Who Are the 12 Best UK NBA Players of the Modern Era?

In five years, the NBA is going to look like the University of Kentucky's Graduate school. There is a very good chance that, assuming Calipari remains in Lexington, 2/3 of the NBA teams will have a UK player on their roster in five years and the debate about "who is the best UK pro?" can rage throughout the fan base. But what about up until that point? As of this moment, what does the historical NBA landscape of Kentucky players actually look like? I have done some research on the subject and was surprised to find that actually the history of UK players in the pros up to this point is not really all that strong. Even though Kentucky has won eight national championships and is the most decorated college program in history, the success in the NBA has not been quite as overwhelming as I would have imagined. I decided to go back in time, looking at Kentucky professionals in the NBA since 1960 (which admittedly does leave out Cliff Hagan and Frank Ramsey, but does coincide with around the time the game became more integrated and a full-time profession). A study of the Cats in the pros during that time led to some interesting discoveries: --- Only 25 players from UK have ever played at least 5 years in the NBA. This statistic surprised me a bit as I would have assumed the number was higher. If one looks at UK's history as a whole (pre-Calipari), the school has produced a pro with a 5 year career only about once every two years. That number seemed low to me. --- UK players have only made 24 All Star games in the history of the league. And 14 of those All Star games (combining ABA and NBA) were played by two players, Dan Issel and Louie Dampier. Kentucky has had significantly fewer elite players in the league over history that anyone would have imagined. --- Only four UK players have scored over 10,000 points in their NBA career. Issel, Dampier, Antoine Walker and Jamal Mashburn all reached that milestone, but until Tayshaun Prince next reaches the milestone (probably next season), they will remain the only four at that peak. With that as a backdrop, I thought it worthwhile to rank the TOP 12 NBA PLAYERS in the HISTORY OF KENTUCKY BASKETBALL. The list is a combination of numbers, winning, importance and longevity and is based as much as possible on the statistical evidence of success, not just who seemed "better." The list includes ABA and NBA Regular Season stats (they do not include playoff performances) and is of course quite temporary. When we revisit in a decade, it will look ENTIRELY different. But for now, going into the era of Calipari, here is how it stands: 12. JAMAAL MAGLOIRE: Games 680 Points 4917 PPG 7.2 Rebounds 4405 Assists 387 The battle for the final spot in the top 12 was a tight one, with the two big men who manned the paint at the same time, Magloire and Nazr Mohammed fighting it out. Magloire gets the nod because his Points per game, rebounds and career peak were all slightly higher than our friend Nazr. Magloire's career has seen him bounce around the NBA, but he has finished 12 seasons and even made an All Star team. The latter accomplishment is likely the most surprising, as the big man not only made the All Star team, but actually led the East in scoring. His reputation in the NBA was a lot like that at Kentucky...he was a bruiser who would throw elbows, rebound, block shots and get technical fouls. Seeing him at #12 overall amongst all UK players illustrates (a) just how different the college and pro games truly are and (b) how hard work and a niche can elevate a mediocre player into a NBA contributor. 11. SAM BOWIE: Games 511 Points 5564 PPG 10.9 Rebounds 3845 Assists 1075 The 11th best player in UK history is also the most maligned, as Sam Bowie will forever be remembered as the player taken before Michael Jordan. His career was marred by injury and if you believe the popular mindset, he is the all-time biggest bust in Draft history. However his problems were not talent, but rather injury related. During his healthy times, he was a 14-15 point a game scorer that had an intimidating presence on the defensive end of the court. Unfortunately for Bowie, in only 3 of his 10 season was he able to play at least 70 games, and his two foot injuries early in his NBA career hampered his effectiveness. Still, he averaged in double figures for his career in scoring and was a better big man than most give credit and should be remembered fondly by Cat fans forever. 10. KEVIN GREVEY: Games 672 Points 7364 PPG 11.0 Rebounds 1594 Assists 1247 The legend of Washington cracks the top ten for the Cats, with a 10 year career that included some top-level performances. Grevey had the classic NBA mid-level player life...his first two years were his attempt to ease into the league, and then from 1977-1982, he was a star for the Washington Bullets. During this time, 15.5 points a game and was nearly an All Star on two occasions. But afterwards, his career dipped and he spent five season averaging less than 7 points a game. Still, his five years of top-flight basketball put him in the Top 10 and if you ask people in the know, he has the coolest sleeping situation (waterbeds for all!) of anyone who has ever played in Lexington. 