Lost in all of the hoopla of recruiting this weekend, is the news that a former UK great has passed away. Mike Phillips, age 59, passed away after falling in his home in Madisonville.
The Ohio native was one half of the frontcourt dubbed the “Twin Towers” on UK’s 1978 National Championship Team that went 30-2 and beat Duke in the finals.
Former Wildcat Coach Joe B. Hall spoke about his former center on Monday with the Louisville Courier-Journal. “He was a gentleman. He was coachable,” Hall said. “He played all out on the floor and gave everything off the floor as a student-athlete.”
Hall also told the Courier that through the years Phillips and he had gone goose-hunting and fishing together. Then saying, “He was fun to be around, though he was what you’d call a quiet person,” Hall said. “He was very proud to be a Wildcat.”
Phillips finished his career at UK 25th on the all-time scoring list.
Coach Hall said he remembered Mike Phillips as “one of our best.”
