Biography On Scott Padgett (Former Kentucky Basketball Player)

Scott Anthony Padgett was born on April 19, 1976, in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a graduate of St. Xavier High School located in Louisville, Kentucky.He chose to play college basketball at the University of Kentucky under both former UK Coaches Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith.
Freshman Season
Padgett saw limited action in his freshman year in 1994-95 that included seven future NBA stars Wayne Turner , Tony Delk, Rodrick Rhodes, Walter McCarty, Jeff Sheppard, Mark Pope and Antoine Walker. After his freshman season, he had academic problems andwas ruled ineligible for the following season. Padgett quit basketball to go work three jobs and for a lawn mowing service.
Sophomore Season
That would not stop Scott's dream of playing Kentucky Basketball as he was reinstated the second half of the 1996-97 season where he played along future pros Ron Mercer, Derek Anderson, Nazr Mohammed and Jamaal Magloire. Their season would come up short of repeating as the National Champions when they lost to the Arizona Wildcats in the National Championship game. He was named to the All-NCAA Final Four Team.
Junior Season
In 1997-98 Scott Padgett earned the starting power forward job in the rotation under first-year UK Head Coach Tubby Smith. This was a break out year for Padgett with the highlight of his season coming when he hit a go-ahead three pointer to cap a 17 point comeback in the Elite 8 vs Duke. UK would go on to win the National Title that year and Padgett will forever be known as part of the "Comeback Cats" for the way UK clawed their way back all year to win games. Awards Padgett earned his Junior Season were First Team All-American (Wooden), All-NCAA Final Four Team, All-NCAA Regional Team, Second Team All-SEC (Coaches), Third Team All-SEC (AP), All-SEC Tournament and Academic All-SEC.
Senior Season
Padgett set a career milestone in his senior season making the 1,000 point club for the Cats. The highlight of his senior season would be in the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament vs Kansas as he scored 29 points and grabbed 20 rebounds. Padgett was also named to the All-NCAA Regional Team, was First Team All-SEC (Coaches) and Second Team All-SEC (AP) and Academic All-SEC. He also earned the SEC MVP award of the 1999 SEC Tournament.
Professional Basketball Career
Scott Padgett would be the 28th Overall Pick in the 1st Round of the 1999 NBA Draft. Scott Padgett played eight seasons in the NBA for four different NBA teams (Utah Jazz 1999-2003, Houston Rockets 2003-2005, 2006-2007, New Jersey Nets 2005-2006, and the Memphis Grizzlies 2007). He was mostly a back up in the NBA. The highlight of his career came January 21, 2005 while playing with the Houston Rockets, he hit a game winning buzzer beater three point shot to beat the New York Knicks to win the game 92-91. Scott Padgett played one season with CB Granada in the ACB, Spanish Basketball League before retiring from basketball in 2007.
Personal Life/Career After Basketball
Scott Padgett was born to Will and Linda Padgett. He married his wife Cynthia and has three kids, Logan, Lucas, and Layla. Padgett returned to Louisville after his basketball career in 2007 to co-host on The Dave and Scott show with former UofL QB Dave Ragone. Scott Padgett also owns his own franchise of the chain store Popcorn Station out of Louisville. In 2009, Scott Padgett was hired as an assistant strength coach to be on John Calipari's coaching staff in his first year at Kentucky along with former college teammate Tony Delk. Calipari was interested in getting Padgett and Delk a start to their coaching career much in the same way as he started his coaching career in Kansas. Something Calipari does with alumni a lot at his previous coaching destinations.