All-Time Kentucky Team (Backup Forward): #44 Cotton Nash

Next up on the All-Time Kentucky Team is the second backup forward, #44 Charles Francis “Cotton” Nash.

Kentucky 1961-1964

Cotton Nash was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, but moved throughout his childhood, playing his junior and senior high school years in Louisiana. He was coached during his sophomore year by former Wildcat and Fab Fiver Cliff Barker, who fortunately tipped off Adolph Rupp on his talent before he moved down south.

He played during the era when players did not play varsity during their freshman season (thank goodness that rule is not in effect this year), so he didn’t lace ‘em up with the big boys until his second season on campus. When he did, he wasted no time making an impression, scoring 25 points in his first game.

That kind of performance quickly became the norm for Nash, as he averaged 23.4 points per game on the way to being named consensus second team All America during his first season. He followed that up with another second team All America selection his junior year and first team his senior year. Nash is one of six Wildcats to be named an All American three seasons in a row.

He also holds the distinction of being one of only three players in Kentucky history to lead UK in scoring three seasons in a row, along with Jack “Goose” Givens and Tony Delk.

UK was 60-18 during Nash’s career and Cotton finished with lifetime averages of 22.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists. He is ninth on UK’s career scoring list and fifth on UK’s career rebounding list. He is also the fastest player in UK history to score 1,000 points.

NBA and MLB

Cotton Nash is the only player in Kentucky history to play in both the NBA and the MLB, a truly amazing distinction, and unimaginable in this day and age of specialization. In fact, Nash is one of only two players in UK history to play in the MLB (the other is James Park, who played in 1913-1914).

Nash was selected with the 12th pick of the second round of the NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. He spent just one season in the NBA, quickly moving on to play for the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA. Nash moved on to baseball, playing 13 games over three seasons.