Scott Padgett enters his second season as an assistant coach with the Manhattan men's basketball program. Padgett, an eight-year NBA veteran and former University of Kentucky standout, will assist in the development of the Jaspers post and front court players.
Prior to joining the Manhattan basketball program last year, Padgett spent the 2009-10 season at his alma mater on head coach John Calipari's staff. The Wildcats advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, finished with a 35-3 overall record and ranked in the top-5 of both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls, including a #1 ranking on January 25.
The Louisville, Ky. native was a first round draft pick selected 28th overall by the Utah Jazz in 1999 and spent eight years in the NBA. Padgett recorded 1,142 points in four years with the Jazz before spending the next two seasons with the Houston Rockets. He played the 2005-06 season with the New Jersey Nets. Padgett began the 2006-07 season with the Rockets before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he finished out his career.
Padgett played at Kentucky from 1995-99. He helped lead the Wildcats to the 1998 NCAA National Championship, where he was named to the NCAA All-Final Four team, as well as the NCAA All-East Regional team and All-SEC during the regular season. In 1997, Padgett helped Kentucky to the NCAA championship game and was named to the All-Final Four team. A true student-athlete, Padgett received All-SEC honors twice for his work on the hardwood, and he was also honored with Academic All-SEC honors in 1998 and 1999 for his success in the classroom. Padgett scored 1,252 points over his career, which ranks 32nd on Kentucky's all-time list.
