Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Makayla Epps with her father, Anthony Epps, a starter on UK’s 1996 national championship team. (UK Athletics Photo)
Makayla Epps was an all-American and three-time first-team all-Southeastern Conference pick during her UK basketball career from 2014-17. The former Marion County High School sensation is currently sixth in UK history in points (1,790), career games played (133) and field goals made (668) along with being eighth in assists (408) and free throws made (353). Her 13.5 points per game career scoring average ranks 10th all-time at UK.
Even more impressive is that UK went 97-38 during her four seasons and played in four straight NCAA Tournaments.
She was one of those inducted into the UK Athletics Hall of Fame last week and had an emotional, six-minute speech at the ceremony where she admitted it was a “tremendous”honor for her.
“I knew early in life that the cards were stacked against me. How is anybody going to know me or how good I am? I went to work. I didn’t grow up rich. I grew up just shooting a pair of socks into a metal clothes hanger on top of my grandmother’s closet,” she said.
While remembering the sacrifices she made to get to where she is today, she also appreciated the sacrifices, including her late mother, made for her also. She said her mom was the reason she “played with such fire and passion.”
Her father, Anthony, was part of UK’s 1996 national championship team. He posted on social media that he “had a great time celebrating my oldest as she went into the UK HOF.” He described her as “one of the best players to ever suit up in the blue & white; men or women.”
She said growing up in Lebanon she knew what Kentucky basketball meant and just wanted to make sure her “mark” when she got to UK.
“When I came to Kentucky I was known as Anthony Epps’ daughter. Now he is known as Makayla Epps’ dad,” she said. “We kind of flipped the narrative a little bit and that’s all I wanted.
“He had a phenomenal career, he is my father and I loved following his footsteps but to come to the same place and follow his footsteps and make a name for myself, I love that and think I did pretty good.”
She didn’t even mind UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart tricking her by indicating he would be calling to have her on a podcast. Instead, she said it was “surreal” when he told her she was being inducted in the hall of fame.
She made sure to stop by to see second-year UK women’s coach Kenny Brooks and his team during his weekend in Lexington.
“This was four of the most amazing years of my life. I would do it all over again if Kenny Brooks would allow it,” Epps said.
