Kentucky Greats: #21, Scott Padgett

There are some players that will be on this list that are not just on here because of how well they played based on their statistics. Players like Scott Padgett are on here for other reasons, how well they won in their tenure, how classy and loyal they were to the program, and how beloved they were by the Big Blue Nation. There have already been two other players like that on the list prior to Scott Padgett and they are Chuck Hayes and John Pelphrey. Both of them were great leaders and stayed around 4 years to try to win an NCAA Tournament Championship, although both were unsuccessful they won over the members of the Wildcat fan base by playing hard all the time and always doing what was best for the team. One way in which Scott Padgett was different than those two is he was just a bonifide winner. Padgett won three Regular Season Southeastern Conference Championships at UK and also was apart of 4 SEC Tournament Championship teams as well, obviously tied for the most by any player in history. Padgett also was lucky enough to be a member of not one but two NCAA National Championship teams in his 4 years at Kentucky including one as a part of the ’96 Kentucky team that many regard to be the best college basketball team ever. Padgett also improved each year he was at UK, something that many fans of the Wildcats come to appreciate in a player. Here are some of Padgett’s best accomplishments at Kentucky:

•  Chosen to the All-NCAA Final Four Team as a sophmore in college
•  Won many awards as a junior including: First-Team All-American, All-NCAA Final Four Team, All-NCAA Regional Team, Second Team All-SEC (How he made First-Team All-American and only Second Team All-SEC is beyond me), All-SEC Tournament Team & Academic All-SEC. Padgett is one of only three players in school history to be chosen to two All-NCAA Final Four Teams (Alex Groza & Ron Mercer)
•  As a senior Padgett made the: All-NCAA Regional Team, First Team All-SEC, SEC Tournament MVP & Academic All-SEC
•  Padgett ranks in the top 45 in: Career Points, Career Assists, Career Free Throws Made, Career Field Goals Made, Steals, Three Pointers Made, Three Pointers Attempted & Three Point Percentage

 Most people do not realize just how many awards Padgett won and how good he actually was. Most people think of him today as the under-appreciated guy who was out to prove everyone wrong but in reality he was nationally recognized in many categories. He even overcame academic suspension as a freshman to make the Academic All-SEC team twice, that is just a brief glimpse into how much determination he could have if he……. was determined.