The Best Basketball Players in Kentucky History
The Best Basketball Players in Kentucky History
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- Anthony Davis is known for Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021), House Party (2023) and Los Angeles Lakers (2022). He has been married to Marlen P since 18 September 2021. They have one child.
- John Wall was born on 6 September 1990 in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. He is an actor, known for Run It Back (2022), The NBA on TNT (1988) and Sixth Man: Bluesanity (2013).
- Jamal Mashburn is a retired American professional basketball player. Nicknamed the "Monster Mash," Mashburn was a prolific scorer as a small forward in his 12 seasons in the league, with a career scoring average of 19.1 points per game. After attending Cardinal Hayes High School in The Bronx, Mashburn had a very successful basketball career in college, playing for the University of Kentucky. He was the fourth-leading career scorer for the Wildcats and a consensus First Team All-American by his junior year, in which the Wildcats made it to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. Following the tournament he declared for the 1993 NBA draft, with Mashburn being selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the fourth pick.
Mashburn's best overall NBA season took place in the 2002-03 season, and he played in all 82 games averaging 21.6 points per game. He played in his first and only All-Star game, scoring 10 points in the 2003 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, won the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award in March and made the All-NBA Third Team. The season also featured some high scoring games for Mashburn, including a 50-point performance against Memphis on February 21 and a 40-point game against Orlando on March 26. The Hornets won 47 games and faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs, but Mashburn played in only four games of the series which went to six games. Mashburn, who averaged 20.8 points per game in 2003-04, is one of only six players since 1970 to have averaged at least 20 points per game in his final NBA season.
Since retiring from basketball, Mashburn has worked for ESPN as an analyst and launched a number of successful business ventures. - Russell Tshiebua is known for Alain Platel: nicht schlafen - Les Ballets C de la B (2016) and Coup de Grace (2023).*Oscar Tshiebwe
- DeMarcus Cousins was born on 13 August 1990 in Mobile, Alabama, USA. He is a producer, known for DeMarcus Cousins Presents Boogie's Comedy Slam (2020), Boogie's Comedy Slam Presents Rookie of the Year: Lewis Belt (2020) and The Resurgence: DeMarcus Cousins (2019). He has been married to Morgan Lang since 24 August 2019. They have two children.
- Tayshaun Prince was born on 28 February 1980 in Compton, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Hood of Horror (2006), NBA on ESPN (1982) and The 2004 NBA Finals (2004). He has been married to Farah Brown since September 2005.
- Dan Issel was born on 25 October 1948 in Batavia, Illinois, USA. He has been married to Cheryl Kay Hughes since 14 June 1969. They have two children.
- Additional Crew
Eric Ulis is known for History's Greatest Mysteries (2020), Expedition Unknown (2015) and D.B. Cooper: Where Are You?! (2022).*Tyler Ulis- De'Aaron Fox has been married to Recee Caldwell since 6 August 2022.
- Jamal Murray is known for UFC 290: Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez (2023), UFC 293 (2023) and The NBA on TNT (1988).
- Julius Randle is married to Kendra Shaw. They have one child.
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brandon Knight is known for The Countdown.- Wyatt Nash was born on 2 October 1988 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. He is an actor, known for Dear White People (2017), GLOW (2017) and Riverdale (2017). He has been married to Aubrey Swander since 16 September 2017.*Cotton Nash
- Terrence Jones is known for Wildlife: A Storytelling Manifesto (2017) and Stalked: Someone's Watching (2011).
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is known for Handle with Care: The Legend of the Notic Streetball Crew (2021), The NBA on TNT (1988) and NBA on NBC (1990).
- After a strong collegiate playing career at the University of Kentucky that saw the team make the NCAA Championship Game in 1975. The team lost to UCLA and legendary coach John Wooden the final game of the NCAA tournament. This would be John Wooden's last game as coach at UCLA.
Grevey was drafted 18th overall by the Washington Bullets in the NBA Draft, and played with them for eight of his ten professional seasons. The Bullets won the NBA Finals in his third season with the team. The small forward played for the Milwaukee Bucks for two seasons from 1983 to 1985 before he retired at age 31. - Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Karl-Anthony Towns is a Black, Dominican-American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association. On the court, Karl is a fierce competitor and one of the most dominant players in the game. Off the court, he is a businessman, philanthropist and son who is making strides to build his brand and support his community.
