Former UK basketball standout donates $500K to Lexington private school

Former University of Kentucky men’s basketball standout Jim Master and his wife, Sheila, have donated $500,000 to Sayre, a private school in downtown Lexington, school officials announced Friday.

“Part of our DNA is to give back, and we are happy to give back. We are lucky to give back, and we hope in the future we can do more,” Jim Master said in a news release.

The donation will support student scholarships and the school’s athletic programs, according to a news release from Sayre.

“We are incredibly grateful for this transformative gift,” said Stephen Manella, head of school at Sayre. “It reflects a deep commitment to nurturing both the minds and bodies of our students, and will have a lasting impact on our entire community.”

Sheila Master said in a news release she and her husband “had a conversation about giving back, and education was at the top of the list.”

“Athletics is a beautiful program at Sayre, but to us, it’s academics. Our son Leo attends Sayre for the academic programming, and we are proud to split our gift into both athletics and scholastics,” Jim Master said.

The donation comes after Masters in 2024 pledged a $1 million donation to UK.

Sayre School will honor Jim and Sheila Master Tuesday, Jan. 6, before the varsity boys basketball home hame against Nicholas County.

Master, a Fort Wayne, Indiana, native, played in 121 games at UK, including 95 starts, from 1980 to 1984. He averaged 10.6 points per game during his career. He was the fourth-leading scorer on the Wildcats’ 1984 Final Four team. He was drafted 127th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1984 NBA Draft, but he did not appear in a game. He has lived in Lexington for more than four decades.