The Top 50 Players in UK History Fan poll continues on, as we make our way closer and closer to that #1 spot.
For those that don’t know, the Top 50 Players in UK History poll is a fan poll comprising ENTIRELY of votes from you, our dear readers.
Some of the votes so far have been, to put it into mild terms, interesting, but it’s democracy at work. It also teaches us that every vote counts.
As a refresher, Here’s positions 50-31:
50. Mike Casey
49. Dicky Beal
48. Cameron Mills
47. Anthony Epps
46. Dirk Minniefield
45. Patrick Sparks
44. Alex Groza
43. Eric Bledsoe
42. Walter McCarty
41. Melvin Turpin
40. Frank Ramsey
39. Wayne Turner
38. Terrence Jones
37. DeAndre Liggins
36. Ron Mercer
35. Josh Harrellson
34. Scott Padgett
33. Wah Wah Jones
32. Travis Ford
31. Keith Bogans
Will positions 21-30 be as controversial as the rest? Let’s find out.
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30. Rick Robey
(1975-1978)[/B][/CENTER]
Rick Robey is one of the few Cats in history to have a championship in high school, college and the NBA. He’s also one of the few players to have his number retired by the team. Jack “Goose” Givens may get a lot of the credit for the 1978 NCAA Championship run, and deservedly so, but Robey was just as important a component for that team as anyone. Robey average 14.4 points and 8.2 rebounds his senior season, and was its most dependable big man. Robey is 23[SUP]rd[/SUP] on the Career Points list at UK with 1,395 and ninth on the career rebounds list with 838.
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29. Cliff Hagan
(1951-1952, 1954)[/B][/CENTER]
When it comes to big scorers and playmakers, they didn’t come much better than Cliff Hagan. A two-time All-American, “Lil’ Abner” went on to have one of the most outstanding careers in UK History, ending up 17[SUP]th[/SUP] on the Career points list with 1,475 and third on the career rebounds list with 1,035. Hagan went on to have a successful NBA career, winning a world championship with the St. Louis Hawks in 1958. Despite this, he’s probably best known in the NBA as being part of the trade that sent Bill Russell to the Boston Celtics. Hagan went on to become Kentucky’s Athletic Director from 1975-1988.
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28. Ralph Beard
(1946-1949)[/B][/CENTER]
They didn’t come much better than Ralph Beard. He was one of the fabled “Fab Five”, along with Wah Wah Jones, Alex Groza, Kenny Rollins and Cliff Barker. He’s considered one of the best guards who ever played the game, and was well on his way to a NBA superstar career when a point shaving scandal ended his NBA tenure just barely after it started. Despite the controversy, Beard was revered for his speed and athleticism. He sits 15[SUP]th[/SUP] on the Career Points list with 1,517. Beard passed away in 2007 at age 79.
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27. Louie Dampier
(1965-1967)[/B][/CENTER]
Dampier comes from a long line of multi-sport athletes at Kentucky, displaying skill and athleticism at baseball as well as basketball. But it was the hardwood where Dampier really shined. Not only is he 12[SUP]th[/SUP] all-time in points score with 1,575, he was a charter member of the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels, and played with them through all nine of their professional seasons and becoming one of the faces of the fledgling sports league.
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26. Doron Lamb
(2011-2012)[/B][/CENTER]
There haven’t been many players in college basketball who’ve had the silky shooting touch of Doron Lamb. A dead-eye shooter, Lamb quickly made a name for himself as a scorer and long-range specialist. His deft shooting ability was a major contributing factor to the Cats’ Final Four appearance in 2011 and their National Championship in 2012. Despite playing for only two seasons, Lamb is one of only 60 players to have ever scored more than 1,000 points in their Big Blue career, and his 47.5% three point percentage is the highest of anyone to put on a Kentucky uniform, besting notable sharpshooters like Travis Ford, Derek Anderson, Cameron Mills and Walter McCarty.
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25. Brandon Knight
(2011)[/B][/CENTER]
Brandon Knight comes from a long line of John Calipari-coached point guards, and certainly proved he was worthy to be mentioned in the same breath as players like John Wall, Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans. Knight also brought a very cerebral game to the court, as well as a deadly shooting range. His 37.7% accuracy from downtown is good for 21[SUP]st[/SUP] all-time at Kentucky.
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24. Cotton Nash
(1962-1964)[/B][/CENTER]
Charles Francis “Cotton” Nash may be one of the most prolific scorers in Kentucky basketball history. In his three varsity seasons (freshmen weren’t eligible for Varsity sports back then), Cotton never scored less than 20.6 points per game. He left school as its leading all-time scorer (ninth today) with 1,770 career points. Cotton went on to play in both the NBA and ABA, as well as three seasons in major league baseball.
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23. Jodie Meeks
(2007-2009)[/B][/CENTER]
Jodie Meeks was one of Kentucky’s most prolific scorers and shooters. Even though his list of accolades is long, he’s probably best remembered for one game in particular. On January 13, 2009, in a game against rival Tennesee, Meeks broke the single-game scoring record previously held by the legendary Dan Issel by dropping 54 points on the hated Vols. He also broke the record for most three pointers made in a game by a Cat by hitting ten. That game was one of the few bright spots in what became one of its most miserable seasons. Meeks ended up declaring for the NBA Draft after that season, and some contend that Kentucky would have easily won a National Championship had he returned, partnering with freshman newcomers John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe.
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22. Pat Riley
(1965-1967)[/B][/CENTER]
Pat Riley made his name at Kentucky with deft shooting and a nice scoring touch. As good as Riley was as a player (18.3 career points per game and 18[SUP]th[/SUP] on the All-time scoring list), he would become more well known as a coach, becoming one of the greatest coaches in NBA history by winning World Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.
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21. Darius Miller
(2009-2012)[/B][/CENTER]
Described by some as the last of the great Kentucky seniors, Darius’ career wasn’t always as glowing as it was his senior season. At times, he seemed to get lost in the shuffle, deferring to “superstar” teammates instead of taking the shot he could have just as easily made. Miller went from being just another face in the crowd to becoming one of Coach Calipari’s top shooting options. His shooting and senior leadership were key in both Kentucky’s 2011 Final Four appearance as well as their 2012 National Championship.
Well, how did the voters do this time? Did they get it right? Or did they get it wrong again? Let us know on our Facebook pages, on Twitter, or in the Comments section below. Thanks for reading!
