Kyle Macy with former UK coach Joe Hall and former UK All-American Kenny Walker.
After one season at Purdue, Kyle Macy wanted to transfer and immediately he thought Kentucky — a school that recruited him in high school — would be the right place for him.
“I never told Kentucky no. They just wanted an answer before I had my mind made up and they went ahead and took Truman Claytor, so I went to Purdue,” Macy said.
Transfers were treated a bit differently then. Kentucky coach Joe Hall didn’t wine and dine Macy to get him. Instead, Macy had to come to Hall’s home in Lexington.
“We talked for a good hour and 55 minutes. Joe was so stoic. He never cracked a smile,” Macy said. “We just talked back and forth and I pitched myself to him. Finally, he looked at me and said he guessed we could give it a try.”
Macy had to sit out the 1976-77 season when UK lost to North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament East Region final. It was a tough year for him.
“When I transferred I had to decide if I wanted to go junior college and play or transfer to a school like Kentucky and sit a year (transfers were not eligible to play then without sitting out a year),” Macy said. “As hard as it was, I chose to sit out a year.
“I had played basketball since I could walk and was always in the gym with my father. That year sitting out was tough but it was the best thing for me. I probably weighed 155 or 160 (pounds) when I got to Kentucky. I had never been in a weight room.
“The first time I walked in the weight room there was (UK All-American defensive lineman) Art Still. He was probably doing about 540 (pounds) in the clean and his shoulders looked four feet wide. I thought, ‘I am in the wrong place.’ But I got bigger and stronger and it paid off.”
Macy was the starting point guard on UK’s 1978 national championship team and became one of the most popular Kentucky players ever.
12 Responses
It was lucky for Kyle that Larry Johnson was graduating in 77.
Pretty sure he knew that when he transferred
Oh, forgot to say Kenny was a once in a generation talent. A talent that was wasted by being drafted by the Knicks.
Nonsense. If he were that skilled, he wouldn’t have been coming off the bench, sat out two years and resurfaced with the Last Train Leaving the Station in DC.
Macy’s home made video by his father is epic. Never misses a shot. His free throw shooting mechanics should be a procedure for all newbies looking for the line at UofK. As I recall, coach Yankee states it’s up to players to practice free throws on their own time. And that’s from a so called hall of fame coach.
I never saw that video Greg
I still remember that loss to UNC in the Mideast finals. Dean Smith ran onto the floor at Robey and didn’t get T’d up; Phil Ford got hurt and a guy named John Kuesters ran the four corners for about the last 15 minutes of the second half and Carolina never missed a foul shot. Very exasperating performance, but a winning one.
You have a great memory William
Great pair and good coach go big blue.
They we’re lucky Miami Ohio upset Marquette in 78!!
Joe, Kentucky had the heart to win it all in 1978 regardless who’s was in there path. Marquette or not!!
I agree. 1978 team was going to take it all