April 29, 1999
The University of Kentucky has granted Michael Bradley and RyanHogan releases from their scholarships, athletics director C.M. Newtonannounced Thursday.
Bradley, a 6-10 center, started all 37 games last season andaveraged 9.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 21.9 minutes per game. He led thenation in field goal percentage for one week in February en route toshooting a school-record 65.7 percent from the field as the Wildcatsfinished with a 28-9 slate and a final ranking of fifth in the nationalcoaches’ poll.
Hogan, a 6-2 guard from Deerfield, Ill., played in 35 of the 37 gamesthis season with two starts. He averaged 3.7 points and 9.5 minutes pergame.
“I’m disappointed that Mike and Ryan have decided to leave theUniversity of Kentucky, but we wish them well in their futureendeavors,” Coach Tubby Smith said.
The two players have not decided on future schools. Smith will have no further comment on the matter.
Knight Signs National Letter to Play Hoops at Kentucky
Nate Knight, a 6-8, 220-pound forward/center from Utah ValleyState College, has signed a national letter of intent to play basketballat the University of Kentucky, Coach Tubby Smith announced Thursday.
Knight, who will be a junior next year for the Wildcats,averaged 14.5 points per game during the 1998-99 season and led theScenic West Athletic Conference in rebounding at 8.9 rebounds per game.He helped the Wolverines to a 24-8 record while shooting 60.4 percentfrom the field and 60.9 percent from the free throw line. He’s the firstjunior college transfer to join the Wildcats since Rodney Dent, a 6-10center from Odessa (Texas) Junior College, who lettered at UK in 1993and ’94.
“We’re very excited about Nate joining our ballclub,” Smithsaid. “His quickness and agility will fit perfectly with our uptempostyle of play, and his experience and maturity will be important on ourfront line.”
Knight, the younger brother of current L.A. Laker Travis Knight,hails from Alta High School in Sandy, Utah. The All-State selectionaveraged 24.6 points and 16.0 rebounds per game as a high school seniorand played his freshman year of college basketball at Oregon State,where current UK assistant George Felton recruited him. He appeared in24 games for the Beavers in 1996-97, averaging 3.0 points and 3.2rebounds per game.
After his freshman season, he left Oregon State and served aMormon Mission in Cleveland for one year before transferring to UtahValley State. He chose Kentucky over Brigham Young.
Knight becomes the first spring signee for the Wildcats thisseason. He joins three incoming freshmen – Keith Bogans, a 6-4 guardfrom Alexandria, Va., Marquis Estill, a 6-9 forward from Richmond, Ky.,and Marvin Stone, a 6-10 forward from Huntsville, Ala. – on the1999-2000 UK roster. The spring signing period continues until May 15.
