Russell Brown
Arizona Daily Star file photo
While Brown played during UA’s downward trend toward the end of the Snowden era, his impact was immense. His single-season assist record of 247 in 1978-79 still stands, even though he had 11 fewer games to play in that season than second-place T.J. McConnell (238) did in 2014-15.
G Jim Rappis (1972-73 to 1975-76)
Another of the Kiddie Korps who grew up quickly, Rappis wasn’t known for eye-popping numbers as much as the glue he provided for some of Snowden’s best teams and the way he played through pain.
“Steve Kerr and Jim Rappis were damn near identical in the way they played,” Elliott said, referring first to the legendary Lute Olson-era guard. “He was that steady influence on all of us. High basketball IQ. Knew how to play the game. Not the most athletic person but was very, very effective.”
Rappis averaged 12.0 points as a junior in 1974-75 and 13.4 as a senior in 1975-76, when he was named a second-team All-WAC pick. He had 24 points and 12 assists in the Wildcats’ 1976 Sweet 16 win over UNLV, despite injuring his left heel in the first half.
In 2015, All Sports Tucson ranked Rappis No. 10 on its list of “Arizona Wildcats hoops badasses.”
G Joe Nehls (1976-77 to 1979-80)
Arizona guard Joe Nehls against Oregon at McKale Center in Jan. 1980.
H. Darr Beiser, Tucson Citizen
One of the best shooters in UA basketball history — even though, again, there was no 3-point line — Nehls started 72 of 84 games over his four-year career and was particularly lethal during his last two seasons after UA joined the Pac-10.
Nehls averaged 19.1 points in 1976-77 and 19.3 points in 1979-80. That last season, he averaged 20.2 points in Pac-10 games and was named a first-team all-conference pick. Nehls was also drafted by Houston in the seventh round of the 1980 NBA Draft, though he did not play in the league.