The Rupps rafters will soon be adorned with names of some of Kentucky’s greatest athletes. Coach Tubby Smith will soon have his name etched in the rafters after leading his team to a national championship in 1998. Smith’s jersey will hang near sections 233 and 234 of Rupp Arena.
Oscar Tshiebwe deserves to be in the rupps rafters
As a two-time Player of the Year, Oscar Tshiebwe has earned his spot in the rafters at Rupp Stadium. But before the rafters can be raised, he must first win the Wooden Award on Tuesday. He had a great season for the Wildcats this year, averaging 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds per game. On Sunday, he was named Naismith Player of the Year. Tshiebwe is only the second Kentucky player to win the award, following Anthony Davis in 2012.
His defensive rebounding is outstanding. He’s currently ranked in the top 25 in both categories. His offensive rebound rate is also impressive, at 24 percent. He would be the first college basketball player to average 15 rebounds per game since 1980 if he continues this performance.
In addition to his play on the court, Tshiebwe’s role off the court is also impressive. He averaged double-doubles his entire career and compiled 28 in one season. This puts him in the top 10 in Kentucky program history. While college players no longer stay three or four years, Tshiebwe’s impact on the program goes beyond the court.
Oscar Tshiebwe’s double-double machine continues to impress as he continues to dominate the boards. He’s now the first Wildcat to register 12 consecutive double-doubles. Meanwhile, a pair of juniors – Tyty Washington Jr. and Colin Castleton – lead Florida’s scoring with 16.1 points per game, while Tyree Appleby adds 11.4 points per game with 3.8 assists.
Tubby Smith’s name will be in the rupps rafters
Kentucky men’s basketball coach Tubby Smith will be remembered for his legendary success during his time at UK. He led the Wildcats to the 1998 national championship and coached the team to five straight Southeastern Conference titles. The Wildcats never missed the NCAA Tournament under Smith’s watch.
The Kentucky athletic department is honoring Tubby Smith with the rafters in Rupp Arena. Smith won the 1998 national championship with the Wildcats, and is one of the most respected figures in Lexington. The athletic department has not added a coach’s name to the rafters in several years.
Smith was the head coach of UK from 1997 to 2007. In his first year at UK, his team won the national title. He is also a member of the Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame. During the ceremony, Smith was joined by his family, including his wife and two sons. His family raised their arms for the ceremonial “Y” in the K-E-N-T-U-C-Y cheer.
After a successful tenure as head coach of the Wildcats, Smith will be honored in Rupp Arena with his jersey. Smith will join the likes of Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Rick Pitino and other former Kentucky basketball coaches in Rupp Arena.
Smith’s jersey will hang in the rupps rafter alongside those of Joe B. Hall, Adolph Rupp, Rick Pitino, and John Calipari. He won a national championship in his first season at Kentucky and has won seven SEC regular season or tournament titles.
Smith’s name will be in the rafters for years to come. He is also an inspirational role model for young people in his region. After graduation, Smith is expected to play in the NBA.
Smith coached the Kentucky men’s basketball team to the 1998 NCAA championship
Smith’s success as a coach is well documented. His 1998 Kentucky men’s basketball team went on to win the national championship, finishing its season as the No. 8 seed. This was a remarkable achievement for an underdog team. Kentucky came back from a deficit of 17 points in the Elite 8 game to defeat Duke and then to beat Stanford in the Final Four. Smith’s team went on to beat Utah in the NCAA championship game.
Before becoming head coach of UK, Smith served as an assistant coach at South Carolina. Smith served in that capacity for two seasons and then helped rebuild the UK program for three seasons. After leaving UK, Smith spent six seasons as an assistant coach at Virginia Commonwealth. During his time at VCU, Smith guided the Hokies to three Sun Belt Conference championships and a 144-64 record. Smith has a career head-coaching record of 637-362.
Smith’s career at Kentucky started on May 12, 1997, when he was introduced as the Wildcats’ 20th head coach. He replaced Rick Pitino, who left the team to become head coach of the NBA’s Boston Celtics. At the time, Arizona was at the top of the game, having won the national title in 1996. In fact, Smith’s team featured seven of the players from the championship team.
After the championship, Smith was named the National Coach of the Year by Basketball Weekly and Co-SEC Coach of the Year by The Associated Press. Smith was also honored by the New York Athletic Club with the Winged Foot Award, which is presented annually to the national champions. In addition to his coaching success at Kentucky, Smith was also named the 1998 Kentucky Sportsman of the Year. He beat Tim Couch of the football team to win the award.
Smith’s jersey will be hung near sections 234 and 233 in Rupp Arena
On Dec. 31, Smith’s name will be retired from Kentucky’s rafters. The basketball coach won the 1998 NCAA championship with the Wildcats, and his jersey will be displayed near sections 234 and 233 of Rupp Arena. The announcement came at a ceremony attended by his family and former players. He coached at UK for 10 years, and his first team made the NCAA Tournament seven times, making the Sweet 16 six times. Smith will be the 44th coach to have his name retired from Rupp Arena. Other past UK coaches include Adolph Rup, Joe B. Hall, and Rick Pitino, who is currently in the UK Athletics Hall of Fame.
Smith, a UK graduate, won the 1998 national championship with the Wildcats, and their last meeting was 75-55 in 2005. High Point is 6-7 this season. On Wednesday, the team faced No. 10 Michigan State, and the Wildcats came out on top. Smith’s jersey will be the 44th to be retired at Rupp Arena, joining Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, and Rick Pitino, who was Kentucky’s head coach for seven seasons. In the years since, Smith has had stops at Memphis, Minnesota, Texas Tech, and Texas Tech.
Tubby Smith coached the Wildcats from 1997 to 2007. He won the national title in his first season at UK and was inducted into the UK Athletics Hall of Fame. His jersey will be displayed near sections 234 and 233.
Smith was the head coach of the 1998 National Championship team, and he won three National Coach of the Year awards. He also returned to UK after Pitino left to become head coach of the NBA. His teams won five SEC tournament championships and made regular appearances in the NCAA Tournament. The UK Athletics Hall of Fame inducted him in 2013.
Smith’s style of play was different from current UK coach John Calipari
Smith was a defensive-minded coach whose style of play was very different from the fast-paced offense of current UK coach John Calipari. This resulted in a dissatisfaction among UK fans, who felt that his style of play did not suit the fast-paced UK offense. His teams also failed to reach the Final Four. They also lacked the swagger that many Kentucky fans associate with good teams under Coach Calipari.
UK basketball teams have never been great jump shooters. They rank near the bottom of Division I in the percentage of baskets assisted, which can be an indicator of poor team play. UK’s recent losses in the NCAA tournament reflected this problem. The 2014 national final and the 2018 Sweet 16 loss to Kansas State were both characterized by low scoring offens
Calipari has a reputation for being straightforward with his players. His players come to Kentucky in order to prepare for the NBA. His coaching philosophy is focused on the players, and he keeps his promises. Unlike Smith’s, Calipari is a veteran of the college basketball system, and he knows the ins and outs of the syste
The Calipari era reminds one of the Rupp and Bryant era revisited, though Calipari is not looking like Rupp from 1953. Despite the lack of talent, Kentucky basketball is in a much better position than it was under Bryant. Nevertheless, the Calipari era could end up being the ultimate lose
Calipari has also made the university’s facilities more modern. The new basketball facilities will be used for the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Final Four. Rupp Arena will play one of the first/second-round games. Little Caesars Arena will not host a game between UK and Louisville.
