12 Preston LeMaster

Preston LeMaster was born on October 5, 1983. The son of former Kentucky basketball player Jim LeMaster, he grew up in Paris, Kentucky, dreaming of following his father to Lexington. At Bourbon County High School, he helped the Colonels finish 24–7 and reach the 10th Region Tournament semifinals during his senior season. He graduated as the school’s second-leading career scorer with nearly 2,000 points, surpassing his father, and earned first-team all-state recognition from the Associated Press, Lexington Herald-Leader, and Louisville Courier-Journal. In 2002, he joined Tubby Smith’s Wildcats as a walk-on.

As a freshman in 2002–03, LeMaster became part of a Kentucky team remembered for its remarkable 26-game winning streak. The Wildcats swept their SEC regular-season schedule, captured the SEC Tournament championship, and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight. Although his playing opportunities were limited, the experience remained especially meaningful to him. Even after his own breakthrough performance years later, he identified that freshman-season winning streak as his favorite Kentucky basketball memory.

During his sophomore season in 2003–04, LeMaster continued working in a reserve role behind Kentucky’s experienced guards. The Wildcats won another SEC Tournament championship and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before a one-point loss to UAB ended their season. His contribution came largely in practice, where the daily competition helped prepare Kentucky’s regulars for games.

As a junior in 2004–05, LeMaster remained part of the supporting cast as Kentucky captured the SEC regular-season championship and returned to the Elite Eight. The Wildcats’ season ended in a double-overtime loss to Michigan State, just short of the Final Four. His persistence through limited playing time reflected the approach Smith later praised: working hard in practice, pushing teammates, and staying ready for an opportunity.

LeMaster’s senior season in 2005–06 brought a greater opportunity to contribute and recognition as one of Kentucky’s four captains. Alongside Brandon Stockton, Patrick Sparks, and Ravi Moss, he belonged to the Wildcats’ first entirely Kentucky-bred senior class since the 1992 Unforgettables. Against High Point in November, he entered unusually early, assisted Stockton on a three-pointer, and later made a three-pointer of his own. He finished his Kentucky career sharing the team’s Captain’s Award with his fellow seniors.

His defining performance came against Ole Miss on February 22, 2006, when he sank four three-pointers and scored 12 points in Kentucky’s 80–40 victory at Rupp Arena. Two early three-pointers helped ignite a first-half surge, bringing the crowd to life and giving his teammates a chance to celebrate the shooting they regularly witnessed in practice. For the walk-on who had spent nearly four seasons waiting for such a chance, it was a memorable reward for his persistence. Still, LeMaster maintained that the team’s success mattered most.

After his playing career ended, LeMaster returned to Bourbon County High School as an assistant basketball coach while completing his undergraduate studies. He later pursued teaching and coaching and was inducted into Bourbon County’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2026. His Kentucky story connects two generations of Wildcats and reflects the dedication of a hometown player whose work behind the scenes eventually produced an unforgettable night before the Rupp Arena crowd.