100 Notable alumni of
University of Kentucky
Updated:
The University of Kentucky is 141st in the world, 62nd in North America, and 59th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from the University of Kentucky sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Ashley Judd
- Occupations
- voice actorfilm actorfilm directorstage actortelevision actor
- Biography
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Ashley Judd is an American actress. She grew up in a family of performing artists, the daughter of country music singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country music singer Wynonna Judd. Her acting career has spanned more than three decades, and she has become heavily involved in global humanitarian efforts and political activism. Judd made her television debut in 1991 with a guest role on Star Trek: The Next Generation and her film debut in 1992's Kuffs.
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Mitch McConnell
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- In 1967 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- legislative assistantpoliticianlawyerjudge
- Biography
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Addison Mitchell McConnell III is an American politician and retired attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Kentucky, a seat he has held since 1985. McConnell is in his seventh Senate term and is the longest-serving senator in Kentucky history. He served from 2007 to 2025 as the leader of the Senate Republican Conference, including two stints as minority leader (2007 to 2015 and 2021 to 2025), and was majority leader from 2015 to 2021, making him the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history.
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Devin Booker
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Devin Armani Booker is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, winning SEC Sixth Man of the Year before being drafted 13th overall by the Suns in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft. Booker is a four-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA member, and is the Suns' all-time leading scorer. He has also won gold medals with the 2020 and 2024 U.S. Olympic teams.
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Anthony Davis
- Occupations
- actorbasketball playervoice actor
- Biography
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Anthony Marshon Davis Jr., nicknamed "AD", is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the power forward and center positions. Davis is a ten-time NBA All-Star and has been named to four All-NBA First Teams and five NBA All-Defensive Teams. After starting his career with the New Orleans Pelicans, he won the 2020 NBA Finals in his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He also won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 with the Lakers.
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Rajon Rondo
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Rajon Pierre Rondo is an American former professional basketball player. A point guard, Rondo played two years of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats before being drafted 21st overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2006 NBA draft and subsequently traded to the Boston Celtics in a draft-day trade. Rondo is a two-time NBA champion, four-time NBA All-Star, has earned four NBA All-Defensive Team honors including two First Team honors, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2012.
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DeMarcus Cousins
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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DeMarcus Amir Cousins is an American professional basketball player for the Selenge Bodons of The League in Mongolia. Nicknamed "Boogie", he played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, earning consensus second-team All-American honors in 2010. He left Kentucky after one season, and was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. In his first season with the Kings, Cousins was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and from 2015 to 2018, he was named an NBA All-Star four times. He is also a two-time gold medal winner as a member of the United States national team, winning his first in 2014 at the FIBA Basketball World Cup and his second in 2016 at the Rio Olympics.
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Harry Dean Stanton
- Occupations
- musicianactorsingertelevision actorcharacter actor
- Biography
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Harry Dean Stanton was an American actor. In a career that spanned more than six decades, Stanton played supporting roles in films including Cool Hand Luke (1967), Kelly's Heroes (1970), Dillinger (1973), The Godfather Part II (1974), Alien (1979), Escape from New York (1981), Christine (1983), Repo Man (1984), One Magic Christmas (1985), Pretty in Pink (1986), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Wild at Heart (1990), The Straight Story (1999), The Green Mile (1999), The Man Who Cried (2000), Alpha Dog (2006), Inland Empire (2006), Rango (2011), The Avengers (2012), and Seven Psychopaths (2012). He had rare lead roles in Paris, Texas (1984) and in Lucky (2017).
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Pat Riley
- Occupations
- American football playerbasketball coachbasketball playercoach
- Biography
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Patrick James Riley is an American professional basketball executive, former coach, and former player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has been the team president of the Miami Heat since 1995, and he also served as the team's head coach from 1995 to 2003 and again from 2005 to 2008. Often referred to as "the Godfather", Riley is regarded as one of the greatest NBA figures of all time both as a coach and executive. He has won five NBA championships as a head coach, four with the Los Angeles Lakers during their Showtime era in the 1980s and one with the Heat in 2006. Riley is a nine-time NBA champion across his tenures as a player (1972), assistant coach (1980), head coach (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2006), and executive (2012, 2013). Since the start of his NBA career through 2023, Riley appeared in 34 percent of all NBA Finals as a player, coach, or executive.
