Who is your favorite wildcat of all-time, and how old are you?

[DWDwildcat47]

I'm 74, Kevin Grevey, Dan Issel, Jack Givens

 

[RockyMountainCat]

I’m 76 and Louie Dampier is my favorite. I sat next to him in an English lit class. I was always impressed that the players of that era had to take the same courses as the general student population.

 

[rabbitTown]

Rex Chapman - 51

 

[ArtLaibsGhost]

Jamal Mashburn he was the most significant recruit in UK history. He almost singlehandedly resurrected our basketball program

 

[TheBlueCat]

32. Rajon Rondo. Played at Eastern with him back in the day.

 

[blueblood32]

Larry pursiful first one for me than pat riley then mike pratt

Larry Pursiful was my HS baseball and basketball coach. A tremendous human being both on and off the court.

 

[Kyplumbcat502]

43. Mashburn was so good. Epps too. I got to see a lot of him in high school. 93 state tournament was awesome.

 

[Ky grandpa]

RUPP'S RUNT'S then Dan the man Issel.. During Hall's time the Twin Tower's.. Rex before he turned into a horse's a__ __.. Then during Prick's ( Petino ) time the best ball team of all time the '96 Champsion Cats..

GBB
PS I am 72..

 

[MrHotDice]

Cotton Nash 75

 

[TeoJ]

Little Louie
Close second
Mike Casey and Pat Riley and Larry Conley
72

 

[Kybluedude]

Casey my roommate

Was Casey a better player (prior to his leg injury) than Issel? Would he have been an NBA all star type talent? Looks like he was UK’s best player as a sophomore

 

[Gassy_Knowls]

Tom Payne. For an obvious reason. I'm 98

 

[rockhound24]

Jamal Mashburn and I'm 57. I will NEVER forget those years while I am still breathing!

 

[ukhoops1]

Tyler Herro we both Orginally from Milwaukee

 

[TeoJ]

Was Casey a better player (prior to his leg injury) than Issel? Would he have been an NBA all star type talent? Looks like he was UK’s best player as a sophomore

Casey was a better player obviously before he broke his leg and the best soph on the team,now would he have been better in the long run hard to tell but it would have been close.

 

[LASTUKMGR69]

Was Casey a better player (prior to his leg injury) than Issel? Would he have been an NBA all star type talent? Looks like he was UK’s best player as a sophomore

Yes before the accident

 

[LASTUKMGR69]

Larry Pursiful was my HS baseball and basketball coach. A tremendous human being both on and off the court.

From 4 mile KENTUCKY

 

[davekersey]

Gerald Fitch. He may not have been at UK if it weren't for me. And I am older than anybody else in the world almost

 

[crittel56]

Mashburn and I'm 40. At that time it was either Mash or Jeff Brassow lol.

 

[RunninRichie]

7- Devin Askew

 

[FinancialPlannerZac]

I'm 35. Gotta go with Prince. But man, I loved me some Erik Daniels. Got the chance to meet Daniels at Cocktails one night a few months ago! (You know, that real classy joint off Old Todds Rd)... I ain't judgin' though, I love that place. Haha!

 

[Kerwinwaltonsafro]

Mashburn

I'm 40

 

[hootervillearnolds]

Louis Dampier. He’s about a decade older than me (I am 65). I watched him as a kid then much later I would play pick up games with him and in an old man league maybe fifteen years ago. Nice guy who could still shoot and handle the ball and he clearly knew the game, but I think he got even shorter with age.

 

[joefoster]

Jack Givens, Kenny Walker and Jimmy Dan Conners.

I'm 77.

 

[treyforuk]

Kenny Walker. 61

 

[megablue]

Louie Dampier.
I am 69.

 

[UKChrisb]

Mash 48

 

[bigbluehomer]

Hands down Dan Issel. I grew up just down the street from his wife and remember seeing him in the neighborhood.

Hey Piocat, quick question and I hope this is not too personal. Was the street Hollyhill Dr? Reason I ask is below.

I'm 59, probably 1975 or so I was in back seat of car with parents up front. We turned off of Clays Mill Rd onto Hollyhill taking a shortcut to Southland Drive. About 4 houses or so after turning onto Hollyhill, lo and behold unloading suitcases, etc. from a car parked on right side of road was Big Dan! As we approached my Dad blew the horn and we both waved, my eyes were probably the size of my face. Dan had his hands full but looked back at us, made eye contact, etc. Once past my Mom (who was a big UK fan) was embarrassed by it and hissed "George!" at my Dad. His response was "Honey, that was Dan Issel", like "what else was I supposed to do?". LOL Since Dan was unloading for an overnight stay, I always "assumed" that was his wife's parent's house because unless I'm delusional I think she grew up in Lexington.

