00 Adam Chiles

Adam Chiles was born on December 16, 1982, to Yvette and Marion Chiles. As a toddler, he overcame Blount’s syndrome, a bone growth disorder that left him bow-legged, but it never diminished his passion for sports. He developed into one of Louisville Ballard’s standout guards, earning All-State honors as a senior while averaging 16.1 points, 5.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game. Chiles finished his high school career with 1,293 points as Ballard posted a remarkable 90-13 record, then chose Kentucky over Cincinnati and Maryland to become the first Ballard player to sign with the Wildcats.

Chiles arrived at Kentucky as part of Tubby Smith’s 2001 recruiting class, but injuries, conditioning setbacks and disciplinary issues limited his opportunity to establish himself in Lexington. Although he appeared in 16 games as a freshman, he showed flashes of the quickness and playmaking ability that had made him one of Kentucky’s top high school guards. His Wildcats career ended after the 2001-02 season when Smith released him from his scholarship, allowing him to continue his collegiate career elsewhere.

Among Chiles’ most memorable moments at Kentucky were poised reserve performances against Duke and Indiana early in his freshman season, along with a career-high four assists against Louisville as he helped direct the Wildcats’ offense in limited minutes. After leaving Kentucky, he transferred to Vincennes Junior College before continuing at Murray State, where he became a productive starting point guard and helped the Racers reach the 2004 NCAA Tournament while earning Ohio Valley Conference All-Tournament honors.