What was the most exciting season of basketball in your life?
- Thread starter Son_Of_Saul
- Start date
1996… that team was so awesome it was comical what they did to opponents.
Best UK team ever… and by a good margin.
Best UK team ever… and by a good margin.
Same list for me. I’m 37 so the 96-98 teams and Kobe/Shaq years were huge for me.
But I’d say Kobe and John Wall have been my 2 favorite players to watch at their peaks. So I’m gonna say 09-10 for me. Kobe got his last championship against a loaded Celtics team while Wall/Cousins put UK back on top in an exciting fashion.
I kicked my wife's space heater into the wall and broke it as time was winding down in that FF game. She still comments about that sometimes. 😄
Hard to beat 95-96 though. Never seen that level of dominance before. That defense man. Just withered grown men and demoralized them. Thing of beauty.
1998 Unexpected championship with my favorite win of all time over Duke in the elite 8.
I like that list but would probably add '98 to the list. The Comeback Cats were very fun to watch.
I worked in a Factory in 2010. Listend to quite a few on the radio. Wall could make some playes and sound bites that would make you holler like a little kid. Very exciting team
I was sooooo pissed off after WVU beat us that night. Ridiculous amount of threes they hit and we couldn't find the ocean.
Even worse, they then got TROUNCED by Duke the following round.
Huggy Bear giveth and Huggy Bear taketh.
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Yep, the Pitino years were awesome, but I’m an old fart and I more vividly remember the last championship team with AD and MKJ.
Those memories are bittersweet though because after that year, I thought with Cal we were about to embark on an almost UCLA like championship run - instead it’s been 10 years of disappointment.
Those memories are bittersweet though because after that year, I thought with Cal we were about to embark on an almost UCLA like championship run - instead it’s been 10 years of disappointment.
1996 because it was my first championship. We done it with Epps at the point and we didn't need Allen Iverson or anyone else... We kicked ass by 40 every night out while playing those starters 27-28 mins per game and that's all we needed. Also Epps being, a KY boy to go along with Anderson made it that much sweeter.
From there I go to 1992 which actually might be an even more enjoyable season for alot of other UK fans because of the Kentucky Konnection. But it was really a fun time and it's hard to argue with any of those early 90's ballclubs... Hard to argue with any team we had in the 90s period. Even 14-14 looked good at the beginning and that's why you appreciate the good times is because of the bad times.
1997 because it felt like repeating as champs was over for a minute when Anderson went down but then Cameron Mills comes in and stepped his game up and kept doing it and contributed enough to help on a fun run... and if someone just makes some dang FTs then we three-peat.
1986- I was just getting old enough to figure out UK basketball and put it all together. It was a different game the way everyone would just pack it in because no 3 point line. The game really needed the 3 in my opinion. I remember Roger Hardens shot from the top of the key at LSU at the buzzer to win the game and I don't remember alot though but I do know that's the season I got started.
2010 was a fun year because it felt like we were back. 2011 was also fun because I didn't expect us to go that far after a double digit loss season.
From there I go to 1992 which actually might be an even more enjoyable season for alot of other UK fans because of the Kentucky Konnection. But it was really a fun time and it's hard to argue with any of those early 90's ballclubs... Hard to argue with any team we had in the 90s period. Even 14-14 looked good at the beginning and that's why you appreciate the good times is because of the bad times.
1997 because it felt like repeating as champs was over for a minute when Anderson went down but then Cameron Mills comes in and stepped his game up and kept doing it and contributed enough to help on a fun run... and if someone just makes some dang FTs then we three-peat.
1986- I was just getting old enough to figure out UK basketball and put it all together. It was a different game the way everyone would just pack it in because no 3 point line. The game really needed the 3 in my opinion. I remember Roger Hardens shot from the top of the key at LSU at the buzzer to win the game and I don't remember alot though but I do know that's the season I got started.
2010 was a fun year because it felt like we were back. 2011 was also fun because I didn't expect us to go that far after a double digit loss season.
84, 96, 12 and 15 were both fun and stressful, because they were supposed to WIN.
So I will go with 93. Just coming off the Unforgettables and “best game ever”, and it wasn’t just that game, that whole prior season was good. But we returned Mashburn who was one of the 2-3 best in the country. Then Ford goes out and shoots over 50% from 3. They demolished a very good WF team in S16, and I was at thst game. Maybe those 2 seasons meant more to me, were more exciting to me because those were my 2 years at UK.
