By LARRY VAUGHT
Last week we debated who was the best pure shooter in Kentucky basketball history and there were so, so many good answers. Louie Dampier got the most votes here, but there was a deep, deep list of names from players who went on to the NBA to bit players with a sweet shooting stroke.
Now comes this week’s question — who is the best rebounder in UK history?
Maybe it’s Anthony Davis. Or what about Winston Bennett. Don’t forget DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson. Then there is Chuck Hayes, perhaps the most ferocious rebounder I have ever seen play. My guy Jamaal Magloire could snag his share of boards.
Certainly the more experience readers will have names of UK stars who played from 1940-60.
Again, there are no right or wrong answers. Just Big Blue opinions that we all enjoy.
35 Responses to Who is the best rebounder in Kentucky basketball history
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In terms of age, I am one of the tweeners (not old enough to remember the Rupp era players but the right age to love the 1978 team). Chuck Hayes. If only for his performance in the Ole Miss game, when he told Coach Smith not to take him out of the game and he’d get the rebounds. And then proceeded to get every rebound. I still believe that had he not been in foul trouble during the Elite 8 matchup with Michigan State, we would have won the game. Why? Because we couldn’t get a rebound to save our life toward the end of regulation, and allowed Michigan State to keep the ball for a little over 2 minutes on one trip down the floor. I’ve always said that we were one rebound from the Final Four that year.
Not sure of his numbers but James Lee is the first to spring to mind. When he hit the floor he went after everything. He is the star of my “what ever it takes to win” club. He was such a fierce competitor. He is really one of my all time favorite players and a really nice guy(he is the uncle of a guy I worked with and is truely a nice guy)
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK GO BLUE OR STAY HOME
UKFMLY…..You bring up James Lee reminds me of the Championship game when he closed out the game with the dunk. My dad and I was watching that game and you couldn’t have written a better ending to the game. Lee will always be one of my favorites.
That Lee dunk was one of the best ever
True. One of the best ever by one of my favorites.
Patterson was on base to be the best overall in UK history…sure he would have done in 4 years a little more than Issel in 3 but in the modern era Patterson might have been the best. One other person left out of the conversation is Kenny Walker. He almost was a 2000 pts 1000 rbs guy….only one other of those. To me the best I have seen has to be Patterson, Bennett, Walker, Robey, Bowie and Chuck.
bob burrow. i think he got 50 in one game
@UKFMLY James Lee was such a bruiser I too thought he for sure would be high on the list but I looked him up after my post and to my surprise he is tied for 31st all time. I thought for sure he would be higher. It must be due to everyone he got looked like he would rip someone apart to get to the ball…thus so memorable he had to have had more.
Bob Burrow, UK All-American & Hall of Famer! Holds the records for most rebounds per game (17.7) in a season (459 in 26 games) and most rebounds per game (16.1) in a career (823 in 51 games).
GO CATS!
Bill Spivey and Bob Burrow come to my mind. At least they can’t be left out of the conversation.
Grant, if Im not mistaken the UK record is 34 held jointly bu Burrow and Spivey. Someone can correct me if wrong.
That is right Doug. Believe Cotton Nash had 30 and Dan Issel 29
Bob Burrow is 10th on the all-time career UK list, and he only played two years. No one else came close to him in rebounds per game. He averaged 16.1 rpg and the nearest to him on the top 10 list is Cliff Hagan at 13.4 rpg.
Bob was a really nice guy. He was the principle at Ft Knox high school in the 70′s and well like by my older brothers and sister. I grew up a stones throw from his farm in Radcliff and use to fish in his pond when I was in jr. high. A really nice guy.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK GO BLUE OR STAY HOME
How about Rondo? He lead the team in rebounds as a 6-2 guard. Image if he had been the height as some of the other UK rebounding greats. If you ask me who was the greatest pure rebounder, per inch, it was him.
Rondo was a good rebounder but only averaged 4.5 a game. Had played the next 2 season he would have ended his career at about 598 putting him 9 behind Terrance Jones and 31st on the all time list. He was good but not in the same category as the others. Without question the top guard I can remember at rebounding though.
Joshua and Brian, maybe our next question on best rebounding guard. like that idea
If we are going that I have seen Larry I would have to put Rondo at the top….Ramel was pretty good too but stats wise all time nobody but Dan Issel got more than Frank Ramsey who played guard for the Cats. 1038 in 3 seasons compared to 1078 by Dan in 3. Would have LOVED to see those 2 guys play….along with Hagan.
When I look back over the years and think of all the guys that have worn the KY uniform it would be impossible to pick one, two guys that were the best. Times have changed, the way the positions are played have changed, if Givens were playing now he would be a #2. The best I can say is, we as KY fans have been blessed to have had some of the greatest players ever to wear the KY uniform.
These three players rebounded with heart and effort. They are somewhat unsung in UK baskeball folklore, but deserve to be “on the list”.
Fred Cowan
Reggie Hanson
Charlie Hurt
Larry the best rebounder depends on what game i was watching or listening to . Big Mel T, Tom P, Twin Towers, and even Rex C. all had there moments in games . My pick today right now is Mr. Davis. The records are clear on whom has the most . Who could ever forget Cousin’s last second rebound and shot in the SEC Championship game or Davis tapping the ball 3 or 4 times and taking the rebound agaisnt Kansas . Larry it has been an honor to be an Kentucky Fan and as we are talking about such great players at Kentucky .I would like to ask an question that has always stuck in the back of my mind. Pat Riley ex Ky. player and if i am not mistaken 5 NBA Titles . I always thought someday he would coach the Cats or Issel back in the Day . Larry i see the NBA as an business and college as an sportThis is what i love about coach Cal he lives very comfortable coaching at Kentucky , it’s fun, and guess what it’s his team not some high profile player running the team. I see an man in coach Cal whom is his own man and not for sale .People ask could he win in the NBA where has his players gone in the NBA draft each year and more so how many. Larry John Wooden holds the most Titles in the game basketball .I hope Slick Rick is now Mr. Pinto untill we kick there butts again next year.
