Kentucky Basketball: Ranking the 5 Best Underdog Stories in Wildcats History

To be as successful as Kentucky basketball is as a program, you need to have the star recruits. However, you also need those underdogs, who play with a chip on their shoulders, to mix in with the star players and create a well-balanced team.

Luckily, Kentucky has had a handful of these underdogs. Whether they were castoffs, guys people never thought about seeing minutes, let alone starting, or walk-ons who made their way up the food chain, we've seen it all happen in Lexington. 

These are the five best underdog stories in Wildcats history. 

5. Cameron Mills

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Cameron Mills had plenty of talent. However, many questioned his decision to turn down a scholarship offer to Georgia in order to walk on at Kentucky. He would have been a star for the Bulldogs; now he was likely going to ride the bench in Lexington.

Only, Cameron Mills didn't do that. During the 1997 postseason run, Mills became a household name across the Commonwealth when he shot over 60 percent from deep and averaged 11 points during the NCAA Tournament. 

But, it was one specific play that is still shown during the warm-up hype video at Rupp Arena that solidified Mills' status as one of the most memorable underdogs. Down 17 points with 9:38 remaining in the 1998 Elite Eight against Duke, Kentucky made a ferocious comeback. Sure enough, it was Cameron Mills who drilled a three, with the Wildcats down 86-84 with 2:15 left.

Kentucky would go on to win its seventh national title, and Mills is a name now revered in Kentucky. 

4. DeAndre Liggins

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DeAndre Liggins was an often-troubled swingman that was constantly in a coach's doghouse. His permanent status as a screwup had Big Blue Nation question why he was even on the roster. 

Then the 2010-11 season happened, and Liggins became a fan favorite when he developed into a key player who made it to the Final Four in 2011. 

As a freshman, he couldn't even get on the floor, stuck for eternity next to then-head coach Billy Gillispie on the bench. In the beginning of his sophomore season, he was suspended for nine games by head coach John Calipari for an unknown reason and never really seemed to find his groove.

As a junior, though, he embraced his role as the key defender, starting the majority of the season, but also embracing the sixth-man role when called upon. The image everyone now has of him is hugging John Calipari on the floor after making the pivotal play to send the Wildcats to the Final Four.

He would go on to be drafted in the second round, something that many people never imagined possible.  

3. Anthony Epps

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Anthony Epps was another story of a walk-on-turned leader of a national title team. The Kentucky native came to Lexington with little hype, having to battle to see time on the court.

But by the time he was a senior, he was a co-captain of a team that won the national championship and had four starters make the NBA, with him being the only one not to make the big leagues. However, he was a huge part of the team as the leader on the floor and averaged over six points and nearly four assists a game. 

There was a time when Epps was going to leave the program, after barely seeing the floor as a freshman and having to be the spark plug in practice. However, then-head coach Rick Pitino was able to keep him on board, and his perseverance paid off as he played 20 minutes a game as a sophomore and then became a starter during his junior year.  

2. Josh Harrellson

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From having to sit in the bathroom stall during a game to being drafted in the NBA. Pretty confident there's not another person on the planet that can say they've done both. 

But, Josh Harrellson did just that. After being banished to a stall during halftime at Vanderbilt and then forced to ride home in the equipment bus by Billy Gillispie, Harrellson was nothing more than an afterthought. 

When John Calipari became head coach, many assumed Harrellson would be forced to transfer because of a lack of talent or relegated to the last person on the bench. During Calipari's first year, Harrellson barely saw the floor, stuck behind Patrick Patterson, Daniel Orton, Perry Stevenson and DeMarcus Cousins. 

During his senior year, Harrellson exploded into a fan favorite. He played more than 28 minutes per game and always seemed to shine during the biggest moments, with his best game coming against rival Louisville. The man known as "Jorts" is now a name Kentucky fans say with joy.

1. The Unforgettables

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Yes, Jamal Mashburn was an All-American and arguably the best player coming out of high school when he committed to Kentucky. But, the rest of the team defined the word underdog. 

Coming off of an extremely tough probation, Richie Farmer, John Pelphrey, Sean Woods and Deron Feldhaus suffered after the "Kentucky Shame" Sports Illustrated cover and made their way to the Elite Eight.

They weren't supposed to be a great team. They were supposed to help bridge the gap from struggling to "these are Pitino's guys coming in to save the program." Only, they became saviors with their tough-nose play and the perfect blend of characters. 

The four players had their jerseys retired almost immediately after the loss to Duke in the Elite Eight, and their story is still talked about today, nearly 25 years later. It will be tough to ever top these guys as the best underdog story in Kentucky history.