Players You Would Have Liked to Seen at UK

[Stoney Fork]

Often as I am watching a game, I find myself thinking, "I wish that guy had played for Kentucky." It's usually not a star type, but the hard working, blue collar type that goes out and does the things that don't always gain much attention by the media or fans. It's not hard to like the players that have All-American skills that gets them on Sportscenter night in and night out, but those players that can go out there and be counted on to get the stats each game are the ones that make the difference in a lot of teams. (We can certainly attest to that right now)

Do any of you have favorites that you thought would have fit in well at UK?

A couple of mine are David Lee who played for Florida and Paul Davis at Michigan State. Boy,I bet Tubby would liketo see Davis in the blue & white right now!

[hoosierhateruklover]

Of all the UK players in history,I would have LOVED to have seen Riley play as well as Mashburn, Ford, and Issel.

Other teams players that I would have liked to see play for UK: Shaq, Kobe, Allan Houston, Barkley, and Phil Jackson.

[Wildcat Larry]

Wesley Unseld. Then nobody would be watching The Glory Road. Instead the Cats would be in search of NCAA Championship #9 instead of #8.

[hoosierhateruklover]

Wildcat Larry wrote: Wesley Unseld. Then nobody would be watching The Glory Road. Instead the Cats would be in search of NCAA Championship #9 instead of #8.
Interesting I was thinking the same thing this whole week after I watched Glory Road and read Airball where Rupp had told Miller that if UK had Unseld, Texas Western wouldn't have came within 20 points of UK!

[The Old School JPS]

In addition to the above:

King Kelly Coleman. The greatest player in Kentucky high school history. He committed to West Virginia, didn't go there because Rupp turned him in for getting a car, and ended up playing at Kentucky Wesleyan. The guy could score from anywhere on the court almost effortlessly and had a strange ability to rebound his own shots for putbacks. At UK under Rupp's discipline he perhaps could've ended up as the greatest Wildcat ever.

Ralph Sampson. He was incredible in college at Virginia and almost came to UK where having him on the roster with Sam Bowie and Melvin Turpin (assuming all three were brought in, which I actually think Hall would've done) would've been remarkable.

Jeff Lamp. Played at Ballard in Louisville, went on to Virginia and I think went to the Final Four there. He played several seasons in the NBA too and was a first round draft choice. He was 6'6", played guard and forward, would've been a good addition to UK teams at the time (late 70s, early 80s).

Isiah Thomas. Unlike the two above he wasn't local or known (to me) to be interested in coming to UK, but he was an incredible college player and would've been fun to watch at UK and added a lot to those teams.

Rudy Macklin. Not nearly as good as the three above but he was a good player at LSU and played high school ball at Iroquois High in Louisville. Landing a good player out of Louisville back then, before Winston Bennett, would've been nice.

Gunther Benkhe. He was a German guy, 7'3" or something, that Hall had lined up to come to UK but he got homesick and left, never playing a game. That's always been a big 'what if' to me. I have no idea how good he was or could've been; for all I know he was another Rob Lock.

Clem Haskins. Having him at UK at that time would've been huge for many reasons.

Mike Redd. Same reasons as Haskins; since he went to the Army instead of college he's often not recalled as the incredible player he was, but he was on the national high school allstar teams with the likes of Lew Alcindor.

Jerry West. I don't know if UK was in the hunt for him but he'd have been an incredible addition to the program, especially then.

To me, King Kelly Coleman is the most intriguing possibility, followed by Ralph Sampson.

[The Old School JPS]

I should've included Butch Beard, Jim McDaniels and (so far) Chris Lofton.

[Stoney Fork]

After Saturday, I wish Jermareo Davidson was playing for the Cats!

[samsdad]

Jeff Mullins is the first that comes to mind. I believe he was from Louisville. Am I right about that?

Bob Pettit would have been nice, too.

[Wildcat Larry]

samsdad wrote: Jeff Mullins is the first that comes to mind. I believe he was from Louisville. Am I right about that?

Bob Pettit would have been nice, too.

Jeff Mullins went to Lexington Lafayette, my hated rival (I went to Henry Clay).

[cnice11]

some one else mentioned him, but, i would like to have seen Allen Houston.

[samsdad]

Gale Goodrich would have been nice.

[boomdaddy]

Shaun Alexander, who went to Alabama. He later stated that he woould have liked to have gone to UK, but Mumme never recruited him.