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Leslie Jordan
- Occupations
- actorfilm actorstage actortelevision actorplaywright
- Biography
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Leslie Allen Jordan was an American actor, comedian, writer, and singer. His television roles include Beverley Leslie on Will & Grace (2001–2006 and 2017–2020), several characters in the American Horror Story franchise (2013–2019), Sid on The Cool Kids (2018–2019), Phil on Call Me Kat (2021–2022), and Lonnie Garr on Hearts Afire (1993–1995). On stage, Jordan played Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram in the 1996 play Sordid Lives, later portraying the character in the 2000 film of the same name. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he became an Instagram contributor, amassing 5.8 million followers in 2020, and published his autobiography How Y'all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived in April 2021. He died at age 67 of natural causes.
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Karl-Anthony Towns
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 2014-2015
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Karl-Anthony Towns Jr., nicknamed “KAT”, is a Dominican-American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. Towns was named to the Dominican Republic national team as a 16-year-old. He was selected with the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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Elizabeth Ann Hulette
- Occupations
- professional wrestlermanager
- Biography
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Elizabeth Ann Hulette, best known in professional wrestling circles as Miss Elizabeth, was an American occasional professional wrestler, professional wrestling manager, and professional wrestling TV announcer. She gained international fame from 1985 to 1992 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) and from 1996 to 2000 in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), in her role as the manager to wrestler "Macho Man" Randy Savage, as well as other wrestlers of that period.
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Jamal Murray
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Jamal Murray is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also represents the Canadian national team. He played one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats before being selected by the Nuggets as the seventh overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Shaivonte Aician Gilgeous-Alexander, also known by his initials SGA, is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one year of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats and was selected 11th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 NBA draft before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers that same night. He is a three-time NBA All-Star and two-time All-NBA First Team member.
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Tyler Herro
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Tyler Christopher Herro is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one year with the Kentucky Wildcats. After being selected by the Heat in the first round of the 2019 NBA draft with the 13th overall pick, Herro was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2020. He reached the NBA Finals during his rookie season with the Heat. He was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2022 and was named to his first All-Star Game in 2025. Herro has played both point guard and shooting guard.
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Bam Adebayo
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 2016
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Edrice Femi "Bam" Adebayo is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats before being selected by the Heat with the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. He is a three-time NBA All-Star, a five-time NBA All-Defensive Team honoree, and he helped the Heat reach the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023. He also won a gold medal with the 2020 and 2024 U.S. Olympic teams.
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Gina Haspel
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 1974-1977
- Occupations
- intelligence officerparalegal
- Biography
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Gina Cheri Walker Haspel is an American intelligence officer who was the seventh director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from May 21, 2018, to January 20, 2021. She was the agency's deputy director from 2017 to 2018 under Mike Pompeo, and became acting director on April 26, 2018, after Pompeo became U.S. secretary of state. She was later nominated and confirmed to the role, making her the first woman to become CIA director on a permanent basis.
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Julius Randle
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Julius Deion Randle is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A three-time NBA All-Star and a two-time member of the All-NBA Team, he was awarded the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2021.
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Shawn Kemp
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Shawn Travis Kemp Sr. is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Reign Man", he was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Second Team member. Kemp is widely regarded as one of the best Slam Dunkers of all time and made the 1996 NBA Finals with the Supersonics.
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John Wall
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr. is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A Raleigh, North Carolina, native, Wall was chosen with the first overall pick of the 2010 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards after playing one year of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. Wall, who plays the point guard position, was a five-time NBA All-Star from 2014 to 2018 and was named to the All-NBA Team in 2017. However, he experienced multiple injuries in 2019 and missed more than two years of basketball before being traded to the Houston Rockets in December 2020. After two seasons with the Rockets he joined the Clippers via free agency in the 2022 off-season before being dealt back to the Rockets with whom he reached a buyout in February 2023.
