National Championships
Final Fours and national championships define Kentucky basketball. It’s why the program hangs nothing less than Final Four banners in Rupp Arena.
Kentucky returned to the Final Four in 2011 for the first time since 1998, marking the program’s 14th Final Four. More importantly, UK has won seven national championships, the second most in college basketball. Only UCLA – thanks to its John Wooden-led dynasty in the 1960s and 1970s – has more, with 11 total titles.
Unparalleled Success
Fans celebrate UK's 2,000th win against Drexel. (photo courtesy of UK Athletics)
The race was on during the 2009-10 season to reach uncharted territory. Locked in a battle to become the first program to capture 2,000 all-time wins, Kentucky beat North Carolina to the finish line with an 88-44 romp over Drexel.
As streamers and confetti showered the Rupp Arena floor, Kentucky legends – past and current – celebrated the historic achievement.
“We weren’t a part of many of those 2,000 wins and we had a job to do and that was drag us across the line before that other blue team got there,” John Calipari said at the time. “This is a special moment for this program and this state.”
Since that victory, Kentucky has stretched its lead over North Carolina and Kansas, the only two other schools that can claim 2,000 or more wins. With 2,052 all-time victories, Kentucky is the winningest program in the history of college basketball. Its winning percentage of .760 remains untouched.
UK’s first win was an 11-10 squeaker over Lexington YMCA on Feb. 18, 1903. Since that point, the rest of college basketball has tried to play catch-up.
A League of Their Own
If Kentucky were to try to create a Mount Rushmore of its most legendary players, coaches and figures, the debate may go on forever. The cast is simply too impressive.
But to honor some of its most storied figures over the program’s 109-year history, Kentucky has retired their jerseys. It is the ultimate honor for 42 former players, coaches and contributors. The streamlining of jersey numbers by the NCAA has ensured that the numbers remain active, but each selection has been presented with a framed jersey and a banner hung proudly from the Rupp Arena rafters.
According to former UK sports information director Russell Rice, the first jersey to be retired was Layton “Mickey” Rouse, an All-Southeastern conference guard who captained the 1940 UK squad. Two contributors have been selected for the basket program’s highest honor: Cawood Ledford, the radio “Voice of the Wildcats” for 39 years, and Bill Keightley, the lovable and dedicated equipment manager known as “Mr. Wildcat.”
Seven Wildcats have been in enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. In a who’s who list of Kentucky basketball greats, the honorees include Adolph Rupp, Cliff Hagan, Frank Ramsey, Dan Issel, C.M. Newton, Pat Riley and Adrian Smith.
Wildcats in the NBA
Even before John Calipari arrived at Kentucky, the program was adept at putting players in the NBA. Over the years, 101 Wildcats have been selected in the NBA, with many more making an NBA roster as undrafted free agents.
There are currently 16 Wildcats slated in the NBA, including nine from the last two seasons.
The 2010 class set an NBA record when five players were taken in the first round of the draft. Kentucky followed that up with four more players going in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Patrick Patterson was one of five Wildcats taken in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft. (photo courtesy of UK Athletics)
Eric Bledsoe (Los Angeles Clippers)
Keith Bogans (Chicago Bulls)
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings)
Chuck Hayes (Houston Rockets)
Josh Harrellson (New York Knicks)
Enes Kanter (Sacramento Kings)
Brandon Knight (Detroit Pistons)
DeAndre Liggins (Orlando Magic)
Jodie Meeks (Philadelphia 76ers)
Jamaal Magloire (Miami Heat)
Nazr Mohammed (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Daniel Orton (Orlando Magic)
Patrick Patterson (Houston Rockets)
Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons)
Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics)
John Wall (Washington Wizards)
All-Americans
A total of 52 Wildcats have earned All-America honors. Of those players, 16 were named consensus first-team All-America 21 times, the most of any Division I program.
The latest Wildcats to earn All-America honors were DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall in 2010. Both were named first-team All-Americans by the Associated Press. Wall went on to win the 2010 Adolph Rupp Trophy National Player of the Year.
The NCAA currently utilizes Sporting News, the AP, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
UK in the NCAA Tournament
Kentucky has made 51 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, more than any other school.
UK has captured the NCAA title seven times, been the national runner-up three times, made 14 Final Four appearances and another 33 Elite Eight stops. Its current record in the NCAA Tournament is 105-46. (.695 winning percentage).
SEC Dominance
The Southeastern Conference has been Kentucky’s stomping ground since 1933. It’s been a fun ride for the Wildcats from the very beginning.
In one of the more eye-popping statistics of dominance in college basketball, UK has won 44 SEC regular-season titles. The closest SEC school to UK is LSU with 10 titles.
Perhaps even more impressive is Kentucky’s unparalleled success in the league’s postseason tournament. In the 51 years the event has been held, Kentucky has captured 27 titles and won more than 85 percent of its games. Next in line among the schools in tournament titles is Alabama with six.
The Wildcats have won the last two conference tournaments, defeating Florida last year in Atlanta.
Thirteen players have won SEC Player of the Year honors with John Wall winning both the Associated Press and Coaches awards in 2010.
1,000-Point Club
An astonishing 57 players have scored more than 1,000 points in a Kentucky uniform. From Dan Issel (2,138), the program’s all-time scoring leader, to Bobby Watson (1,001 points), and everybody in between, all have made their mark at UK.
Here are the top 10 scorers:
1. Dan Issel – 2,138
2. Kenny Walker – 2,080
3. Jack Givens – 2,038
4. Keith Bogans – 1,923
5. Tony Delk – 1,890
6. Jamal Mashburn – 1,843
7. Kevin Grevey – 1,801
8. Tayshaun Prince – 1,775
9. Cotton Nash – 1,770
10. Alex Groza – 1,744
