Where does Wan’Dale Robinson rank on UK’s list of best one-and-dones?
It is hard to declare Wan’Dale Robinson the best wide receiver ever to play for Kentucky since the Nebraska transfer only played one season for the Wildcats.
Players such as Craig Yeast, Keenan Burton and Randall Cobb had a multi-year impact on UK football that was substantial.
Yet it is easy to acknowledge that Robinson just completed the best season ever produced by a UK wideout.
Robinson will exit Kentucky for the 2022 NFL Draft having caught more passes (104) for more yards (1,334) in one year than anyone ever to wear Wildcats blue and white.
He did that for a 10-win team that beat Big Ten West champion Iowa in the VRBO Citrus Bowl — in no small part due to Robinson’s late-game heroics.
The boffo returns Robinson produced in his one season playing at UK prompted me to think about where he falls in the 21st century pantheon of Kentucky one-and-done athletes — across all sports.
From the time John Calipari became Wildcats men’s basketball coach, UK has, of course, become synonymous with one-year hoopers.
Yet in the years since 2000, there have been one-season athletes make substantial impact on Kentucky teams in multiple sports.
Below are my top 10 one-and-done Kentucky Wildcats — based on individual success, team success and quantifiable star qualities — of the 21st century.
10. Kelvin Joseph, football. The LSU transfer’s one season (2020) as a Cat yielded four interceptions — including the pick-six that ignited Kentucky’s 34-7 beat down of Tennessee in Neyland Stadium — and saw Joseph become a second-round NFL Draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys.
9. Ryan Strieby, baseball. A junior college transfer, all the 6-foot-6, 235-pound Strieby did was roll into Lexington, hit .343 with 20 home runs and 77 RBI; earn SEC Player of the Year honors; and lead UK to a share of the 2006 SEC baseball championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
The Detroit Tigers then ended Strieby’s time at UK by selecting the slugging first baseman in the fourth round of the 2006 MLB Draft.
8. Henrik Larsen, rifle. Larsen came to UK from Norway as a freshman in 2017-18 and spent a memorable year.
He led Kentucky to the 2018 NCAA team title in rifle; won the NCAA individual championship in air rifle; and was named NCAA Shooter of the Year.
With money-making opportunities available to him in Europe, Larsen then chose not to come back to UK for his sophomore season.
7. DeMarcus Cousins, men’s basketball. The 6-11, 260-pound Cousins came to Kentucky known for having an excitable personality. Yet in his one season (2009-10) at UK, “Big Cuz” became a BBN folk hero.
Cousins just missed averaging a double-double (15.1 points and 9.9 rebounds) for a UK team that went 35-3 but was stunned by underdog West Virginia in the 2010 NCAA tourney round of eight.
6. Brandon Knight, men’s basketball. In his one-and-done season (2010-11), all Knight did was average 17.3 points and hit two NCAA Tournament game-winners (to beat Princeton and No. 1 overall seed Ohio State) that helped Kentucky reach its first Final Four since 1998.
5. Julius Randle, men’s basketball. The 6-9, 250-pound power forward had 24 double-doubles in his one season (2013-14) playing for the Cats. He was the best player on a team that made an unexpected run to the 2014 NCAA title game while starting five true freshmen.
4. Sydney McLaughlin, women’s track and field. As a UK freshman in 2017-18, McLaughlin showed the ability and charisma that has gone on to make her the biggest star in American track and field.
McLaughlin won the NCAA outdoor championship in the 400-meter hurdles. She had already set the collegiate record for the event (52.75) while winning the SEC championship.
When she turned pro after that one season at Kentucky, everyone figured McLaughlin would go on to set world records and win Olympic gold medals — both of which she did in 2021.
3. John Wall, men’s basketball. Much as Jamal Mashburn did for Rick Pitino, the dynamic Wall (16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists) made Kentucky basketball cool again at the start (2009-10) of the John Calipari era.
How many college hoopers have earned consensus First Team All-America status — and started a dance craze?
Wall did both.
2. Wan’Dale Robinson, football. The Western Hills High School product’s stellar season — individual success, team success and performing with panache — after transferring home from Nebraska pretty much put the lie to the axiom that one cannot go home again.
1. Anthony Davis, men’s basketball. Few four-year college players have the depth of résumé that Davis produced in his one-and-done season (2011-12) at Kentucky.
“The Brow” led Kentucky to the 2012 NCAA title. He was consensus National Player of the Year. Davis was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He also won a 2012 Olympics gold medal in men’s hoops with Team USA.
It’s going to be hard for any one-year player at any school in any sport to ever top that.