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Frank Vogel
- Occupations
- basketball coachbasketball player
- Biography
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Frank Paul Vogel is an American professional basketball coach who currently serves as a coaching consultant for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously served as the head coach for the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Phoenix Suns leading the Lakers to an NBA championship in 2020. Vogel began his career as an assistant coach for the Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Boston Celtics.
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De'Aaron Fox
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 2016
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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De'Aaron Martez Fox is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats before being selected fifth overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2017 NBA draft. Nicknamed "Swipa", Fox had a breakout season in 2023, as he was selected to his first All-Star Game and All-NBA Team, along with leading the league in steals and being named the inaugural winner of the Clutch Player of the Year Award en route to leading the Kings to their first postseason berth since 2006.
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Nerlens Noel
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Nerlens Noel is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His collegiate basketball career ended in his first season with a tear of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at the University of Kentucky. Noel was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. His rights were later traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He plays center and power forward, and was one of the top high school basketball players in the class of 2012.
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Eric Bledsoe
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Eric Bledsoe is an American professional basketball player for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He plays the point guard position. After a season of college basketball with the Kentucky Wildcats, he was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft and subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Bledsoe had a four-year tenure with the Phoenix Suns between 2013 and 2017, before being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Sam Bowie
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Samuel Paul Bowie is an American former professional basketball player. A national sensation in high school and outstanding collegian and Olympic team member, Bowie's professional promise was undermined by repeated injuries to his legs and feet. In spite of the setbacks, the 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) and 235 lb (107 kg) center played ten seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
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Thomas Hunt Morgan
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 1883-1886
- Occupations
- zoologistphysiciangeneticistbiologistevolutionary biologist
- Biography
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Thomas Hunt Morgan was an American evolutionary biologist, geneticist, embryologist, and science author who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1933 for discoveries elucidating the role that the chromosome plays in heredity.
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Antoine Walker
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Antoine Devon Walker is an American former professional basketball player. He was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft out of the University of Kentucky and played in the NBA from 1996 to 2008. Walker played for the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, the BSN's Mets de Guaynabo and the NBA D-League's Idaho Stampede before retiring from basketball in 2012. Walker, a three-time NBA All-Star, won an NCAA championship with Kentucky in 1996 and an NBA championship with the Heat in 2006.
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George Blanda
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
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George Frederick Blanda was an American professional football quarterback and placekicker who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). Blanda played 26 seasons of professional football, the most in the sport's history, and had scored more points than anyone in history at the time of his retirement.
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Malik Monk
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 2016
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Malik Ahmad Monk is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, earning consensus second-team All-American honors in 2017. Monk was selected in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets with the 11th overall pick. He has also played for the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Enes Kanter Freedom
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Enes Kanter Freedom is a Turkish-American professional basketball player who last played for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in Switzerland to Turkish parents, he was raised in Turkey and moved to the United States as a teenager. Freedom was selected as the third overall pick of the 2011 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz, and usually plays the center position. He is also a human rights activist and is known for his "freedom shoes" and outspoken criticism of human rights abuses in China, particularly the treatment of Uyghurs and the use of forced labor. He also appeared briefly in WWE and is a former WWE 24/7 Champion.
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Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Michael Anthony Edward Kidd-Gilchrist Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. Kidd-Gilchrist was drafted second overall by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2012 NBA draft. He played for the University of Kentucky men's basketball team from 2011 to 2012.
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Tayshaun Prince
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Tayshaun Durell Prince is an American professional basketball executive and former player. The 6-foot-9-inch (2.06 m) small forward graduated from Dominguez High School before playing college basketball for the University of Kentucky. He was drafted 23rd overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2002 NBA draft and went on to win a championship with the team in 2004.
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Jared Lorenzen
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 1999-2004
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
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Jared Raymond Lorenzen was an American professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons with the New York Giants. He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats, setting the school records for passing yards and passing touchdowns, and was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2004. At 285 lb (129 kg), Lorenzen was the heaviest quarterback to play in the NFL. He was nicknamed "Hefty Lefty" because of his weight and being left-handed.
