Yesterday, WBN unveiled Nos. 20-11 of the greatest University of Kentucky athletes of all time in any sport—today, Big Blue Nation (BBN) gets the top 10. From Kentucky basketball’s hardwood titans to Kentucky football’s gridiron giants, these Wildcats defined UK’s legacy across sports, blending stats, titles, and impact—before the elite tier, here is a quick recap of 20-11:
20 Ellis Johnson
19 De’Aaron Fox
18 Randall Cobb
17 Brandon Webb
16 Mary Tucker
15 Pat Riley
14 Kyle Macy
13 Cliff Hagan
12 Ralph Beard
11 Jenny Hansen
10-6: UK Greatness
George Blanda pic.twitter.com/snhPP971FO
— Old Time Football 🏈 (@Ol_TimeFootball) February 6, 2025
10 Tim Couch (Football, 1996-98) - SEC Player of the Year (1998), threw for 8,435 yards, No. 1 NFL Draft pick (ESPN).
9 Jamal Mashburn (Basketball, 1990-93) - 1993 First-Team All-American, 1,843 points, Elite Eight star—Monster Mash (UKAthletics.com).
8 Babe Parilli (Football, 1949-51) - Two-time All-American, led UK to 1950 Sugar Bowl upset—College Football Hall of Famer (ESPN).
7 Jack Givens (Basketball, 1974-78) - 1978 Final Four MOP, scored 41 in title game, 2,038 career points—UK icon (UKAthletics.com).
6 George Blanda (Football, 1945-48) - QB/kicker with 2,056 passing yards—NFL Hall of Famer (ESPN).
5-1: The Mount Rushmore of Kentucky
Dan Issel and Artis Gilmore pic.twitter.com/oU9ieJdVg0
— Paul Knepper (@paulieknep) January 2, 2025
5 John Wall (Basketball, 2009-10) - SEC Player of the Year, 16.6 PPG, 6.5 APG—electrifying one-and-done (ESPN).
4 Anthony Davis (Basketball, 2011-12) - National Player of the Year, led 2012 NCAA title run with 186 blocks—generational talent (NCAA.com).
3 Valerie Still (Women’s Basketball, 1979-83) - UK’s all-time scorer (2,763 points), led 1982 SEC title—trailblazer (NCAA.com).
2 Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Track, 2017-18) - NCAA 400m hurdles champ, Olympic gold (2021, 2024)—world-record breaker (NCAA.com).
1 Dan Issel (Basketball, 1967-70) - UK’s all-time leading scorer (2,138 points), two-time All-American, led Kentucky to three SEC titles—Hall of Famer (UKAthletics.com).
Honorable Mentions Recap
Yesterday’s list included Lynn Bowden Jr., Derek Anderson, Rex Chapman, Kenny “Sky” Walker, and Tayshaun Prince—Wildcat legends just shy of the top tier. Kentucky basketball and football shine brightest, but BBN’s pride spans all sports on wildcatbluenation.com.
Do you agree, disagree? Where is the list wrong? Sound off and let us know the real BBN top 10.