12 Ted Deeken

Ted Deeken was born September 10, 1941, in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended Flaget High School, where he developed into one of the state’s leading basketball prospects. Playing center for twenty-four-year-old head coach Jim Morris, Deeken helped lead the Braves to the 1960 Kentucky state championship. He earned All-State honors, starred in the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star series and served as co-captain of the West squad in the East-West All-Star Game at Memorial Coliseum. A versatile athlete, Deeken also pitched and played the outfield in baseball and competed in cross-country. After graduation, he accepted a grant-in-aid to play for Adolph Rupp at the University of Kentucky.

Deeken began his Kentucky career with the 1960-61 freshman team, known as the “Kittens.” Converted from center to forward, he started all 18 games and averaged 17.7 points, second only to fellow freshman Cotton Nash. Deeken led the team at the free-throw line by making 60 of 72 attempts for 83.3 percent and collected 188 rebounds, an average of approximately 10.4 per game. He possessed an effective jump shot and sweeping hook, complemented by his speed, passing and willingness to battle larger opponents around the basket. Deeken delivered one of his finest performances against Lee’s Junior College, scoring 28 points and grabbing 31 rebounds in a 98-69 victory as the Kittens finished 14-4.

As a sophomore in 1961-62, Deeken joined a veteran varsity frontcourt that included Carroll Burchett, Allen Feldhaus and Roy Roberts. Used primarily as a reserve, he appeared in 14 games and recorded 29 points and 22 rebounds in just under 62 minutes of action. His season high was six points in Kentucky’s season-opening 93-61 victory over Miami University. Although his playing time was limited, his speed, one-handed push shot and crowd-pleasing hook made him a favorite whenever he entered the game.

Deeken emerged as one of Kentucky’s most valuable players during the 1962-63 season. Appearing in 24 games and starting seven, he scored 235 points for a 9.8-point average and collected 151 rebounds, an average of 6.3 per game. His repeated success in relief earned him the nickname “Fireman Ted.” Deeken came off the bench eight times to help carry Kentucky to victory or bring the Wildcats back from a deficit. His contributions earned him the Kentucky Central Insurance Companies Trophy as the team’s most valuable player.

His defining performance that season came against Mississippi State, when he played all 40 minutes and scored a season-high 25 points. Deeken went the full 40 minutes again in the following game against Vanderbilt and logged more than 43 minutes during an overtime battle with Tennessee. By season’s end, he had played more minutes than all but two of Kentucky’s varsity players, establishing that he could contribute as much more than a reserve.

Named co-captain with Nash as a senior in 1963-64, Deeken started all 26 games in which he appeared and enjoyed the finest season of his Kentucky career. He averaged 19.0 points and 10.2 rebounds while shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 74.7 percent from the free-throw line. His 493 points and 265 rebounds both ranked second on the team. Deeken announced what was ahead by scoring 28 points in the season-opening victory over Virginia, matching Nash for the team lead.

Deeken and Nash formed the one-two scoring combination at the heart of a fast-paced Kentucky team nicknamed the “Century Express.” The Wildcats scored at least 100 points in three of their first five games and ultimately finished 21-6, won the UK Invitational and Sugar Bowl tournaments and captured Kentucky’s 21st Southeastern Conference championship. Kentucky finished third in the final United Press International poll and fourth in the Associated Press poll. Deeken was named to the official All-SEC team selected by the conference’s coaches and received honorable mention All-America recognition.

Several of Deeken’s most memorable contributions came in important victories. In the Sugar Bowl Tournament championship game against ninth-ranked Duke on December 31, 1963, he scored 18 points, including 14 in the second half. With the score tied at 79 in the closing minute, Deeken knocked the ball away from Duke’s Hack Tison. Tommy Kron recovered it, helping set the stage for Terry Mobley’s game-winning jump shot in Kentucky’s 81-79 victory.

On February 8, 1964, Deeken contributed 19 points and 17 rebounds as Kentucky defeated Ole Miss 102-59 and established an NCAA Division I single-game record with 108 team rebounds. He closed his collegiate career in the NCAA Mideast Regional third-place game against defending national champion Loyola Chicago, leading Kentucky with 17 points and adding nine rebounds in a 100-91 loss.

Over three varsity seasons, Deeken appeared in 64 games and recorded 757 points, 438 rebounds and 80 assists. He was remembered for his hook shot, energetic rebounding and ability to deliver when Kentucky needed a timely basket or defensive play. His transformation from a lightly used sophomore reserve into an All-SEC co-captain made him one of the most important Wildcats of the early 1960s.

Deeken was also a strong student who entered Kentucky with tentative plans to study medicine. He later returned to Louisville and worked in the cellular telecommunications industry. From his state championship at Flaget to his emergence as Kentucky’s “Fireman” and an All-SEC performer, Deeken earned a lasting place in the basketball history of his hometown and his home state.