So many players through the years.....but I'll go with the Dipper, Mel Turpin. I was a junior at Lafayette when he was a senior at Bryan Station (Dirk is an all time favorite as well), and there were some epic HS games between the two schools. Mel was tall but still pretty skinny. BS had two really small guards who were both sophmores IIRC. One was Leroy Byrd and having a brain cramp on the other. In '79 Lafayette was the super team, quite possible best ever in Kentucky HS history led by Dirk.

Anyway, back to Mel. He delayed coming to UK for a year and went to Fork Union Academy to get his grades in order. When he came back to UK he had grown into a man! He was an offensive juggernaut, had a pretty flat (but accurate) jumper and a killer baby hook. When he put up 42 against Tennessee he was practically unstoppable that night.

 

[Backer cutter]

Name your single (one) favorite UK basketball player of all time, and your age. Also tell why, or a story, if you want.

mine is Tayshaun Prince, and I’m 39. I used to go to Uk’s camps when I was in high school ( beginning of Tubby era). This was pre social media and YouTube, almost pre mainstream internet as we know it today. So we didn’t get all the crazy recruiting info and buzz around all the kids we have today, plus I was about a 16 or 17 year old kid myself: The high school aged kids in the camp would all have a current player or incoming recruit coach a team. Our coach was incoming freshmen and McDonald’s AA tayshaun prince. He was 2 years older than me and personified cool. And he couldn’t have been nicer. He coached our team that week, we won the camp tournament, he went on to do big things at Uk… I just loved his silky smooth left handed stroke, his defense, his tenacity. He was clutch.. The 5 3’s against UNc to start the game, the last one just across half court…. “HE’s NOT A PRINCE HE’S A KING’”.. is legendary and something I will never forget. 4 years, 1,775 points (8th all-time). Loved by fans. IMO his Jersey should be hanging in Rupp.

I’m 61, and it’s Jay Shidler. Used to shoot 25 footers at the rim on our smokehouse, which was on a hillside lol. I did turn into a good shooter from that range, but couldn’t outrun a turtle.

 

[jace2012]

I am 50 years old and my favorite player is Mashburn although Mercer is far behind

 

[LASTUKMGR69]

Hey Piocat, quick question and I hope this is not too personal. Was the street Hollyhill Dr? Reason I ask is below.

I'm 59, probably 1975 or so I was in back seat of car with parents up front. We turned off of Clays Mill Rd onto Hollyhill taking a shortcut to Southland Drive. About 4 houses or so after turning onto Hollyhill, lo and behold unloading suitcases, etc. from a car parked on right side of road was Big Dan! As we approached my Dad blew the horn and we both waved, my eyes were probably the size of my face. Dan had his hands full but looked back at us, made eye contact, etc. Once past my Mom (who was a big UK fan) was embarrassed by it and hissed "George!" at my Dad. His response was "Honey, that was Dan Issel", like "what else was I supposed to do?". LOL Since Dan was unloading for an overnight stay, I always "assumed" that was his wife's parent's house because unless I'm delusional I think she grew up in Lexington.

So many players through the years.....but I'll go with the Dipper, Mel Turpin. I was a junior at Lafayette when he was a senior at Bryan Station (Dirk is an all time favorite as well), and there were some epic HS games between the two schools. Mel was tall but still pretty skinny. BS had two really small guards who were both sophmores IIRC. One was Leroy Byrd and having a brain cramp on the other. In '79 Lafayette was the super team, quite possible best ever in Kentucky HS history led by Dirk.

Anyway, back to Mel. He delayed coming to UK for a year and went to Fork Union Academy to get his grades in order. When he came back to UK he had grown into a man! He was an offensive juggernaut, had a pretty flat (but accurate) jumper and a killer baby hook. When he put up 42 against Tennessee he was practically unstoppable that night.

Issel wife maiden name was Hughes she is from Lexington

 

[Big Foot 275]

68 years old. Its Big Dan Issel for me. All time leading scorer and rebounder at UK.
The guy was unstoppable in college and pretty damn good as a pro also. 11th all time
scorer of ABA/NBA.

 

[bigbluehomer]

Issel wife maiden name was Hughes she is from Lexington

Thanks for confirming. First name I think is Cheri. If she grew up on Hollyhill then she also went to Lafayette, but well before my time.

 

[LASTUKMGR69]

Thanks for confirming. First name I think is Cheri. If she grew up on Hollyhill then she also went to Lafayette, but well before my time.

Correct her name is Cheri Issel