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Tyrese Maxey
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 2019
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Tyrese Maxey, is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.
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Willie Cauley-Stein
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Willie Trill Cauley-Stein is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Nanjing Monkey Kings of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball with the Kentucky Wildcats.
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Scott Pruitt
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Edward Scott Pruitt is an American attorney, lobbyist and Republican politician from the state of Oklahoma. He served as the 14th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from February 17, 2017, to July 9, 2018, during the Donald Trump presidency, resigning while under at least 14 federal investigations. Pruitt denies the scientific consensus on climate change.
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Dwane Casey
- Occupations
- basketball coachbasketball player
- Biography
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Dwane Lyndon Casey is an American retired basketball coach who most recently served as the head coach of the Detroit Pistons before transitioning to a front office position with the team. He is a former NCAA basketball player and coach, having played and coached there for over a decade before moving on to the NBA. He was previously the head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Toronto Raptors, with whom he won the NBA Coach of the Year Award in 2018.
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Will Levis
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 2021-2022
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
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William Donovan Levis is an American professional football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions and Kentucky Wildcats before being selected by the Titans in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft.
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Riley Gaines
- Years
- 2000-.. (age 25)
- Occupations
- swimmer
- Biography
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Riley Gaines Barker is an American conservative political activist and swimmer, known for campaigning against the participation of trans women in women's sports. As a 12-time NCAA All-American she competed for the University of Kentucky NCAA swim team before retiring from competition and focusing on political activism.
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Brandon Knight
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Brandon Emmanuel Knight is an American professional basketball player who last played for AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League. A two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year, Knight played one season of college basketball for Kentucky before being selected by the Detroit Pistons in the 2011 NBA draft. After two seasons with the Pistons, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He spent a season and a half in Milwaukee before being traded to the Phoenix Suns in February 2015. In August 2018, he was traded to the Houston Rockets. At the 2019 trade deadline, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns before being traded back to the Lakers at the 2020 trade deadline.
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Peter Zeihan
- Years
- 1973-.. (age 52)
- Occupations
- writeradviser
- Biography
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Peter Henry Zeihan is an American researcher and writer with a decade-long background as a geopolitical intelligence analyst with Stratfor, whose books and other content focus on geopolitics and globalism. He is the author of The Absent Superpower (2017), Disunited Nations (2020), and The End of the World Is Just the Beginning (2022).
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P. J. Washington
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Paul Jamaine Washington Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. After being selected by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round of the 2019 NBA draft with the 12th overall pick, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2020. Washington was traded to the Mavericks at the trade deadline in February 2024, helping the team reach the 2024 NBA Finals.
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Walter Tevis
- Occupations
- university teacherwriterscience fiction writernovelist
- Biography
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Walter Stone Tevis Jr. was an American novelist and screenwriter. Three of his six novels were adapted into major films: The Hustler, The Color of Money and The Man Who Fell to Earth. A fourth, The Queen’s Gambit, was adapted into a miniseries with the same title and shown on Netflix in 2020. His books have been translated into at least 18 languages.
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Wendell Berry
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- In 1957 graduated with Master of Arts in English studies
- Occupations
- authorpoetnovelistwriterfarmer
- Biography
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Wendell Erdman Berry is an American novelist, poet, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer. Closely identified with rural Kentucky, Berry developed many of his agrarian themes in the early essays of The Gift of Good Land (1981) and The Unsettling of America (1977). His attention to the culture and economy of rural communities is also found in the novels and stories of Port William, such as A Place on Earth (1967), Jayber Crow (2000), and That Distant Land (2004).
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Terrence Clarke
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Terrence Adrian Clarke was an American college basketball player for the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Clarke was a standout Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball player for Todd Quarles at Expressions Elite in Braintree, Massachusetts. He began his high school career at Rivers School before transferring to Brewster Academy, where his team won the 2019 National Prep Championships. Named a McDonald's All-American, Clarke was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the best shooting guards in the 2020 class. He played one season in college for Kentucky before declaring for the 2021 NBA draft.
