15 Alex Groza

Alex Groza was born on October 7, 1926, in Martins Ferry, Ohio. The son of John and Mary Groza, he grew up in an athletic family that included his younger brother, Lou, who would later become a Pro Football Hall of Famer. At Martins Ferry High School, the 6-foot-7 center developed into one of the nation’s premier basketball prospects, leading his team to consecutive appearances in the Ohio state tournament before enrolling at the University of Kentucky in 1944.

Groza’s Kentucky career almost ended before it began. Just days before the Wildcats opened the 1944-45 season, he had been accepted for military service and planned to spend his remaining time at home. His mother, however, insisted he honor his commitment to Kentucky, telling him, “You owe those people something.” Granted an 11-day deferment, Groza joined the Wildcats and immediately impressed Adolph Rupp, who called the freshman “one of the best pivot men” ever to play in the Southeastern Conference. After averaging 16.5 points in his first four games, Groza reported for Army duty, prompting Rupp to remark, “You don’t replace a Caruso with a barbershop singer.”

Returning after World War II, Groza became the dominant force behind Kentucky’s legendary “Fabulous Five.” A graceful and fundamentally sound center, he led the Wildcats to consecutive NCAA championships in 1948 and 1949, earning Most Outstanding Player honors at both Final Fours while helping the United States capture the gold medal at the 1948 Olympic Games in London. A three-time All-American, Groza finished his collegiate career with 1,744 points as Kentucky compiled a remarkable 112-8 record during his four varsity seasons. His No. 15 jersey was later retired, and for years he held the school record for career scoring.

Professional success came just as quickly. Groza starred for the Indianapolis Olympians, averaging more than 22 points per game over two NBA seasons while earning First Team All-NBA honors twice and selection to the 1951 NBA All-Star Game. His promising career, however, came to an abrupt end when he and several former Kentucky teammates were implicated in the 1951 point-shaving scandal stemming from their collegiate playing days. Although the incident resulted in a lifetime ban from the NBA, Groza eventually found his way back to the game as head coach at Bellarmine College, where he led the Knights to the 1963 Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and was named KIAC Coach of the Year. He later served as a coach, scout, executive, and general manager in professional basketball before beginning a career with Reynolds Metals.

Despite the scandal that overshadowed his professional career, Groza remained one of the greatest players in Kentucky basketball history. He was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992, and in his later years he often returned to Lexington, where Wildcats fans embraced him as a central figure on two of the most celebrated teams the program has ever produced. Groza died of lung cancer on January 21, 1995, at the age of 68. His legacy endures as the cornerstone of Kentucky’s “Fabulous Five,” a two-time national champion, Olympic gold medalist, and one of the finest centers ever to wear the Blue and White.