So I will go with 93. Just coming off the Unforgettables and “best game ever”, and it wasn’t just that game, that whole prior season was good. But we returned Mashburn who was one of the 2-3 best in the country. Then Ford goes out and shoots over 50% from 3. They demolished a very good WF team in S16, and I was at thst game. Maybe those 2 seasons meant more to me, were more exciting to me because those were my 2 years at UK.
Mr Higgins was on the whistle for that one…
“They don’t foul, do they, John?” West Virginia Coach Bob Huggins screamed at the referee John Higgins. “They don’t foul.”
Duke Returns to Final, but With a Different Style (Published 2010)
Duke won 78-57 against a West Virginia team that never seemed able to get its momentum going. They will face Butler in the N.C.A.A. final on Monday night.
The 1998 Comeback Cats
Beating Duke, Stanford and Utah all in comeback fashion to win it all is impossible to top.
Beating Duke, Stanford and Utah all in comeback fashion to win it all is impossible to top.
95-96, 96-97 and 97-98 were all such exciting seasons—and I followed each season breathlessly—but if I had to choose one out of the 3, it would be 1995-1996 for their dominance and consistency. It felt like I nearly had a heart attack on several occasions watching the 1998 Comeback ‘Cats and have great memories of that season, too.
The successes of 09-10, 10-11, 11-12, 14-15, and 16-17 seasons were also such fun! I would easily pick 2014-2015 as the most exciting over any team if the last game wasn’t so heartbreaking. So I must go with 2011-2012 out of these years because they won it all.
Probably the most exciting NCAA Tournament for me was 2014. So grateful to have attended the Sweet Sixteen vs Loserville! That game was epic!
The successes of 09-10, 10-11, 11-12, 14-15, and 16-17 seasons were also such fun! I would easily pick 2014-2015 as the most exciting over any team if the last game wasn’t so heartbreaking. So I must go with 2011-2012 out of these years because they won it all.
Probably the most exciting NCAA Tournament for me was 2014. So grateful to have attended the Sweet Sixteen vs Loserville! That game was epic!
Sidney Moncrief, Ron Brewer, and (I had to look up the last one) Marvin Delph
If Adidas hasn't come calling on McGrady, perhaps things would have been different.
McGrady joins that 1998 team and they win it all, but just in more dominant fashion. The next year Yarbrough, Mouton, Turner, Padgett, Bradley, Evans, and Magloire get to the Final Four. There's no way Pitino goes into 1999 season with only Hogan and Mouton at shooting guard. He would have added an elite shooter, and that's all that team was really lacking anyway.
This for me too. ‘96 was great, but ‘98 was totally unexpected, at least from me. UK proved it was top dog in all the land. Bulls capped off a dynasty, as much as I loathed them it was nothing but respect. Tayshaun was my All-time favorite player and he was coming that next year. Good times!
Thanks for refreshing my mind. They were very very good.
1995 was tough, 2014-2015 was probably the most fun I’ve had as a Cats fan. Too bad we(Cal) choked. The 2014 tourney run was as fun as it gets though.For me, it was 1995.
Michael Jordan returned to the Bulls.
Kentucky landed Mercer and Turner.
All the preseason hype for that 1995-1996 team.
The Arkansas vs. Kentucky games in the winter and spring of 1995.
The SEC Finals game of UK vs. Arkansas might have been the most fun basketball experience I have ever witnessed.
Delk and Rhodes at UK; Iverson at G'Town; Ray Allen at UConn; Kerry Kittles at Villanova.
The 95/96 season was amazing and the 2012 title run would be in the top list. I still remember watching Wall taking it coast to coast slamming it on a saturday morning against UNcheat as well. That was the moment I knew UK was back with Cal for sure.
'78
'96
'12
'98
As far as non-championship seasons, 1984 Coach Hall's 2nd to last season going to the Final 4, '93, the 2014 run was exciting until the title game and winning 38 consecutive.
'96
'12
'98
As far as non-championship seasons, 1984 Coach Hall's 2nd to last season going to the Final 4, '93, the 2014 run was exciting until the title game and winning 38 consecutive.
1993 was the first time I really got into college basketball. I liked it as a teenager, but had so many other interests, but in 93 I started watching very closely.
Mashburn and I were the same age, so I really became a huge fan of his.
I also really started following Sir Charles that year in the pros. That was a fun year watching him win MVP and then facing Jordan and the two time defending champion Bulls in the Finals. I really liked that entire Suns team with Thunder Dan and KJ.
So I guess 93 was the most exciting, even though it didn’t turn out in the end.