9. RON MERCER: Games 432 Points 5892 PPG 13.6 Rebounds 1298 Assists 921 Ron Mercer's NBA career is all about perspective. On the one hand, he played eight years, five of which were at an extremely high level, averaging 16.5 points a game. He came into the league with promise and scored in bunches, showcasing his athleticism and versatility. On the other hand, he was the perpetual underachiever. He played for seven different organizations, never able to truly make his mark and usually putting up points for bad teams. His career collapsed after five years, and his last three season saw him struggling to play and floating around the league. Mercer should have been a top 5 player on this list. His talent was as high as almost anyone to play at UK. But his performance never quite matched up and he slides in right here, as we all still wait for the basketball on his arm to finally get through the hoop. 8. DEREK ANDERSON: Games 615 Points 7357 PPG 12.0 Rebounds 1988 Assists 2083 Derek Anderson's career followed a similar path to Mercer's albeit with fewer peaks and valleys and more consistency. He found himself on 8 NBA teams over the course of his career, peaking in his third season when he scored 17 points a game for the Clippers. He was generally a 10-12 point a game scorer, who often came off the bench and provided a spark, while being a great teammate. His career often involved injury issues, as he only played over 65 games a year twice in his 11 season career. But like at Kentucky, he bounced back from such injuries and was always able to make an impact when in the game. Unfortunately for Derek, his teams were rarely good and he only made the second round of the playoffs once in his NBA career. 7. TAYSHAUN PRINCE: Games 724 Points 9313 PPG 12.9 Rebounds 3380 Assists 1922 One of only a handful of former UK players to win a gold medal, Tayshaun Prince is in a spot on this list that would be similar to his spot on a UK player list in general...higher than most imagine. He will likely finish his NBA career as the 5th highest scorer in UK history (at least until the next generation comes along) and has done something few others on this list have as well, won a world title. He has never been a huge NBA star, but his valuable team play and defense made him a "chemistry" addition to the 2008 Olympic Team. His block on Reggie Miller is one of the most remembered defensive plays in NBA history and his versatility has made him a solid successful player for now over a decade. 6. RAJON RONDO: Games 437 Points 4630 PPG 10.9 Rebounds 1941 Assists 3523 When the list is revised in a decade, not only will Calipari players potentially dominate, but Rajon Rondo will be much closer to the top. The two-time All Star is in the middle of his prime and has seen his stock rise to become one of the greatest players in the game. He is already second all-time among UK players in Assists and he has won an NBA title, while contending on three other teams. Like at Kentucky, his surliness with teammates causes issues, but on the court, he is the perfect team player, finding others with passes that seem to defy gravity. Rondo is hurt a bit by the fact that this list doesn't include postseason numbers, as his best performances tend to be in the playoffs. Still, Rondo had his best season ever last year and his final resting place on the list will be higher than #6. 5. REX CHAPMAN: Games 666 Points 9731 PPG 14.6 Rebounds 1645 Assists 1798 Undoubtedly the coolest player from the state of Kentucky ever (yes, I will stand by that statement), King Rex is a Bluegrass legend, the likes of which we may never see again. Depending on who you ask, people either overvalue or undervalue, Rex's NBA career, often due to how they perceived him. He was the first ever pick of the Charlotte Hornets' franchise and he played 12 solid seasons in the NBA, averaging in double figures in 11 of them. His best season from a production standpoint may have come with Washington in 1994, when he averaged 18 points a game. But the strongest part of Rex's career was his consistency. He always was able to score at a high level, up through his final year with the Phoenix Suns. While never quite making an NBA All Star team, Rex was always one of the primary scorers on his team and his highlight reel additions would have made him a modern day YouTube superstar. King Rex was ahead of his time. 4. JAMAL MASHBURN: Games 611 Points 11,644 PPG 19.1 Rebounds 3271 Assists 2414 The Monster Mash was the second best college player in UK history (in my mind