10. Phil Bond
Not a commanding figure, but Bond was a talented 6’2 point guard who starred in Paducah before making his way to Louisville in 1973. He played for the Cardinals early in Crum’s tenure but certainly has gone down in history for his success on the court. He didn’t see much action very early in his career, but played a major role on one of those deep Tournament runs for the Cardinals.
Bond made his way into the rotation as the primary point guard by his sophomore season, averaging 9.4 points, 4.7 assists, and helping lead the team to the Final Four in 1975. During this run, he had a 23-point, 7-assist performance in their Sweet Sixteen win over Maryland. He averaged double figures in scoring as a junior and left campus the following season as one of the best ball distributors in program history.
As a 17 year old boy, just getting a feel for the art of journalism. Coach Crum gave me my first on camera interview. This picture was taken in 2017, while covering the King of Blue Grass Basketball tournament on WBKI. “RIP Legend” #L1C4 #DennyCrum pic.twitter.com/lpOVjLAofC
— Jailen Leavell (@nextleavell) May 9, 2023
He was a late draft pick in 1977 that only played very briefly for the Houston Rockets, with his best days coming as a player at Louisville. His 528 career assists still sit 4th in program history while his final two seasons both rank in the Top 6 all-time in assists per game in Louisville history. Bond ran the ship and kept Louisville’s offense and defense in fantastic shape during his collegiate career, securing his place among the program’s best point guards.