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Sonny Dykes
- Occupations
- head coach
- Biography
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Daniel "Sonny" Dykes is an American football coach, and a former college baseball player. He is currently the head football coach at Texas Christian University (TCU), and previously served in the same role at Southern Methodist University (SMU) from 2018 to 2021, the University of California, Berkeley from 2013 to 2016, and Louisiana Tech University from 2010 to 2012. In his first season at TCU, he led the Horned Frogs to a win in the semifinal and an appearance in the National Championship game.
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Reshma Shetty
- Occupations
- film actortelevision actorstage actoractor
- Biography
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Reshma Shetty is a British-born American actress who is best known for her role as Divya Katdare on the USA Network TV series Royal Pains.
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Kristine Sutherland
- Occupations
- film actorvoice actortelevision actoractor
- Biography
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Kristine Sutherland is an American actress best known for her starring role as Buffy Summers' mother Joyce Summers on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where she appeared in every season (1997–2003), and her role as Mae Thompson in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989).
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Trey Lyles
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Trey Anthony Lyles is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted by the Utah Jazz following his freshman season at the University of Kentucky.
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Tyler Ulis
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 2014
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Tyler Ulis is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach at the University of Arkansas. He played college basketball at the University of Kentucky. In 2015, he led his team in assists, made the 2015 SEC All-Freshman Team, and led the 2014–15 Kentucky team that won its first 38 games before losing to Wisconsin in the final four of the 2015 NCAA tournament. As a sophomore, Ulis was a Consensus first-team All-American and earned the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and SEC Defensive Player of the Year recognition.
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Hamidou Alcindor Diallo
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Hamidou Diallo is an American professional basketball player for the Shanxi Loongs of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He was a consensus five-star prospect, and one of the top-rated basketball players in the class of 2017. He won the 2019 Slam Dunk Contest.
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Wenyen Gabriel
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Wenyen Gabriel is a South Sudanese-American professional basketball player for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basketball League (GBL) and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats, after being a 5-star prospect in 2016, ranked as high as #14 on ESPN's Top 100. Gabriel has also played in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Tim Couch
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 1996-1998
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
Timothy Scott Couch is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons with the Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats, where he set the Southeastern Conference record for single-season passing yards and won the Quarterback of the Year as a junior. Selected first overall by the Browns in the 1999 NFL draft, Couch was the franchise's first draft pick following their reactivation as an expansion team.
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Don Rosa
- Occupations
- screenwriterwritercomics artistillustrator
- Biography
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Keno Don Hugo Rosa, known as Don Rosa (born June 29, 1951), is an American comic book writer and illustrator known for his Disney comics stories about Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck, and other characters which Carl Barks created for Disney-licensed comic books, first published in America by Dell Comics. Many of his stories are built on characters and locations created by Barks; among these was his first Duck story, "The Son of the Sun" (1987), which was nominated for a Harvey Award in the "Best Story of the Year" category.
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Za'Darius Smith
- Occupations
- American football player
- Biography
-
Za'Darius Smith is an American professional football defensive end for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at East Mississippi Community College before transferring to Kentucky. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He has also played for the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Cleveland Browns.
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Kelly Craft
- Occupations
- donorpoliticianbusinesspersondiplomat
- Biography
-
Kelly Dawn Craft is an American businesswoman, politician, and former diplomat who served as the 30th United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2019 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. She was confirmed as the US ambassador to the United Nations by the US Senate by a vote of 56–34, and was officially sworn in September 2019.
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Tudor Dixon
- Occupations
- political punditpolitician
- Biography
-
Tudor Dixon is an American politician, businesswoman and conservative political commentator. A member of the Republican Party, Dixon was the party's nominee for Governor of Michigan in the 2022 election. She became the Michigan Republicans' first female nominee for governor. Dixon lost the election to incumbent Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer by 10.6 points.
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Steve Beshear
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Steven Lynn Beshear is an American attorney and politician who served as the 61st governor of Kentucky from 2007 to 2015. He served in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1974 to 1980, was the state's 44th attorney general from 1980 to 1983 and was the 49th lieutenant governor from 1983 to 1987.
