15 Matt Heissenbuttel

Matt Heissenbuttel was born Matthew Vincent Heissenbuttel on September 24, 1981, in Marietta, Georgia, to Pam and Paul Heissenbuttel. He grew up in Lexington and starred at Lexington Catholic, leading the Knights to the 2000 Kentucky Sweet 16 championship game with 25 points in the final. A first-team All-State selection, he finished his high school career with more than 1,000 points.

Heissenbuttel joined Tubby Smith’s Wildcats as a walk-on in 2000–01. He played in 10 games as a freshman, scoring his first Kentucky points against Jacksonville State and making his first three-pointer against South Carolina. As a sophomore, he appeared in nine games and hit a three-pointer during a run of five consecutive Kentucky threes against Tulane.

His work in practice mattered as much as his minutes in games. Smith credited Heissenbuttel’s scout-team play with challenging Kentucky’s regulars and making them better. He remained with the Wildcats through his senior season in 2003–04, including the 2002–03 campaign when Kentucky won both SEC titles and reached the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight.

After Kentucky, Heissenbuttel returned to Lexington Catholic basketball as an associate head coach, bringing his experience as both a Knight and a Wildcat back to his former school.