The Most Impactful Kentucky Wildcat Basketball Players (1981-1982-Present): #16 John Pelphrey

#34 John Pelphrey (1988-1992)
DATE OF BIRTH: 7/18/1968
Paintsville, KY

John Pelphrey grew up in Paintsville, Kentucky. Being a Kentucky native, basketball was in his blood and the early success he achieved at Paintsville High School would instill a lasting desire to continue that throughout his life. Pelphrey led that Paintsville team to the KHSAA ”Sweet 16 ” Final Four, where he would lose to eventual NBA All Star Allan Houston’s Louisville Ballard squad. He was named the 1987′s Mr Kentucky Basketball and would receive an offer to play at the University of Kentucky.

During Pelphrey’s Freshmen year of 1988-1989, UK was placed on probation. Despite that, Pelphrey was named UK’s Student Athlete of the Year in 1989 and his actions after that probation have placed him into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame and see him listed as the last unforgettable to make our list.

After redshirting during the 1987-1988 season, Pelphrey would lead the Wildcats to a SEC Tournament Championship and the epic Regional Final that saw Duke vs Kentucky in 1992. 

Pelphrey started 90 of 114 career games, averaged 11 points per game and 2.8 assist. He is number 32 on the Kentucky list for career points and 11 for career assist.

In 2007, Pelphrey’s jersey (#34) was retired and sits in the rafters of Rupp along with 28 other former players.

In 1991, he was named first team SEC and in 1992 he was named first team SEC Tournament.

 

KENTUCKY CAREER:
114 Games played
1257 Points scored (11.2)
327 Assists (2.8)
45% Field Goals