After playing one year at the University of Kentucky, Towns was selected as the first overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. As an early standout, he received the 2015 Rookie of the Year award and was selected for the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He quickly became the face of the franchise leading his team to the playoffs in 2017-18.
The New Jersey native is a three-time NBA All-Star, one-time All-NBA Third Team selection, NBA Three Point Contest Champion, SEC Freshman of the Year, Gatorade National Player of the Year and a McDonald's All-American.
Towns' business partnerships include Nike, Gatorade, Beats by Dre, 2K Sports, Cue Health, ASUS, State Farm, Panini and more.
Off the court, Towns is known for acting appearances on National Champions, What Men Want, Netflix's High Flying Bird, and Disney's Big City Greens.
Towns is dedicated to his community. He is an active supporter of HopeKids, an organization that provides support for families who have a child with cancer or some other life-threatening medical condition. In March of 2020, he donated $100,000 to the Mayo Clinic to develop a test to rapidly detect COVID-19.- Kenny 'Sky' Walker was born on 18 August 1964 in Roberta, Georgia, USA.
- Rajon Rondo was born on 22 February 1986 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. He is an actor, known for Just Wright (2010), Black-ish (2014) and The NBA on TNT (1988).
- Bam Adebayo was born on 18 July 1997 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. He is an actor, known for The NBA on TNT (1988), NBA on NBA TV (1999) and NBA on ESPN (1982).
- Rex Chapman was previously married to Bridget Hobbs.
- Executive
Cliff Hagan is Executive Vice President, Customer Operations at Charter Communications. Mr. Hagan joined Charter in 2015 as Vice President, Business Integration and has served in several leadership roles, including Group Vice President of Technical Operations Support, and Senior Vice President of Shared Services for Customer Operations. He was appointed to his current position in 2019 and leads Charter's Customer Operations, including customer service, billing operations and credit and collections.
Prior to joining Charter, Mr. Hagan served as Senior Vice President, Enterprise IT, for Cablevision Systems Corporation (now part of Altice USA). He also held multiple leadership positions at GE Aerospace and in the U.S. Navy.
He received a B.S. in engineering from the United States Naval Academy.- Tyler Herro is known for White Men Can't Jump (2023), The NBA on TNT (1988) and NBA on NBA TV (1999).
- Chris Mills was born on 25 January 1970 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Blue Chips (1994), Da Game of Life (1998) and 1993 NBA Draft (1993).
- Antoine Walker was born on 12 August 1976 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is a producer, known for Gone in an Instant (2020), WGN Morning News (1994) and 1996 NBA Draft (1996).
- Sound Department
- Editor
- Cinematographer
Will Hagans is known for As Night Falls (2010), Experiment 7 (2009) and Tastes Just Like Chicken (2008).*Ashton Hagans- Eric Bledsoe has been married to Morgan Poole since 7 July 2017. They have three children.
- Stunts
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Young is known for Avengers: Endgame (2019), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Black Widow (2021).- Mike Casey is known for A Search for SABE (2022).
- Additional Crew
Mike Pratt is known for Panorama (1953).- Archie Goodwin was born on 8 September 1937 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He was a writer, known for Luke Cage (2016), The Defenders (2017) and Batman: Black and White (2008). He died on 1 March 1998 in New York, USA.
- Actor
- Art Director
- Additional Crew
Andrew Harrison is known for Dorian Gray (2009), Eyes in the Dark (2010) and Florence Nightingale (2008).- Frank Ramsey was born on 13 July 1931 in Corydon, Kentucky, USA. He died on 8 July 2018 in Madisonville, Kentucky, USA.
- *Heshimu Evans
- Walter McCarty was born on 1 February 1974 in Evansville, Indiana, USA. He is an actor, known for He Got Game (1998), Sixth Man: Bluesanity (2013) and 1996 NBA Draft (1996).
- Jim Andrews is known for Rip Van Winkle (1978).
- Nerlens Noel was born on 10 April 1994 in Malden, Massachusetts, USA.
