Big Blue Nation loves a good “what if” — and this one might just top the list. Imagine Rex Chapman, one of Kentucky’s most electrifying scorers, sharing the court with Shawn Kemp, an athletic freak who would go on to become an NBA All-Star and one of the most feared dunkers in basketball history.
It never happened, but it almost did.
Shawn Kemp, originally committed to Kentucky in 1988, was set to join a Wildcats roster led by Chapman, fresh off a sophomore season where he averaged 19 points per game and became a fan favorite. Kemp’s size, power, and jaw-dropping athleticism would have paired perfectly with Chapman’s smooth shooting and explosive slashing ability.
Unfortunately, academic eligibility issues and off-court circumstances kept Kemp from ever suiting up for Kentucky. Instead, he entered the NBA directly, while Chapman went on to complete his standout college career before making his own leap to the pros.
Still, the thought of these two in the same blue-and-white uniform has fueled decades of fan speculation.
Chapman himself has leaned into the fantasy, once joking:
> “We would’ve been the greatest team ever at Kentucky. Maybe not, but it’s fun to think about, and nobody can prove we wouldn’t have.”
And he’s right — nobody can.
A Chapman-Kemp duo would have been a nightmare for opponents: a lights-out shooter and a thunderous rim protector/finisher in the open floor. Rupp Arena might have exploded from the energy those two would have brought every single night.
In a sport full of great “what if” stories, this one remains a favorite for Kentucky fans — not because we’ll ever know what would have happened, but because it’s just too much fun to imagine.
