There are many different ways to define what a “blue blood” is in men’s college basketball, but much like Justice Potter Stewart’s views on obscenity, I know it when I see it. Historically there are five, maybe six, teams that get this distinction:
Kentucky
Duke
Kansas
UCLA
North Carolina
Indiana (sometimes)
These are all teams that immediately elicit a response from any college basketball fan, whether it be positive or negative, and have won a ton of games over multiple decades. They have legendary players and coaches counted among their alumni, been involved in memorable games and won championships.