougars, set the NCAA record for consecutive games scoring in double figures (112), named a consensus first team All-American during his senior year, won several National Player of the Year awards in 1981, and played in the NABC All Star game. Ainge did all of this while also pursing his professional baseball career, splitting time between the Cougars, Toronto Blue Jays and their Triple-A affiliate, Syracuse Chiefs from 1979 to 1981.