The Best Kentucky Player by Jersey Number

Earlier this week, apparel company Mitchell & Ness released a cool graphic showing the best NBA player by jersey number. I decided to be a total copycat and single out the best UK players by jersey number. This proved to be a much trickier venture than I imagined for a variety of reasons. First: Kentucky didn't put names on the backs of their jerseys until the 80's. Second, there just aren't a lot of pictures of the backs of players' jerseys at all, let alone the 1920's-70's. So, for the graphic's sake, I had to improvise via Photoshop. Huge shoutout to Jon Scott and his website BigBlueHistory.net for helping me with the project. Jon has every UK player listed by jersey number, which made this much easier than it could have been. As you might imagine, there are several players per number, so it came down to my judgment call as to who made the graphic. I'm sure some of you all will disagree with me. Check out the list in text form after the jump #00: Tony Delk (1992-96)

• All-American, 1996
• Final Four Most Outstanding Player, 1996

#0: Enes Kanter (2010-2011) (Yes, I'm counting Enes) #1: Darius Miller (2008-12)

• SEC Tournament MVP, 2011

#2: Aaron Harrison (2013-2015) #3: Rex Chapman (1986-88)

• SEC Tournament MVP, 1988

#4: Kyle Macy (1976-80)

• 1st team All-American, 1980

#5: Wayne Turner (1995-99)

• SEC Tournament MVP, 1998

#6: Cliff Hagan (1950-54)

• All-American, 1952, 1954

#7: Ralph Carlisle (1934-37) #8: Marvin Akers (1940-43) #9: Kenneth England (1940-42) #10: Louie Dampier (1964-67)

• All-American, 1966, 1967

#11: John Wall (2009-10)

• National Player of the Year, 2010
• National Freshman of the Year, 2010
• All-American, 2010
• SEC Tournament MVP, 2010

#12: Karl Towns (2014-2015)

• I realize I'll get a lot of heat for picking Karl above Ralph Beard from our more seasoned fans, but I'll stick by it. Beard was a consensus First Team All-American three years in a row and an Olympic champion, but he was only drafted in the second round of the NBA Draft. Karl has very good chance of being UK's third-ever #1 NBA Draft pick. Plus, I'm a huge fan, therefore I stand by it.

#13: Nazr Mohammed (1995-98) #14: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2011-12) #15: Willie Cauley-Stein (2012-15)

• 1st team All-American, 2015
• SEC Tournament MVP, 2015
• Tough pick over DeMarcus, but three years and being a consensus All-American put Willie on top

#16: Lou Tsioropoulos (1950-54) #17: Carey Spicer (1928-31)

• All-American, 1929, 1931
• Also played football and tennis

#18: Dale Barnstable (1946-50) #19: Forest Sale (1931-33)

• All-American, 1932, 1933
• National Player of the Year, 1933

#20: Doron Lamb (2010-12)

• All-NCAA Final Four Team, 2012

#21: Jack "Goose" Givens (1974-78)

• All-American, 1976, 1977, 1978
• National Player of the Year, 1978, Final Four Most Outstanding Player, 1978

#22: Alex Poythress (2012-2016) #23: Anthony Davis (2011-2012)

• National Player of the Year, 2012
• 1st team All-American, 2012
• Final Four Most Outstanding Player, 2012

#24: Jamal Mashburn (1990-93)

• 1st team All-American 1993
• All Final Four Team, 1993

#25: Anthony Epps (1993-97) #26: Ken Rollins (1942-48)

• Member of the Fab Five

#27: Wallace "Wah Wah" Jones (1945-49)

• All-American, 1947, 1948, 1949
• Member of the Fab Five

#30: Frank Ramsey (1950-54)

• All-American, 1951, 1952, 1954

#31: Sam Bowie (1979-84)

• All-American, 1981, 1984

#32: Jared Prickett (1992-95)

• Got the nod over Richie Farmer because he doesn't steal VCRs...that we know of

#33: Ron Mercer (1995-97)

• All Final Four Team, 1996
• All-American 1997

#34: Kenny "Sky" Walker (1982-86)

• All-American, 1985, 1986

#35: Kevin Grevey (1972-75)

• All-American, 1974, 1975

#36: Read Morgan (1949-51) #37: Gene Neff (1951-52) #38: Bobby Watson (1949-52) #39: Darrell Lorance (1946-46) #40: Walter McCarty (1992-96) #41: Trey Lyles (2014-2015) #42: Jamaal Magloire (1996-2000) #43: Jared Carter (2005-09) #44: Dan Issel (1967-70)

• All-American, 1969, 1970

#45: Bob Guyette (1972-75) #50: Bob Burrow (1954-56)

• All-American, 1955, 1956

#51: Dick Parsons (1958-61)

• Also played baseball

#52: Vernon Hatton (1955-58)

• All-American, 1958

#53: Rick Robey (1974-78)

• All-American, 1977, 1978

#54: Patrick Patterson (2007-10)

• Essential in the start of KSR ("Any news on Lucas or Patterson?")

#55: Josh Harrellson (2008-11) #66: Roger Layne (1949-51) #70: John Brewer (1954-57) #73: Dan Chandler (1953-55) #77: Bill Spivey (1949-52)

• All-American, 1950, 1951
• National Player of the Year, 1951

#88: Bill Smith (1955-58)