- Patrick James Riley (born March 20, 1945) is an American professional basketball executive, and a former coach and player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has been the team president of the Miami Heat since 1995 and head coach in two separate tenures (1995 through 2003, and 2005 through 2008). Regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams. He won four with the Los Angeles Lakers during their Showtime era in the 1980s, and one with the Heat in 2006.
- Sam Bowie was born on 17 March 1961 in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Composer
Isaiah Briscoe is known for Fate (2017).- Melvin Turpin was born on 28 December 1960 in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. He died on 8 July 2010 in Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
- John Pelphrey was born on 18 July 1968 in Paintsville, Kentucky, USA. He is married to Tracy Lyon. They have two children.
- Derek L. Anderson Sr was born in Louisville Ky in 1973. Abandoned by his parents at the age of 10, he would find himself sleeping in empty apartment buildings, old school buses, and even his high school gymnasium. He would become a single parent at age 15, work two jobs, but stayed focused enough to graduate with a 3.7GPA as Class President. Derek believed that living in poverty was just a mind set and even at a young age he believed that winning was a choice, as well as losing. He would earn a full scholarship to The Ohio State University and then transfer to the University of Kentucky, where he won the NCAA Championship in 1996. Derek was drafted as the 13th pick in the 1997 NBA draft and became the 1st player signed to the Michael Jordan Brand and was given his own signature shoe. With his first check from the NBA, he started his own company, DA Enterprises and then established The Derek Anderson Foundation. The Foundation supplies resources for abused and battered women and children who are without guidance. His first event would raise money to send 4 high school students to college and as of 2013, the Foundation has sponsored and watched over 30 students graduate from college. In 2006, Derek won a World Title with the Miami Heat, becoming 1 of 13 players to win an NCAA and NBA championship. After an eleven year NBA career he would retire in 2008. After retirement, he expanded his business life and opened two hotels in Turks & Caicos, his own film studio (Loyalty Media Group), and began writing novels and screenplays. In 2010, Derek produced and directed the documentary "The Untouchables of Kentucky." After not seeing his parents for more than 24 years, he went to find them both. Derek found his father and 10 months later he lost his battle with cancer. That same year, he found his mother in the back of an alley hooked on drugs. He helped get her cleaned up and years later; they finally had their first Christmas dinner together in over 28 years. These life events inspired Derek to write his autobiography and screenplay entitled, Stamina. He is now traveling the world domestically and abroad sharing life nuggets on how to stay on the right path while walking on a rough road. Derek's message is to "Never Allow Someone's Opinion of You To Become Your Reality."
- Travis Ford was born on 29 December 1969 in Madisonville, Kentucky, USA. He is an actor, known for The Sixth Man (1997), Beyond the Glory (2001) and Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993).
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Tom Payne is known for Around the World in 80 Days (2009) and Wanted Down Under (2007).- Special Effects
- Sound Department
Tom Parker is known for Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (2009) and Mystic Midway: Rest in Pieces (1992).- Keldon Johnson is known for The NBA on TNT (1988), NBA on ESPN (1982) and NBA on Bally Sports (2021).
- Frederick Robert "Rick" Robey (born January 30, 1956) is a retired American professional basketball player. At 6'11", he played the center and forward positions. Robey was the third overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft, selected by the Indiana Pacers. Robey then played eight seasons (1978-86) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics before being traded to the Phoenix Suns.
- Louie is a Chimpanzee. He was born December 2, 1995. He stared in MVP: Most Valuable Primate (2000), MVP 2: Most Vertical Primate (2001), MXP: Most Xtreme Primate (2003), and Spymate (2003). Most famous for the MVP Series in which he shared the role of Jack with Bernie, but he also played Jack's brother Louie. He was trained by Greg and Carol Lille at Goin' Ape to play Hockey, Skateboard, and Snowboard. He was relocated to The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Maryland in 2010 after the closure of Goin' Ape. He still resides there and had a child in 2019, Violet.*Louie Dampier
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Alexandru Groza was born on 27 September 1948 in Adjud, Vrancea, Romania. He is a cinematographer, known for Intîlnirea (1982), Masca de argint (1985) and Colierul de turcoaze (1986).*Alex Groza- Sound Department
Winston Bennett is known for They Charge for the Sun (2016), The NBA on CBS (1973) and Dishing Tea with Big Meach (2009).- Stunts
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Actor
Dan Bradley is known for The Bourne Supremacy (2004), Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).*Ramel Bradley- Mark Edward Pope is an American basketball coach and former player who is the nineteenth and current head coach of the Brigham Young University men's basketball team. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, where he was part of the Wildcats' 1996 NCAA championship team, and the Washington Huskies, where he was the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. He later played professionally in the National Basketball Association for the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets.
