From all-time scoring leaders to modern-day unicorns, we're counting down the legends who dominated the paint for the Wildcats. Get ready to argue.
Let's be honest: trying to name the five greatest big men in the history of Kentucky basketball is a fool's errand. The lineage of legendary power forwards and centers to don the Blue and White is so rich, so dominant, and so iconic that any list is guaranteed to start a fight. It’s like picking your favorite child.
But that’s what we do here. We start the fights.
This isn't just about stats or awards, though those certainly matter. This is about impact, dominance, and what these players meant to the program during their time in Lexington. After hours of debate, we’ve chiseled our list into the stone. Mount Rushmore is often used as the term for all-time greatness, but there are only 4 presidents there, so we had to add a plus one. Here are the five greatest big men to ever play for the University of Kentucky.
5. Karl-Anthony Towns (2014-2015)
- The Vitals: 10.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.3 BPG
- The Hardware: SEC Player of the Year, Consensus First-Team All-American, SEC Freshman of the Year, No. 1 NBA Draft Pick
The Case: Don't let the modest per-game stats fool you. Karl-Anthony Towns was the most skilled offensive big man of the Calipari era and the undisputed best player on the legendary 38-1 team. On a roster so loaded that it required a platoon system, KAT’s per-40-minute numbers were staggering: 19.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks. He was an unstoppable force in the post with footwork that was lightyears ahead of his age, and he could step out and drain a jumper with ease. He was the definition of a modern-day unicorn before the term was even popular, and his complete dominance was the engine of arguably the greatest college basketball team to not win it all.
4. Oscar Tshiebwe (2021-2023)
- The Vitals: 16.9 PPG, 14.4 RPG, 1.3 BPG (Kentucky career)
- The Hardware: Consensus National Player of the Year (2022), Consensus First-Team All-American (2022), Second-Team All-American (2023), SEC Player of the Year (2022)
The Case: We have never seen a rebounding force like Oscar Tshiebwe, and we may never see one again. He wasn’t just the best rebounder in the country for two straight years; he was a historic, statistical anomaly. Oscar attacked every missed shot as a personal insult. His 15.1 rebounds per game in his NPOY season were the highest in Division I in over 40 years. He was more than just a stat machine; his relentless motor and infectious joy for the game made him a beloved icon. While team success didn't follow, you simply cannot deny the sheer individual dominance of a man who single-handedly warped the geometry of every game he played in. He is still trying to stick in the NBA, something that baffles BBN.
3. Jamal Mashburn (1990-1993)
- The Vitals: 18.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.3 APG
- The Hardware: Consensus First-Team All-American, SEC Player of the Year (1993)
The Case: Jamal Mashburn was more than a great player; he was a savior. Arriving when the program was still smoldering from probation, "Monster Mash" almost single-handedly dragged Kentucky basketball back to national prominence. He was a matchup nightmare—a bruising, 6-foot-8 forward with the silky-smooth offensive game of a shooting guard. He could bully smaller defenders in the post and blow by bigger ones on the perimeter. His performance in the epic 1992 East Regional Final against Duke is the stuff of legend. Mashburn legitimized the Rick Pitino era and laid the foundation for the 1996 championship team. Without him, the story of modern Kentucky basketball looks very different.
2. Anthony Davis (2011-2012)
- The Vitals: 14.2 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 4.7 BPG
- The Hardware: National Champion, Final Four Most Outstanding Player, Consensus National Player of the Year, Consensus First-Team All-American, SEC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, No. 1 NBA Draft Pick
The Case: This was, without a doubt, the single most dominant season by any player in modern college basketball history. Anthony Davis didn't just play defense; he reinvented it. His 186 blocks are a UK and NCAA freshman record. He altered hundreds more shots, completely erasing the rim for opposing offenses. While his offense was still developing, he was an incredibly efficient scorer and a monster on the offensive glass. The signature moment of his greatness came in the National Championship game against Kansas: he shot 1-for-10 from the field but completely dominated the game with 16 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 assists, and 3 steals to earn MOP honors. He was a one-man wrecking crew who delivered Kentucky its eighth national title.
1. Dan Issel (1967-1970)
- The Vitals: 25.8 PPG, 13.0 RPG
- The Hardware: Consensus First-Team All-American (1970), Second-Team All-American (1969), 3x First-Team All-SEC
The Case: The Horse. The Legend. The number that may never be surpassed. Dan Issel is Kentucky’s all-time leading scorer with 2,138 points, a record he set in just three seasons (freshmen weren't eligible) without a three-point line. Let that sink in. He averaged an absurd 33.9 points per game as a senior, a mark that will never be touched. He was a relentless scorer and rebounder with a soft touch and a blue-collar work ethic that embodied the spirit of the Commonwealth. In the pantheon of Kentucky basketball gods, Issel’s combination of production, longevity, and statistical dominance remains the gold standard for every big man who has followed.
Honorable Mentions: DeMarcus Cousins, Kenny "Sky" Walker, Sam Bowie, Patrick Patterson, Cotton Nash, Melvin Turpin.
Who did we miss? Who's too high or too low? Let the debate begin in the comments.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time, he spends time with his family, and watching Premier League soccer. #UpTheAlbion