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Jarred Vanderbilt
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Jarred Jakobi Vanderbilt is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected as a McDonald's All-American in high school. Vanderbilt played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He was selected by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft.
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Andrew Harrison
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Andrew Michael Harrison is an American professional basketball player who last played for Semt77 Yalovaspor of the TBL. He was considered one of the top recruits for 2013. He attended Travis High School in Richmond, Texas, and played college basketball for the University of Kentucky along with his twin brother, Aaron Harrison.
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Aaron Harrison
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Aaron Malik Harrison is an American professional basketball player for Diablos Rojos del México of the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional (LNBP). He was considered one of the top high school recruits in 2013 and played college basketball for the University of Kentucky alongside his twin brother Andrew. Harrison played in both the 2013 Jordan Brand Classic, and the 2013 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.
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Keldon Johnson
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Keldon Wilder Johnson is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. Johnson attended Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. In 2021, he won an Olympic gold medal in basketball as a member of the United States national team.
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John Y. Brown Jr
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Graduated with Bachelor of Laws
- Occupations
- businesspersonpoliticianlawyer
- Biography
-
John Young Brown Jr. was an American politician and entrepreneur from Kentucky. He served as the 55th governor of Kentucky from 1979 to 1983, and built Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) into a multimillion-dollar restaurant chain.
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Terrence Jones
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Terrence Alexander Jones is an American professional basketball player who last played for Piratas de Quebradillas of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.
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Skal Labissiere
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Skal Labissière is a Haitian professional basketball player for the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League. He graduated from Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tennessee, before playing one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.
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Johnny Juzang
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Jonathan Anh Juzang is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He began his college basketball career playing one season with the Kentucky Wildcats before transferring and spending two seasons with the UCLA Bruins. A two-time all-conference selection in the Pac-12, Juzang earned third-team All-American honors as a junior in 2022. As a sophomore, he was named to the All-Tournament Team of the 2021 NCAA tournament, as the Bruins advanced to the Final Four.
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Immanuel Quickley
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Immanuel Jaylen Quickley, is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats and was selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft.
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Patrick Patterson
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Patrick Patterson is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the NBA for the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers.
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James Paxton
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
James Alston Paxton, nicknamed "Big Maple", is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Stephen Gaghan
- Occupations
- film directorfilm produceractorscreenwriterfilm actor
- Biography
-
Stephen Gaghan is an American screenwriter and director. He is noted for writing the screenplay for Steven Soderbergh's film Traffic, based on a Channel 4 series, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as Syriana which he wrote and directed. He also wrote and directed the thriller Abandon and the family film Dolittle, and directed the drama Gold.
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Marquis Teague
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Marquis Devante Teague is an American professional basketball player who last played for Kolossos Rodou of the Greek Basket League. He was one of the top-rated high school basketball players in the class of 2011.
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James Young
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
James Young is an American professional basketball player who last played for Varese of the Lega Basket Serie A. He played one season of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats before being selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. He spent the majority of his rookie NBA season playing in the NBA Development League for the Celtics' affiliate team, the Maine Red Claws. In 2019–20 he was the top scorer in the Israel Basketball Premier League, with an average of 20.5 points per game.
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Howard Schnellenberger
- Occupations
- American football coachAmerican football player
- Biography
-
Howard Leslie Schnellenberger was an American football coach with long service at both the professional and college levels. He held head coaching positions with the National Football League (NFL)'s Baltimore Colts and in college for the University of Miami, University of Oklahoma, University of Louisville, and Florida Atlantic University. He won a national championship with Miami in 1983.
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Jason Kipnis
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Jason Michael Kipnis is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs. He attended Glenbrook North High School in the suburbs of Chicago where he earned three letters playing baseball for the Glenbrook North Spartans. He attended the University of Kentucky, but transferred to Arizona State University after two years. In college, Kipnis was an All-American and the 2009 Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year for the Sun Devils.
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Jodie Meeks
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Orestes Jodie Meeks II is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the University of Kentucky. On January 13, 2009, he gained national recognition by breaking the Kentucky single-game scoring record with 54 points in a nationally televised game on ESPN against Tennessee. In the same game, he broke the university's single-game three-point record by making 10 three-pointers. Meeks won the 2019 NBA championship as a member of the Toronto Raptors. In 2024, Meeks was inducted into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame.
