54 Art Laib

Art Laib was born Arthur Joseph Laib III on October 14, 1947, in San Francisco, California, to Col. Arthur Joseph Laib Jr. and Yvette Reesink Laib. Born at Letterman Army Hospital, he spent his childhood moving around the world with his military family. He attended F. C. Hammond High School in Alexandria, Virginia, where he established a school record with 29 rebounds in one game. His height and rebounding ability eventually brought him to the attention of Adolph Rupp.

Laib began his college career at Gulf Coast Junior College in Panama City, Florida, averaging 13.6 points and 12.3 rebounds during his lone season there. He also established the school’s single-game rebounding record with 27. The 6-foot-10 center-forward transferred to Kentucky in 1966 and sat out the required transfer year before joining the varsity for the 1967-68 season.

As a sophomore, Laib faced stiff competition for playing time in a frontcourt that included Dan Issel, Thad Jaracz and Cliff Berger. He appeared in seven games and earned a varsity letter as Kentucky finished 22-5 and won the Southeastern Conference championship. When Berger suffered a season-ending ankle injury, Laib’s availability became more important. Rupp concentrated scrimmages on Laib and Randy Pool as potential relief for Issel heading into the NCAA Tournament.

During his junior season in 1968-69, Laib continued to provide reserve size behind Kentucky’s established stars. He appeared in 13 games, his busiest varsity season, as the Wildcats finished 23-5 and captured another SEC championship. With Issel, Mike Casey and Mike Pratt carrying much of the offensive load, Laib remained part of the supporting cast during one of the strongest stretches of Rupp’s later coaching years.

Laib’s senior season in 1969-70 brought a third consecutive SEC championship as Kentucky finished 26-2 and ranked first in the final Associated Press poll. He appeared in five games and completed his varsity career with 25 appearances, 18 points and 29 rebounds, according to Wildcat World’s career statistics table. At the season-ending basketball banquet, he received a Senior Award alongside Issel and Pratt.

One revealing example of Laib’s contribution came against Vanderbilt on March 2, 1968. The Kentucky Kernel reported that he relieved Issel without the Wildcats losing ground during his time on the floor, fulfilling an important responsibility of a reserve. After Berger’s injury, Rupp said Laib and Pool could help, although their inexperience remained a concern. Laib also figured in a colorful moment during Kentucky’s 104-73 victory over Georgia that January: after being fouled, he bounced the basketball off the offending Bulldog’s head.

Beyond basketball, Laib belonged to Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s Kentucky Epsilon chapter and was a campus Mardi Gras King candidate sponsored by Zeta Tau Alpha. He met his wife, Nancy, in a botany class and through a mutual friend. They married during his sophomore season, and Nancy later recalled that he ate his first meal as a married man with the team before returning to practice the next day. By March 1970, they had a young daughter, Angela. After college, Laib built a long sales career, including work as Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide’s national account manager for Wal-Mart and 7-Eleven. He retired in 2010 and moved to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, where he enjoyed golf, fishing, family life and involvement at Balboa Baptist Church. A lifelong Kentucky fan, he died on October 13, 2024, one day before his 77th birthday, and was survived by his wife, Karen, two daughters and an extended family.