But a huge part of the tournament's appeal is creating heroes whose names aren't necessarily Alcindor, Bird or Walton.

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Lacking a dominant big man after losing Alcindor to graduation the previous year, the team was not supposed to win the title game against Jacksonville.

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The UCLA dynasty in the 1960s and 1970s under famed coach John Wooden was largely powered by two big men--Lew Alcindor, who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Walton.

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Standing 7-foot-3 with long arms, Alcindor kept defenders at bay by holding the ball as far away from them as possible, then swooping his arm in an upward arc before releasing the ball.

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Then in 1969, Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) joined the Milwaukee Bucks from UCLA. Not only was Alcindor graceful and athletic, but he boasted a move called the sky hook, the most unstoppable shot the league had ever seen.

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