Great Expectations

If Reid Travis did not already have a basic understanding on what expectations are like at Kentucky, a quick scan of his social media mentions on Wednesday likely made that crystal clear.

Big Blue Nation has its mind set on hanging banner No. 9, and Travis is viewed as the proverbial final piece of the puzzle needed to make it happen.

That's a lot to place on the shoulders of a newcomer, even one as talented as Travis, the sculpted 6-foot-8, 245-pound forward who comes to UK via graduate transfer from Stanford.

Before taking BBN to task for getting waaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of itself -- restraint isn't always our greatest strength here in the Bluegrass -- remember there's an impressive legacy of high-profile transfers who helped lead UK to greatness over the years.

In this Cats Illustrated feature, we take a look at the top five transfers from the Division I level who went on to have memorable careers with UK.

1. KYLE MACY

The Peru, Ind., native came to Lexington via Purdue in 1977. The timing was perfect. Kentucky was returning some of the best talent in the country, including a smooth, high-scoring wing in the form of Jack Givens and two bruising big men in Rick Robey and Mike Phillips. Pressure was high for coach Joe B. Hall to deliver. Remember, UK was in the midst of an unthinkable 20-year title drought. The weight of expectations could have crushed a squad lacking a true leader at the point. Enter the cool-headed Kyle Macy. All he did was average 12.5 points and 5.6 assists per game in leading the Cats to a 30-2 record and the elusive fifth national championship in school history. Macy was named the Mideast Regional finals Most Outstanding Player after scoring 18 points (including a 10-for-11 performance at the line) in a 52-49 win over Michigan State featuring Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Macy scored nine points in the final 6:16 against the Spartans, enhancing his growing clutch reputation. He went on to score nine points and dish out eight assists in the national championship victory over Duke and was arguably the face of the program in the late-70s.

2. DEREK ANDERSON

Somehow, the former Louisville Doss star did not wind up with either the Cats or the arch-rival Cardinals out of the high school ranks. It's really hard to believe looking back on a career which eventually saw Anderson win a national championship with UK and an NBA title with the Miami Heat. A fan favorite simply known as "D.A.," the wiry, bouncy wing was one of the most exciting players of the Rick Pitino era. He averaged 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds for the 1996 champs, sharing time with what would become eight other future pro players. Kentucky may have been "three-peat" champs from 1996-98 if not for a knee injury that Anderson sustained 19 games into his senior season. The Cats played without him in the 1997 Final Four -- save for a pair of token free throws that Pitino arranged for him in the national semifinal win over Minnesota -- and eventually lost in overtime to Arizona. Pitino was criticized by some for not playing Anderson more in the championship, but he consistently maintained that he would not risk his player's health and professional future. It remains one of the biggest "What if's" in UK basketball history.

3. SHELBY LINVILLE

The Middletown (Ohio) native began his career at Miami of Ohio but joined Adolph Rupp's program in 1949. As a junior, he helped lead UK to the 1951 national championship, the third in program history. By all accounts, that banner would not be hanging if Linville was not a Wildcat. His biggest moment came in the Eastern Regional finals at Madison Square Garden. Locked in a tight battle with underdog Illinois and playing without fouled-out stars Bill Spivey and Cliff Hagan down the stretch, Linville came up with two huge baskets, including the game-winner with 17 seconds left. He averaged 10.4 points and 9.1 rebounds for the champions that season.

4. HESHIMU EVANS

Unlike the highly publicized addition of Travis this week, not many people knew about Evans when he transferred from Manhattan prior to the 1997-98 season. It was the first season for new head coach Tubby Smith, and after the Cats had just played in back to back national championship games, fans weren't really expecting much from what appeared to be a rebuilding team. Many believe that forecast also played a role in Pitino taking the Boston Celtics job. "The Combeback Cats" would not be denied, however, and the energy that Evans brought to the table was a big part of the equation. He averaged 8.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while often defending the opponent's best player. The biggest game of that season was arguably the South Region finals against Duke. Evans turned in a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds as the Cats rallied from an 18-point deficit to upset the Blue Devils.

5. MARK POPE

On perhaps the most talented team that UK has ever placed on the hardwood, Pope was sometimes easy to overlook, but he was a big key to the Cats cutting down the nets in 1996. Before he transferred from Washington prior to the 1994-95 season, Pope was the type of player that had largely eluded Pitino in his otherwise impressive recruiting classes. Due to his reputation for pressing and having his teams launch a high volume of 3-pointers, Pitino often struggled when it came to signing big men his first five years in Lexington. Pope was just what the doctor ordered, an unassuming, blue-collar banger to complement the stars. He averaged a solid 7.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game on an absolutely loaded team.

HONORABLE MENTION:

* Basil Hayden -Always a great trivia answer, UK's first basketball All-American was actually a transfer from neighboring Transylvania in 1919.

* Travis Ford - The former Madisonville High School standout originally signed with Missouri but became a All-SEC selection, SEC Tournament MVP and NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player during his time with the Cats from 1991-94. The Cats reached the 1993 Final Four with his stellar play from the point. One of the best pure shooters in program history, Ford hit 45 percent of his 3-pointers and 88 percent of his free throws at UK.

* Patrick Sparks - The sharp-shooter from Central City, Ky., holds something in common with Anderson on this list; both played against the Cats before joining them. While Anderson lost to the Cats as a Buckeye, Sparks actually pulled off one of the biggest upsets on UK's home floor, helping lead Western Kentucky to a 64-52 win over the No. 4 Cats in front of a stunned crowd at Rupp Arena. He wound up nearly helping UK reach the 2005 Final Four, hitting a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to force the first of two overtimes against Michigan State in the Austin Regional finals before the Spartans eventually held off the Cats.