Reggie Warford, a key figure in Kentucky Basketball's integration, passed away at 67

Former Kentucky Basketball player Reggie Warford passed away early Thursday morning, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. The Drakesboro, Kentucky native was 67 years old.

A key figure in Kentucky Basketball’s storied history, Warford helped with the integration of the Kentucky program when he suited up for Joe B. Hall’s Wildcats from 1972 to 1976. At the time of his arrival on campus, Kentucky was only two years removed from its first Black basketball player, Tom Payne, who played one All-SEC sophomore season for Adolph Rupp. Soon after Payne opened the door, Warford followed Payne’s path to Lexington as Joe B. Hall’s first recruit as head coach and only the second Black player in UK Basketball history.

When Warford’s four years were up, he walked away as the first Black four-year basketball player and a graduate of the University of Kentucky.

As a player, Warford competed in 50 career games and scored 206 career points, most of which came in his senior season. In his final game, Warford led Kentucky to a win over UNC Charlotte in the championship game of the National Invitation Tournament in Madison Square Garden. Warford had 14 in the win, more than twice his season average of 6.8 points per game.

“It’s my win,” Warford, the lone senior on the team, said afterward. “No one can take this one away. I’m the only one leaving from this team. It’s all over for me. It’s back to Drakesboro and the dirt courts where I can do all the shooting I want and there are no 13,000 people watching when you miss.”

Though Warford had intentions of heading back home to Drakesboro at the time, he found a new career in coaching once his playing career ended. He was on coaching staffs at Pittsburgh, Iowa State, and Long Beach State at the college level, and served as head coach of the Harlem Globetrotters for a year and as the head coach of his home county school, Muhlenberg County. Warford coached Muhlenberg to a Sweet 16 appearance in 2010.

Most recently, Warford was a 2019 inductee into the KHSAA Hall of Fame where he and his former coach, Joe B. Hall, were reunited as they both battled health issues.

"When I saw him walk in, I was visibly moved."

Joe B. Hall called Reggie Warford and told him he was sick and could not attend Saturday's @KHSAA induction ceremony, but he came anyway.

Special moment for a pair of @KentuckyMBB legends. pic.twitter.com/L3bXeHySul

— Alex Walker (@AlexWalkerTV) April 30, 2019

Warford and Hall had a special bond that went far beyond basketball and they said their final goodbyes to the world only five months apart.