Position: Center-Forward

Reggie Hanson was born Reginald Leonard Hanson on October 8, 1968, in Charlotte, North Carolina. After moving to Somerset, Kentucky, he became a standout at Pulaski County High School under coach Dave Fraley. Hanson led the Maroons to the 1986 state championship and earned the Sweet Sixteen’s Most Valuable Player award, establishing himself as one…

Bret Bearup was born Bret Neal Bearup on November 17, 1961, in Pocatellio, Idaho, to Linda and Charlie Bearup. He had four brothers. He was affectionately known as simply “Bear.” His father, an executive with DuPont, played basketball at Idaho State. Bearup’s family moved to Long Island, New York in 1976. In high school, Bearup…

Sam Bowie was born Samuel Paul Bowie on March 17, 1961, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, to Ben and Cathy “Sammy” Bowie. His 6-foot-10 father played professionally with the Harlem Magicians and helped foster his early interest in basketball. At Lebanon High School, Bowie developed into one of the nation’s premier prospects, averaging more than 28 points…

Scott Courts was born Scott David Courts on December 28, 1958, to Howard and Jeanette Courts Courts was a three-time Jefferson County Basketball League All-Star in Arvada, Colorado, a suburb of Denver.  He took ‘77 league honors in scoring (20.0), rebounding (13.6) and shooting percentage (63.0).  Courts was named All-Metro and All-State by the Denver…

Thad Jaracz (pronounced Jair-as) was born Thaddeus Vincent Jaracz, Jr. on December 15, 1946, in Lexington, Kentucky to Thaddeus (Ted) Vincent Jaracz, Sr. and Marion D. McCaw Jaracz.  His father, originally from Massachusetts, was a dairy farmer on Harrodsburg Road in Lexington who played football for Kentucky. Jaracz came to Kentucky from Lexington’s Lafayette High School…

John Adams was born May 15, 1943, in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Adams hailed from Rising Sun, Indiana, a small Indiana community 25 miles down river from Cincinnati.  His father was a chemist and his mother worked at an insurance agency. Adams averaged 21 points and 22 rebounds a game in his final schoolboy campaign at Rising…

Cotton Nash was born Charles Francis Nash on July 23, 1942, in Jersey City, New Jersey. He discovered basketball after his family moved to Indiana, where former Kentucky national champion Cliff Barker coached him at Jeffersonville High School. Nash later became a multi-sport sensation at Lake Charles High School in Louisiana. Nicknamed “The Bayou Bomber,”…

George Atkins was born on July 10, 1941, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, to George L. Atkins Sr. and Mary Frances “Frances” Shaver Atkins. A 6-foot-6 center-forward, Atkins starred at Hopkinsville High School, where he earned All-State honors and scored 1,621 career points, including a 40-point game while topping the 30-point mark a dozen times. He accepted…