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Isaiah Briscoe
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Isaiah Jamal Briscoe is an American professional basketball player for the Kaohsiung Steelers of the Taiwanese P. League+. He was ranked among the top point guards in the national class of 2015 by Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN. He completed his senior year at Roselle Catholic High School in 2015, and then played two seasons of college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.
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Story Musgrave
- Occupations
- astronaut
- Biography
-
Franklin Story Musgrave is an American physician and a retired NASA astronaut. He is a public speaker and consultant to both Disney's Imagineering group and Applied Minds in California. In 1996, he became only the second astronaut to fly on six spaceflights, and he is the most formally educated astronaut with six academic degrees. Musgrave is the only astronaut to have flown aboard all five Space Shuttles.
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Nazr Mohammed
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Nazr Tahiru Mohammed is an American former professional basketball player who had a journeyman career in the National Basketball Association (NBA), playing for eight different teams over 18 seasons. He is the current general manager of the Oklahoma City Blue and a pro scout for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played college basketball for Kentucky.
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Kyle Wiltjer
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 2011-2013
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Kyle Gregory Wiltjer is a Canadian-American professional basketball player for Reyer Venezia Mestre of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He spent two seasons of college basketball with the Kentucky Wildcats before transferring to play with the Gonzaga Bulldogs in 2013. A dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, he has played for the Canada national team.
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Don Galloway
- Occupations
- film actortelevision actorjournalistactor
- Biography
-
Donald Poe Galloway was an American stage, film and television actor, best known for his role as Detective Sergeant Ed Brown in the series Ironside (1967–1975). He reprised the role for a TV film in 1993. He was also a politically active libertarian and columnist.
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DeAndre Liggins
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
DeAndre Desmond Liggins is an American professional basketball player for Dijlah Al-Jamiea of the Iraqi Basketball Premier League. He played college basketball for Kentucky.
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Jasmine Camacho-Quinn
- Occupations
- athletics competitor
- Biography
-
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn is a Puerto Rican track and field athlete who specializes in the 100 metres hurdles. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she became the first Puerto Rican of Afro-Latino descent and the second person representing Puerto Rico to win a gold medal. In the semi-finals, Camacho-Quinn set her personal best and Olympic record of 12.26 seconds, which is tied for the tenth fastest time in history. She won a bronze medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships and a silver medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. In the 2024 Paris Olympics, she won a bronze medal, her second one, becoming the only Puerto Rican to have won two Olympic medals.
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Happy Chandler
- Occupations
- baseball playerbasketball coachlawyerpolitician
- Biography
-
Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler Sr. was an American politician from Kentucky. He represented Kentucky in the U.S. Senate and served as its 44th and 49th governor. Aside from his political positions, he also served as the second commissioner of baseball from 1945 to 1951 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. His grandson, Ben Chandler, later served as congressman for Kentucky's Sixth District.
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Ted Strickland
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- In 1966 graduated with Master of Arts
- In 1980 graduated with Doctor of Philosophy
- Occupations
- university teacherpolitician
- Biography
-
Theodore Strickland is an American politician who served as the 68th governor of Ohio from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 6th congressional district (1993–1995, 1997–2007).
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Dan Issel
- Occupations
- coachbasketball playerbasketball coach
- Biography
-
Daniel Paul Issel is an American former professional basketball player and coach. An outstanding collegian at the University of Kentucky, Issel was twice named an All-American en route to a school-record 25.7 points per game for his career. The American Basketball Association Rookie of the Year in 1971, he was a six-time ABA All-Star and a one-time NBA All-Star.
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Kendra Harrison
- Occupations
- athletics competitor
- Biography
-
Kendra "Keni" Harrison is an American hurdler. Harrison held the world record in the women's 100 metres hurdles with a time of 12.20 seconds, set on July 22, 2016 at the London Müller Anniversary Games, breaking the previous world record of 12.21 seconds achieved nearly 28 years earlier by Bulgarian athlete Yordanka Donkova.