at least), and comes in 4th on the list of all time NBA players from Lexington. Mashburn was a scoring machine in the NBA, averaging over 20 points a game six times during his career, including his final four seasons in the league. When he left after 2004 due to injuries, he was still a productive player and likely had the ability to prolong his career. But Mashburn didn't want to be anything but the best of his abilities, and we saw that from 1995 (when he averaged 24 a game for Dallas and famously scored 50 against Scottie Pippen) to his 21.6 a game with New Orleans in 2003. Mashburn made one All Star team, but was perpetually on the cusp, just barely missing on All NBA and All Star accolades. He might have been the best all-around scorer to ever come from UK in the pros and has his career missed a few more injury problems, he could have retired as one of the best to play the game. 3. LOUIE DAMPIER: Games 960 Points 15,289 PPG 15.0 Rebounds 2543 Assists 4687 When I started this research, I had no notion that Louie Dampier would end up third on the final chart. But after a look at his production, it is the clear choice. Dampier played 9 seasons in the ABA for the Kentucky Colonels and 3 in the NBA for the San Antonio Spurs, making the ABA All Star team 7 times. While some control for the fact that the ABA was likely a less powerful league is in order, Dampier's production cannot be denied. He averaged over 20 points a game the first three years of his career (peaking with 26 a game in 1970) and averaged at least 16 a game for his first eight seasons. He was also a great passer, holding the all time Assist record for UK players in the NBA. That level of production cannot be denied, as Dampier may be one of the very few old guard players who it can be said was even better at the professional level than in college. On a UK college list, Louie probably isn't #3, but on the pro list, it is where this Hall of Famer belongs. 2. ANTOINE WALKER: Games 893 Points 15,649 PPG 17.5 Rebounds 6892 Assists 3170 The man with the best shimmy ever seen in Lexington comes in as the #2 pro in UK history. Antoine Walker's career was that of a bright star that peaked at its highest point, but also came crashing to the ground. In his 12 year NBA career, Walker averaged over 20 points a game in six season, an unbelievable rate while carrying the Boston Celtics. He is one of only two players to find himself on the Top 5 list for all major stats, Points, Rebounds and Assists in UK history and his ability to fill up a box score is legendary. He was a three time All Star and at his absolute peak (2000-2003), he was one of the best players in the league. His versatility was ahead of its time and his inside-outside game was tough to stop. An inability to stay in shape and difficulties with coaches plagued the end of his career. However with the exception of the man at #1, no one who ever played at UK was better at their peak in the NBA than Antoine Walker. 1. DAN ISSEL: Games 1218 Points 27,502 PPG 22.6 Rebounds 11,133 Assists 2707 Simply put, Dan Issel is the greatest player to ever play at Kentucky and it is not even close. His numbers are simply astounding. He played 15 years in the NBA, averaging at least 17 points a game in all but his final season. He averaged 20 points a game or more in 12 of his 15 years. In his second season with the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA, Big Dan averaged over 30 POINTS A GAME for the year. His scoring productivity over his career more than doubles all but two UK players ever. His rebounding more than doubles all but one. His final per game scoring average of 22.6 almost blows the mind. He was durable workhorse who only missed a handful of games throughout the entirety of his NBA career. He is one of the Top 50 players in history according to the NBA and those who saw him in his prime insist there were few better. He is at the top of the all-time UK players in college list and today he on top of the NBA list as well. Dan Issel, the best to ever represent the Blue and White in the Pros. OTHERS WITH 5 YEARS PRO EXPERIENCE: Pat Riley, Larry Steele, Rick Robey, Kyle Macy, Melvin Turpin, Kenny Walker, Tony Delk, Walter McCarty, Mark Pope, Nazr Mohammed, Scott Padgett, Keith Bogans, Chuck Hayes CAREER LEADERS:

Games

1. Dan Issel 1218 2. Louie Dampier 960 3. Antoine Walker 893 4. Nazr Mohammed 834 5. Tayshaun Prince 724

Points

1. Dan Issel 27,582 2. Antoine Walker 15,649 3. Louie Dampier 15,289 4. Jamal Mashburn 11,644 5. Rex Chapman 9,731

Points Per Game

1. Dan Issel 22.6 2. Jamal Mashburn 19.1 3. Antoine Walker 17.5 4. Louie Dampier 15.0 5. Rex Chapman 14.6

Rebounds

1. Dan Issel 11,133 2. Antoine Walker 6,892 3. Jamaal Magloire 4,405 4. Nazr Mohammed 4,297 5. Sam Bowie 3,845

Assists

1. Louie Dampier 4,687 2. Rajon Rondo 3,523 3. Antoine Walker 3,170 4. Dan Issel 2,707 5. Jamal Mashburn 2,414