54 Howard Dardeen

Howard Dardeen was born Charles Howard Dardeen on July 28, 1939, in Terre Haute, Indiana, to Rose and George Dardeen. A standout multi-sport athlete at Terre Haute Gerstmeyer High School, he earned All-State honors in basketball twice and was named to the schoolboy All-America teams selected by Dell and Scholastic magazines. He led Gerstmeyer in scoring during both his junior and senior seasons, including a 618-point senior campaign, while also excelling in football and baseball. Dardeen served as senior class president, received the American Legion Citizenship Award, and was selected to the Indiana All-Star team before signing with Kentucky.

As a freshman in 1958-59, Dardeen quickly established himself as one of the Wildcats’ top young prospects. He averaged 16.9 points and finished second in scoring and third in rebounding for Harry Lancaster’s highly successful freshman team, trailing only future All-American Johnny Cox in scoring. During the season he scored 44 points in consecutive victories over Morehead’s freshmen, showcasing the versatile offensive game that had made him one of Indiana’s premier recruits. Entering the 1959-60 season, Kentucky’s official media guide described him as “one of the most promising youngsters” in Adolph Rupp’s program and noted that he was being groomed for extensive varsity duty. A member of Kappa Sigma while at Kentucky, Dardeen instead transferred before playing a varsity game and continued his collegiate career at Indiana State University.

Dardeen earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Indiana State before beginning a decade as a teacher and basketball coach at Indianapolis Manual High School. He later founded a successful insurance business, working in the industry for 35 years until his retirement. Although his Kentucky career ended before it reached the varsity level, he remains a memorable part of the program’s history as one of the Wildcats’ most highly regarded freshman prospects of the late 1950s. Dardeen passed away on May 5, 2025, at the age of 85.