Program #1

1. Kentucky 847

In the formula of all-time greatest programs the Wildcats scored off the charts in just about every category. Oh the Wildcats only own 46 conference championships, 50 NCAA tournament appearances, 42 Sweet 16 appearances, 13 final fours, and just seven national championships. In the pantheon of greatest college basketball programs of all-time Kentucky is tops. Even the most talented college basketball teams have to have great coaching to win the big one. The Wildcats have that one covered. Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, and currently John Calipari, most of these names seem to be listed among the greats in college basketball history. No other team has dominated their conference the way that the Wildcats have. The SEC regular season and tournament has been dominated by the 'cats. When Arkansas moved to the SEC in 1992 the Hogs gave the Wildcats a run for conference dominance for a four year period, but the Wildcats are the standard bearer of the SEC. They always will be. The 1996 Kentucky Wildcats could be the greatest college basketball team of all-time. That team went 34-2 and had players that fit coach Rick Pitino's system. The best part about that for Kentucky fans is that those players were probably the most talented in the nation as well. The 1996 team started a run of three straight national championship appearances. The 1998 team won on Pitino's talent, but it was Tubby Smith's toughness that got them over the top. It's not just the 1990s that was great for the Wildcats. Basically, since college basketball has been played the Wildcats have been great. The first final four appearance for the Wildcats was in 1942 and they almost repeated that feat in 2010 by getting a number one seed and appearing in their 32nd elite eight. There just isn't much that Kentucky does not lead college basketball in. All-time wins would be the greatest feather in the cap of the Wildcats. Depending on what publication you look at the Wildcats are credited with 99 NBA draft picks, which is sure to rise after this season with the likes of John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Eric Bledsoe. Many will say that Kentucky's troubled past should keep them from the number one spot, but it is hard to argue the sustained greatness of the Wildcats. Some will say that UCLA deserves the top spot because of their 11 national championships. The Wildcats own seven of their own and it has been over a longer period of time. Yes, UCLA has been great especially from 1963 to 1975, but they just don't compare to the Wildcats over time. North Carolina fans might have a stake to the claim of number one, but the Wildcats have 14 more conference championships, nine more NCAA tournament appearances, 14 more sweet 16 appearances, and two more national championships. Kansas has 53 conference championships, but the Wildcats own the edge in tournament appearances, Sweet 16 appearances, NBA players, and National championships. In the long run it is just hard to argue that the Kentucky Wildcats are not the greatest program in college basketball history.