MLB Madness: An all-time Major League starting five

Before you make your bracket picks (and subsequently tear your bracket into a million pieces), let's take a look at this all-time team of Major Leaguers who were also college basketball stars.

It's a pretty solid lineup with a deep backcourt and star-studded bench -- likely a 3-seed in this year's bracket. And yes, Davidson would probably upset them on a fade-away, falling-out-of-bounds, 40-footer at the buzzer.

PG: Tony Gwynn, San Diego State University

Mr. Padre made the WAC All-Conference Second Team twice, once tallied 18 dimes during a game against UNLV and finished with a school-record 590 assists for his career.

SG: Dick Groat, Duke University

Groat could be the greatest Blue Devil ever (sorry J.J. -- actually, I'm not). In 1952, the future NL MVP scored a school record 48 points against the Tar Heels, was named UPI Player of the Year and became the first basketball player to have his jersey retired at Cameron Indoor Stadium. He was also inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Photo courtesy of SI.com

SF: Dave Winfield, University of Minnesota

Gophers head coach Bill Musselman once called Winfield the greatest rebounder he's ever seen. In 1972, the Hall of Fame outfielder led his school to their first Big Ten championship in 53 years and was the first athlete to be drafted by the ABA, NBA, NFL and MLB post-college.

PF: Dave DeBusschere, University of Detroit

This selection may be cheating a little bit, because DeBusschere is better known for his Hall of Fame NBA career with the Knicks and Pistons. But the 6-foot-6 forward also posted a 2.90 ERA in 36 games with the White Sox after averaging 24.8 points and 19.4(!) rebounds per game during his three years with the Titans.

C: Mark Hendrickson, Washington State University

Currently signed to a Minor League contract with the Orioles, Hendrickson was a two-time All-Pac 10 selection and ranks second on WSU's career rebound list. The 6-foot-9 hurler was selected 31st overall in the 1997 NBA Draft and played parts of three seasons with the Kings, Nets and Cavs. He's also just really, really tall.

Bench

Kenny Lofton, University of Arizona

The speedy outfielder was actually first awarded a basketball scholarship by 'Zona, and didn't play baseball until his junior year. He served as a backup to point guard Steve Kerr during the Wildcats' Final Four run in 1988, started and led the squad to a Sweet 16 appearance the next season and set a school record (since broken) for career steals. He also rapped.

Jackie Robinson, University of California, Los Angeles

Robinson lettered in four sports at UCLA and became one of the first African-Americans to play college basketball during the 1940 and '41 seasons. He led the Pacific Coast Conference in points per game both years, but his Bruins teams went a combined 14-37 in the pre-Wooden era.

Bob Gibson, Creighton University

Like Lofton, the Hall of Fame hurler attended college on a basketball scholarship. From 1954-57, Hoot averaged 20.2 ppg and tallied 1,272 points overall. Post-graduation, Gibson starred shortly with the Harlem Globetrotters before focusing on baseball full-time.

Tim Stoddard, North Carolina State University

Stoddard is the only athlete to win both a National Championship (1973-74) and World Series ring (1983 Orioles). The 6-foot-7 reliever was a crucial part of the Wolfpack teams that won two ACC titles and ended UCLA's seven-year national championship run during that '73-74 season.

Gene Conley, Washington State University

Four decades before Hendrickson, there was Conley. The pitcher was selected as an All-American honorable mention twice while averaging 20 points per contest with the Cougars. Conley went on to win a World Series with the Milwaukee Braves in 1957 and three NBA Championships playing forward for the Celtics from 1959-61.

Danny Ainge, Brigham Young University

Ainge didn't have much of a career in the big leagues, but it was the first professional sport he played. The utility man played with the Blue Jays from 1979-81 -- putting up a .220 career average, two homers and 37 RBIs. But on the hardwood with the Cougars, Ainge was dominant. The guard won the 1981 Wooden Award, was a four-time All-WAC selection and led his '81 squad to the Elite Eight after hitting this memorable shot against Notre Dame. Tyus Edney before Tyus Edney.

Gwynn SDSU photo courtesy of Backstopcards

-- Matt Monagan / MLB.com