Former UK All-American Scott Padgett signs extension with Samford

Former University of Kentucky basketball star Scott Padgett has signed a five-year contract extension with Samford University, the school announced Monday. The deal will keep the Louisville native under contract as head coach of the Alabama school through the 2021-2022 season.

In his third season at the helm last year, Padgett led the Bulldogs to their first winning record since 2006 and their most victories in 11 years (20-16).

“This extension will really help us in recruiting, because it definitely lets everyone know that I’m going to be here for a while and it provides even further stability in our program,” Padgett said.

Samford, which won its first postseason game in school history last season against Canisius in the College Insider.com Tournament, will return nearly all of last year’s roster, including all five starters. Terry Brutus, the Bulldogs’ lone senior last season, averaged 2.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 28 games.

Padgett is a member of UK’s 1,000-point club. He was the starting forward on the Wildcats’ 1997-98 National Championship squad, averaging 11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.1 assist per game on the year en route to First-Team All-American honors. Padgett scored 12 points in UK’s win over Duke in the regional finals, including a go-ahead three-pointer to cap the Cats’ comeback from a 17-point deficit. He scored a game-high 17 points in UK’s 78-69 win over Utah in the National Championship.

Padgett was selected 28th overall by the Utah Jazz in the 1999 NBA Draft and spent eight seasons in the league.

This story was originally published July 3, 2017 at 9:38 PM with the headline "Former UK All-American Scott Padgett signs extension with Samford."