[I](NOTE: Due to an unforeseen technical difficulty, this article was unable to be posted on Friday as originally intended. It is posted today instead, with my sincerest apologies.)
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The results are in, and it’s time to count down YOUR selections for the Top 50 Kentucky Players of All Time! [B]This poll was compiled solely from the votes of YOU, the Nation of Blue Readers. By the people, and for the people.[/B]
A brief recap of what’s to come:
• Every Friday, we’ll count down ten of the players on your list, 50-41, 40-31, etc.
• On August 3rd, 2012, we’ll reveal your top ten and find out who you decided your favorite Kentucky player of all time was.
Today, we’ll see who you selected as the 41st – 50th best Cats of all time.
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[B]50. Mike Casey
(1968 – 1971)[/B][/CENTER]
A former Mr. Basketball Kentucky, Shelbyville resident Mike Casey signed on to play for Adolph Rupp’s Cats in 1968. A prolific scorer, he’s 14th all-time on Kentucky’s scoring list with 1,535 points over his playing career. This is especially impressive since he missed the 1970 season after he broke his leg in a car accident. Casey passed away from congestive heart failure in 2009. He was 60.
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[B]49. Dicky Beal
(1981-1984)
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Dicky Beal was exactly what you look for in a point guard. He was fast, he could distribute the ball, he played with confidence. Not to mention he played through a lot of injuries to his knees. Beal sits 15th on Kentucky’s Career Assists list, solidifying his place in Kentucky lore.
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48. Cameron Mills
(1995-1998)[/B][/CENTER]
It’s odd to call any Kentucky player a “rags to riches” story, but if you had to classify any player under that banner, it’d be Mills. A little-used walk-on his first two seasons, Mills had dreamed about playing at UK, following in the footsteps of his father Terry, a former UK letterman. He wasn’t recruited by then-coach Rick Pitino, and was set to accept a scholarship offer from Georgia when he made the life-altering decision to walk on for the Big Blue. Mills got his big break in 1997 and quickly solidified himself as a three-point specialist. Over his career, he had a 47.4% three point percentage, including shooting 53.2% in 1997.
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47. Anthony Epps
(1994-1997)[/B][/CENTER]
There’s never been a player so impactful, yet so overlooked, in Kentucky’s history than Anthony Epps. Epps, while just as important to his teams’ success, was often overlooked by his bigger-named teammates. A world-class ball handler and distributor, Epps sits second all-time on Kentucky’s career assists list with 544, which is 102 assists less than…
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46. Dirk Minniefield
(1980-1983)[/B][/CENTER]
…Dirk Minniefield’s Kentucky best 646 assists. Never in Kentucky’s history has there been such a keen-eyed distributor. Another former Mr. Basketball Kentucky, Minniefield was an incredible athlete and shooter, compiling a career 52.4% field goal percentage over his career.
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45. Patrick Sparks
(2004-2006)[/B][/CENTER]
Patrick Sparks becomes the first 21st century Cat to make the list, coming in at #45. A transfer from Western Kentucky, Sparks wowed fans with his shooting prowess. He is also remembered for hitting a huge three pointer to force overtime against Michigan State in the 2005 NCAA tournament.
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44. Alex Groza
(1945, 1947-1949)[/B][/CENTER]
One of Kentucky’s first great big men, “The Beak” was a dominate presence for Kentucky’s 1948 and 1949 championship teams. Groza averaged 20.5 points during his senior season en route to being the second overall selection in the 1949 NBA draft. Groza would have one of Kentucky’s most illustrious careers, despite being drafted for military service during the 1944-45 season. Groza died of lung cancer in 1995 at age 68.
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43. Eric Bledsoe
(2010)[/B][/CENTER]
We get our first “one and done” sighting at #43 on our list. Eric Bledsoe’s recruitment was overshadowed by the signing of the nation’s top recruit, John Wall, but Bledsoe had a tremendous impact all the same in his lone season. A versatile guard who could play both one and two guard, Bledsoe was counted on as a shooter and secondary scorer during the 2009-10 season. His athleticism was second to none, and what started as a player outside the ESPN Top 100 Recruits ended up the #18 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. Bledsoe stands as a testament to what John Calipari’s system can do for a player.
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42. Walter McCarty
(1994-1996)[/B][/CENTER]
Walter McCarty could very well be one of the best shooting big men not only in Kentucky history, but in the NCAA as well. A prolific shooter, Walter shot a career 40.1% from three point range, including 46.7% in his senior campaign in 1996. He was also one of the key figures in the NCAA record 31-point comeback against LSU. Walter’s three pointer with 19 seconds to go put them ahead to stay, capping off an amazing rally.
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41. Melvin Turpin
(1981-1984)[/B][/CENTER]
Melvin “Dinner Bell” Turpin was one half of the famed “Twin Towers” alongside Sam Bowie. While Bowie may get most of the recognition from those teams, Turpin was just as important to those teams’ success. His senior season in 1984, he contributed 15.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest to go along with nearly two blocked shots per game. Turpin ranks 16[SUP]th[/SUP] on Kentucky’s all-time scoring list with 1,509 career points. He was also known for his larger-than-life personality and his big heart, and was beloved by teammates and fans alike. Turpin passed away from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2010. He was 49 years old.
Agree with this list? Disagree? Is someone ranked too high? Too low? Let us your fellow fans and voters know in the comment section, or on our Facebook or Twitter pages! Be sure to check positions 40-31 next Friday!