Bob…..You said that Wooden holds the most titles and you are correct in that statement but you forgot one thing. UCLA & Wooden’s titles were won but they weren’t done the correct way. I lived in the L.A. area during the late 60′s & early 70′s plus have a very close friend who lived there much longer than I. It;s hard to understand how so many of the UCLA players came from low income families to UCLA and had off campus apartment, nice cars, nice clothes, plenty of spending money. To that I know the answer….Poppa Sam Gilbert. I could go on and on but I would run out of space. Gilbert kept Wooden’s boys with anything they wanted or needed and that is why UCLA got all the top name recruits. A few yrs after Wooden retired UCLA got busted, Gilbert was banned from UCLA which he threatened a law suit. If people really want to know about the Wooden yrs they can do some research and learn a lot. As a KY fan, KY is the leader not UCLA who bought their Chanpionships.
Bob…..You said that Wooden holds the most titles and you are correct in that statement but you forgot one thing. UCLA & Wooden’s titles were won but they weren’t done the correct way. I lived in the L.A. area during the late 60′s & early 70′s plus have a very close friend who lived there much longer than I. It;s hard to understand how so many of the UCLA players came from low income families to UCLA and had off campus apartment, nice cars, nice clothes, plenty of spending money. To that I know the answer….Poppa Sam Gilbert. I could go on and on but I would run out of space. Gilbert kept Wooden’s boys with anything they wanted or needed and that is why UCLA got all the top name recruits. A few yrs after Wooden retired UCLA got busted, Gilbert was banned from UCLA which he threatened a law suit. If people really want to know about the Wooden yrs they can do some research and learn a lot. As a KY fan, KY is the leader not UCLA who bought their Championships.
I am going to throw two names out, that no one else has mentioned. NOT because they were the best rebounders, but simply because they were two of my personal favorite rebounders:
1) Gerald Fitch. A great rebounding guard, who always seemed to snake into the lane and take the ball away from much bigger guys.
2) Eric Daniels. Eric would be surrounded by 3 or 4 opposing players when he got a rebound and you would think there was nothing he could do. Then, suddenly, the ball would be back up and in the basket. It was like magic watching him in that 2003 season. The ball would be in his hands one second and the next it was passing through the net, with no explanation for how it got there. He was amazing.
Forgot about Daniels. Was amazing the way he could go get the ball
larry i met bob burrow and his family at the grand opening of uk’s museum at rupp. his whole family was there, including brett. very nice people. that was a hell of a day, wah wah was there along with ralph beard! what a day.
Wow Grant. HOpe you got a picture or pictures to remember that. Ralph one of nicest guys I’ve ever known
Bob Burrow and his wife LeAnn are my neighbors in Franklin, TN. Both are very nice people. Moved here to be closer to his sons and grandchildren. Hangs a UK banner in his front yard. Still “True to the Blue”!
Bob Burrow and his wife LeAnn are neighbors of mine in Franklin, TN. Both are very nice people. Moved here to be closer to his sons and grandchildren. Hangs a UK banner in his front yard. Still “True to the Blue”!
Did not know they lived in Franklin. Just visited there in April. Would love to see that banner. Anyone who ever saw him play say he was something special
Larry, I never actually saw Burrow play, but I listened to every game and it seemed that every other rebound was his.
I really thought Kenny {SKY} Walker would have up there in rebounds.
Metalarmdad i remember those years and yes players were bought during those years by alot of different schools.I watched every UCLA tean that won those Titles. Remember the movie Blue Chips? This was an different time. The record states Coach John Wooden holds the record on won Titles .He is by far the best coach i have ever seen coach the game.I futher more want to say do you know whom reminds me of Coach Wooden coaching ? That answer would be another man name John we call coach Cal .These coaches are very special and rare . I have seen alot threw the years Ray Meyers, and Al McQ. two i have always admired .I am as Blue as the grass in Kentucky and by no means do i care about UCLA .However i have to give the respect to coach Wooden he earned .I also don’t want excuses envoled when we take the Title lead from UCLA in the next 9 years which some think i am crazy making such statement . However year before last Kanter playing would have been #8 and last year #9 i believe. Go Big Blue
Bob, You are correct in what you say. I only got to go to college for one year and then it was off to Viet Nam. In that one year I got to see one of the greatest coach in college basketball, Uncle Ed Diddle. As I said, what makes me “mad” is the cover up at UCLA during the Wooden yrs. Wooden wasn’t as clean as people want the world to think he was. As I stated, 2yrs in Inglewood, I had friends who was in the UCLA crowd and knew what was going on. It may have happened at other place but not at the magnitude it was at UCLA. Wooden knew he was beaten when he had to play KY and that was why he told the world he was retiring on Saturday night before the Finals on Monday. In doing so it made sure of the win. He was a smart man plus he knew how to work the media. With Sam Gilbert’s money he couldn’t lose. Plus when he retitred and Gilbert was banned from UCLA, where did UCLA go ???
Bob Burrow without at doubt!