Tubby Smith named Kentucky's 2024 SEC Legend, will represent the Cats in Nashville

How appropriate is it that on a day we’re celebrating a Sheppard and some Comeback Cats, Tubby Smith receives a very cool honor? The former Kentucky coach will represent the Cats as a member of the 2024 SEC Legends class at the SEC Tournament in Nashville. He will be recognized during halftime of Kentucky’s first game, as well as with the other school’s representatives at halftime of the first semifinal game on Saturday.

Tubby, of course, led Kentucky to its seventh national championship in 1998, his first season as head coach. Over his decade in Lexington, he also guided the Cats to five SEC regular-season crowns and five SEC Tournament titles, winning National Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year three times (1998, 2003, 2005) and compiling a record of 263-83 (76%).

Kentucky made the NCAA Tournament all ten of Tubby’s seasons with a 23-9 record, reaching the aforementioned Final Four and three Elite Eights. The Cats were 20-5 in the SEC Tournament under his watch. Tubby is one of only three head coaches to take five teams to the NCAA Tournament. He received an Olympic Gold Medal as an assistant for Team USA at the Sydney Games in 2000. 

Tubby was inducted into the UK Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013 and in 2021, the school retired his jersey at halftime of Kentucky’s game vs. High Point. Tubby stepped down as High Point’s head coach later that season, ending his almost five decades in coaching. He is the third Kentucky head coach to be retired to the Rupp Arena rafters.

I can’t wait to see and hear the ovation Tubby receives from the Kentucky blue in the stands when he takes the floor in Nashville in two weeks.

2024 SEC Basketball Legends

Tubby’s isn’t the only familiar name in this year’s SEC Legends Class. Maysville native Chris Lofton will represent Tennessee, while Elson Turner, who famously scored 40 points vs. Kentucky in Rupp Arena in 2013, will be there on behalf of Texas A&M.

• Alabama – Richard Hendrix, Basketball
• Arkansas – Derek Hood, Basketball
• Auburn – Cliff Ellis, Basketball
• Florida – Taurean Green, Basketball
• Georgia – Rashad Wright, Basketball
• Kentucky – Orlando “Tubby” Smith, Basketball
• LSU – Darrel Mitchell, Basketball
• Ole Miss – Dwayne Curtis, Basketball
• Mississippi State – Timmy Bowers, Basketball
• Missouri – Willie Smith, Basketball
• South Carolina – Joe Rhett, Basketball
• Tennessee – Chris Lofton, Basketball
• Texas A&M – Elston Turner, Basketball
• Vanderbilt – Frank Seckar, Basketball

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