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John T. Scopes
- Occupations
- teachergeologist
- Biography
-
John Thomas Scopes was a teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, who was charged on May 5, 1925, with violating Tennessee's Butler Act, which prohibited the teaching of human evolution in Tennessee schools. He was tried in a case known as the Scopes Trial, and was found guilty and fined $100 (equivalent to $1,737 in 2023).
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Kelenna Azubuike
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Kelenna David Azubuike is an English-born Nigerian-American former professional basketball player and currently the Golden State Warriors television analyst on NBC Sports Bay Area.
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Jamaal Magloire
- Occupations
- basketball playerbasketball coach
- Biography
-
Jamaal Dane Magloire is a Canadian former professional basketball player who currently serves as basketball development consultant and community ambassador for the Toronto Raptors. He played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, and Toronto Raptors. The 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m), 265 lb (120 kg; 18.9 st) center was selected out of the University of Kentucky by the Charlotte Hornets, with the 19th overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft, after withdrawing his name from the previous draft. He was voted into the NBA All-Star Game in 2004, becoming the second Canadian All-Star in NBA history.
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Fai Hung-tai
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Graduated with doctorate
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Fai Hrong-tai, also known as Alex Fai, is a Taiwanese politician who has been a member of the Legislative Yuan since 2005. He represents Taipei City Constituency VII and is the leader of the Kuomintang caucus in the legislature.
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Reed Sheppard
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 2023-2024
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Isaiah Reed Sheppard is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He was a consensus four-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class. Sheppard was drafted as the 3rd pick in the 2024 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets.
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Oscar Tshiebwe
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- Studied in 2021
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Oscar Tshiebwe is a Congolese professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Kentucky Wildcats. In 2022, Tshiebwe was the consensus national player of the year.
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Brandon Boston
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Brandon Elliot Boston Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Birmingham Squadron of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats.
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Dakari Johnson
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Dakari Naeem Johnson is an American professional basketball player who last played for Anhui Wenyi of the NBL, the Second tier of professional basketball in China. He played college basketball for the University of Kentucky.
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Kevin Knox
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Kevin Devon Knox II is an American professional basketball player for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. Knox was selected ninth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2018 NBA draft.
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Archie Goodwin
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Archie Lee Goodwin III is an American professional basketball player for the Jiangsu Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for Kentucky.
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Hal Rogers
- Enrolled in the University of Kentucky
- In 1962 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- politicianprosecutorlawyer
- Biography
-
Harold Dallas Rogers is an American lawyer and politician serving his 23rd term as the U.S. representative for Kentucky's 5th congressional district, having served since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party. Upon Don Young's death in 2022, Rogers became the dean of the House of Representatives.
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Tom Kennedy
- Occupations
- game show hostactor
- Biography
-
James Edward Narz, known professionally as Tom Kennedy, was an American television host best known for his work in game shows. Game shows Kennedy hosted included Password Plus, Split Second, Name That Tune, and You Don't Say!
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Nick Wilson
- Years
- 1990-.. (age 35)
- Occupations
- lawyerreality television participant
- Biography
-
Nicolas Joseph Caleb Wilson is an American reality TV star and politician currently serving as a Republican member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from Kentucky's 82nd House district. His district includes Whitley County and parts of Laurel County. He also competed on the reality competition show Survivor.
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Alex Poythress
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Alex Poythress is an American-born naturalized Ivorian professional basketball player for Zenit Saint Petersburg of the VTB United League. He won the Gatorade Player of the Year in Tennessee in 2011–12 in his senior year of high school, and was the TSSAA Class AAA Mr. Basketball his senior year. He was a 5-star recruit out of Northeast High School in Clarksville, Tennessee, during 2011–12. He played college basketball for the University of Kentucky. Finished his career with 966 points, 597 rebounds and 77 blocks, becoming just the 12th player in program history with at least 900 points, at least 500 rebounds and at least 70 blocks.
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Darius Miller
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
-
Darius Tiyon Miller is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats and finished his senior season by winning the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament on the 2011–12 Kentucky Wildcats team.
