54 Art Laib

Art Laib was born Arthur Joseph Laib on October 14, 1947, in San Francisco, California. A 6-foot-10 center-forward, he attended F. C. Hammond High School in Alexandria, Virginia, where he established a one-game school rebounding record with 29 rebounds before continuing his career at Gulf Coast Junior College in Panama City, Florida. During his lone season at Gulf Coast, Laib averaged 13.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game while setting the school’s single-game rebounding record with 27 rebounds, earning recognition as one of the nation’s top junior college prospects.

Laib signed with Adolph Rupp and transferred to Kentucky in 1966, sitting out the required NCAA transfer season before becoming eligible in 1967-68. At 6-foot-10, he was the tallest player on Kentucky’s roster and earned varsity letters during the 1968-69 and 1969-70 seasons. Playing primarily in a reserve role behind Kentucky’s talented frontcourt, he appeared in 20 varsity games over two seasons, scoring 14 career points and collecting 22 rebounds while providing valuable size and depth for the Wildcats during an era that featured future All-Americans Dan Issel and Mike Pratt.

During his senior season, Laib was among several Wildcats disciplined following an off-campus incident while the team was in Starkville, Mississippi. While at Kentucky, he married his wife, Nancy, during the basketball season, returning to team practice the day after their wedding. Following his basketball career, Laib entered the business world and by 2001 was serving as Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide’s national account manager for the Wal-Mart and 7-Eleven accounts.