- Jamaal Magloire is known for Shoot the Messenger (2016), FreeUp! Emancipation Day (2023) and 2004 NBA All-Star Game (2004).
- Actor
- Producer
Don Estill is known for Finding Hermann (2003), New Guy (2003) and She Speaks: Unapologetic Voices of Black Women (2021).*Marquis Estill- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Mike Prickett is an extreme "Director of Photography" from the North Shore of Hawaii. He has been shooting for 24 years and focuses on the action sports for feature films, commercials and television. His specialty is the water cinematography. He has shot in nearly every ocean in the world and has won many awards for his work. Some of his current awards are:
Best cinematography - Sundance Film Festival- Xdance - Surfers Poll award- Best Cinematography- Louis Vuitton Film Festival - Best picture- ESPN - Most Creative--and much more.
Some current feature films as cinematographer or "Director of Photography" are Billabong Odyssey, X Men 2, Riding Giants, Step Into Liquid, Blue Horizon, The Ride, Day of Days, Red Sky Morning, and the list goes on. He also works with all the major television networks like NBC, CBS, ABC, National Geographic, BBC, Learning Channel, Fox Sports, ESPN, etc.
In addition to this years Triple Crown of Surfing, he also shot the Super Bowl commercial for Anheuser Busch, and national spots for Nissan and Lexus.*Jared Prickett- Sean Woods is known for The New Mike Hammer (1984).
- Actor
- Cinematographer
- Director
David Minniefield is known for Checkmate (2019), The Margaret Sanger Story (2013) and The Maria Orsic Story (2017).*Dirk Minniefield- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Script and Continuity Department
Anthony Epp is known for 13 Miles (2022), The Quiet Canadians: The Web Series (2016) and Ruthless Bastards. He is married to Helena Thom.*Anthony Epps- Patrick Sparks is known for WWE Sunday Night Heat (1998).
- Larry Conley is known for Disney's Animated Storybook: Toy Story (1996).
- Actor
Ellis was a first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1962 and was the backup center to Wilt Chamberlin on the 1971-72 NBA championship team. He was a forward/center who played 14 seasons in the NBA and averaged 9.7 points and 8.3 rebounds. A New York City native, he played college basketball at St. John's University where he averaged 23.5 points a game as a senior, when he received the 1962 Haggerty Award as the New York metropolitan area's best collegiate player. The Lakers chose him with the sixth pick of the 1962 draft and he played four seasons in Los Angeles before being traded to Baltimore. He spent four seasons with the Bullets, and became the first starting center for the expansion Portland Trail Blazers in 1970. The next year the Trail Blazers traded him back to the Lakers. He was traded to Philadelphia in 1972 and played there four years. He played in the NBA finals four times, all with the Lakers. After his basketball career ended in 1976, he lived in Los Angeles and worked for a tire company, then moved to Portland and worked in property management until his illness forced him to stop working in 2009.*LeRon Ellis- Jimmy Danelli is known for The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1988), Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (1999) and Ellen (1994).*Jimmy Dan Conner
- Larry Nelson Steele (born May 5, 1949) is a former professional basketball player, best known for being on the Portland Trail Blazers team that won the 1977 NBA Finals. Born in Greencastle, Indiana, Steele grew up in Bainbridge, Indiana, and played collegiately at the University of Kentucky under coach Adolph Rupp. After his playing days, he worked in the Blazers front office in marketing and served as a commentator with broadcaster Bill Schonely. Steele later worked as a broadcaster for the NBA on CBS and as a head coach at the University of Portland from 1987 to 1994.
- Andre Liggins is known for Original Stereotype (2014) and The Last Favor (2010).*DeAndre Liggins
- Sound Department
Dale Brown is known for The Stick Up (2002), Scenes of the Crime (2001) and A Murder of Crows (1998).- Actor
- Additional Crew
Jeff Sheppard is known for BTS: The Web Series and Kiss Tape (2016).