Sometimes it’s more about the journey, right?
Mashburn and I were the same age, so I really became a huge fan of his.
I also really started following Sir Charles that year in the pros. That was a fun year watching him win MVP and then facing Jordan and the two time defending champion Bulls in the Finals. I really liked that entire Suns team with Thunder Dan and KJ.
So I guess 93 was the most exciting, even though it didn’t turn out in the end.
Sometimes it’s more about the journey, right?
It bums me out that, although I'm a Lexington native, I've never been in town to be part of the madness in person.
2012- The most recent and probably the championship I appreciated the most. Lived in DC at the time, and the alumni chapter had reserved the 2nd floor of a sports bar. Kansas fans were on the first floor. Everyone was going nuts and jumping up and down. The floor was shaking, and the bar had to ask us to stop in case it collapsed.
1998- The Comeback Cats were awesome. Beating Duke and getting revenge for the Laettner shot was awesome. For the final, I'd made plans to visit college buddies up in DC. However, missing the excitement in Lexington was somewhat offset by also winning the bracket pool that year. 🤑
1996- Was a sophomore in college in DC. Enjoyed watching the Cats win and thumbing my nose at my mostly yankee friends from the northeast.
1997- Was studying abroad and watched the heartbreaking loss to 'Zona at a TGI Friday's in Santiago, Chile.
2012- The most recent and probably the championship I appreciated the most. Lived in DC at the time, and the alumni chapter had reserved the 2nd floor of a sports bar. Kansas fans were on the first floor. Everyone was going nuts and jumping up and down. The floor was shaking, and the bar had to ask us to stop in case it collapsed.
1998- The Comeback Cats were awesome. Beating Duke and getting revenge for the Laettner shot was awesome. For the final, I'd made plans to visit college buddies up in DC. However, missing the excitement in Lexington was somewhat offset by also winning the bracket pool that year. 🤑
1996- Was a sophomore in college in DC. Enjoyed watching the Cats win and thumbing my nose at my mostly yankee friends from the northeast.
1997- Was studying abroad and watched the heartbreaking loss to 'Zona at a TGI Friday's in Santiago, Chile.
I think Lamar Odom was going to come to UK as well.
If you open it up to ALL basketball ...and not just UK ...I've always remembered 84 as a special basketball year.
Bird's Celtics and Magic's Lakers gave us the greatest NBA Finals in league history. A great UK season with the twin towers leading one of the most popular UK teams ever to the Final Four. Michael Jordan having an epic NPOY season and then carrying the Olympic team to the Gold medal. That was a crazy fun year to be a kid basketball fan.
If only it hadn't been for that damn Georgetown game.
Bird's Celtics and Magic's Lakers gave us the greatest NBA Finals in league history. A great UK season with the twin towers leading one of the most popular UK teams ever to the Final Four. Michael Jordan having an epic NPOY season and then carrying the Olympic team to the Gold medal. That was a crazy fun year to be a kid basketball fan.
If only it hadn't been for that damn Georgetown game.
‘95-‘96 season. For anyone over the age of 40, 99% that will be the answer!
One of the usual house contrarians in 3.2.1…
One of the usual house contrarians in 3.2.1…
96 championship season by far
If he wasn't an alcoholic he could have been one of the greats. He could get em and coach em for sure. Always liked Huggy Bear. I would play for him.
Dad used to talk about that game often. I was alive but not aware. I would’ve been around 6months old. Lol. All he would say is how we had that game in the bag and then turned into bricklayers.
And does the fact that 2014 was such a disappointing, frustrating, underachieving regular season not impact your thinking here?
That indeed was a crazy fun tourney run, but I kinda thought this thread was meant to be about basketball seasons as a whole ...and not just a four game stretch in March.
Do you dislike a game if we get down by 15 or 20 and come back to win? What about the LSU game we got down what 37 and came back and won? It's not the start that makes the season, but the end. In fact I'd argue a season with struggles that ends up successful in the tournament is better than a dominant team with the same result.
Aaron said it best, it's going to be a great story, and boy was it.
69-70 watching Issel become an unstoppable player Rupp promises Issel if he runs with Freshman team as example he will help Dan become All Time leading scorer at UK
He keeps his word all entry passes on offense went to Issel the loss to Jacksonville
On a bad call was a horrible way to end Issel career still a great season 😎
He keeps his word all entry passes on offense went to Issel the loss to Jacksonville
On a bad call was a horrible way to end Issel career still a great season 😎
