148:
17,528 from 1976. After having won the first two games in 1973 and 1974, the
Kentucky-Indiana squad lost its 10th straight game to the U.S. All-Stars. The Classic was canceled in 1983 before returning the following year. It was aided by an NCAA rule change allowing players to participate in two all-star games in their
147:
The following year in 1982, the NCAA voted to again permit national all-star games. However, all of
Indiana's top players and most of Kentucky's passed over the Derby Classic that year to attend the Indiana–Kentucky series. About 6,000 fans turned up for the Classic, compared to its then-high of
100:
The Derby
Classic began in 1973 after Max Rein, who worked in the local radio industry, presented the idea to Jack Guthrie, who was the CEO of Kentucky Derby Festival Inc. Primarily focused on horse racing at the time, the festival added many new events that year and billed itself as a "people
132:(NCAA) restricted incoming high school players to all-star games whose participants were from a two-state area around the game site. However, as games had already been planned, waivers were granted to the Derby Classic and the three other national all-star games—the
152:
year and two after graduating, removing contention between the Derby
Classic and the Indiana–Kentucky series. The Classic also changed its format to two national teams divided between the North and South. The game's highest attendance was 19,041 in 1987 at
101:
festival", offering something for everyone. Basketball was popular in the region. "The two most important things to these people are their church and their high school basketball team," said Rein. The
Classic showcased players who had signed with the local
188:. The game was canceled in 2018 due to falling attendance, fighting to reach 5,000 fans, and growing financial losses. Competing all-star games were drawing the top talent, including the McDonald's All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic, and
144:. The NCAA also limited players to playing in two all-star games. That year, the Derby Classic had only one player from Indiana, as most of the state's top players opted to attend a two-game Indiana–Kentucky series held in June.
161:, ranked among the top 20 prospects in the nation. In the 1990s, the Classic stopped getting Indiana's signees, who opted instead to play in all-star games organized by Tim Knight, the son of Indiana's then-coach,
59:
in 2011. The
Classic was canceled in 2018 due to declining attendance and financial losses. It had been the country's longest-running high school all-star basketball game. Star players who participated included
193:
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117:. The game was preceded by a skills event, the Night of Future Stars, which began in 1988.
868:
56:
255:"No hoops for you: Kentucky Derby Festival cancels high school basketball all-star game"
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1015:"Kentucky basketball event that has featured NBA stars as recruits canceled for 2018"
44:
24:
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The
Classic began with one squad of five top players each from the states of
757:"The Capital Classic: Winning and Losing in the All-Star Game Sweepstakes"
125:
168:
After its sponsorship with McDonald's ended, the
Classic partnered with
121:
185:
128:
against 10 of the best from the rest of the country. In 1981, the
51:
for over 20 years from its inception until 1996. It was played at
683:. March 27, 1988. Kentucky Derby Festival Preview Section, p. 4.
510:"Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic celebrates 40 years"
723:"Derby Classic, once top all-star game, victim of NCAA rules"
229:
The NCAA removed the two-game senior-year limitation in 2013.
891:"Derby Classic back under new format, but with local flavor"
677:"McDonald's Kentucky Derby Festival Classic presents stars"
348:. April 19, 1992. Derby Festival Advertising Section, p. 15
839:"Lexington's next step might be to snatch the Twin Towers"
172:, which was a successful relationship until Nike made its
538:
536:
606:
604:
816:"Three Derby Classic players headed for Louisville"
43:horse race. The Classic was sponsored by the local
1013:
508:
1062:High school basketball games in the United States
750:
748:
716:
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712:
710:
708:
706:
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638:
248:
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220:Two games were played each year in 1979 and 1980.
1072:Recurring sporting events disestablished in 2018
647:"Owens nips odds to lure top players to Classic"
502:
500:
498:
444:"KDF Basketball Classic could bounce backin '19"
437:
435:
433:
431:
429:
1057:Basketball competitions in Louisville, Kentucky
810:
808:
1067:Recurring sporting events established in 1973
373:"Mason County finds glass slipper a good fit"
281:"Taylor plays all-star ball in Derby Classic"
31:players. Started in 1973, it was part of the
16:American high school all-star basketball game
8:
818:. United Press International. April 24, 1981
478:"Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic"
192:. Another contributing factor that year was
342:"Basketball Classic features future stars"
184:. The Derby Classic was then sponsored by
21:Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic
157:; that contest featured Kentucky signee
130:National Collegiate Athletic Association
404:"Derb Classic Moves to KFC Yum! Center"
318:. Kentucky Derby Festival Section, p. 5
242:
213:
783:"Derby Classic gets four more players"
544:"Kentucky Derby Festival set in April"
983:"Adidas a good fit for Derby Classic"
952:"THE HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STAR TUG-OF-WAR"
253:Lerner, Danielle (February 1, 2018).
7:
310:Greene, H. H. Jr. (April 10, 1977).
279:Patterson, Lezlie (April 22, 1986).
589:from the original on April 29, 2023
554:from the original on April 29, 2023
521:from the original on April 26, 2013
402:Demling, Jody (December 29, 2010).
176:games its priority, first with the
1082:2018 disestablishments in Kentucky
962:from the original on April 1, 2023
623:from the original on March 8, 2018
194:a college basketball investigation
14:
1026:from the original on May 28, 2018
1012:Roberts, Ben (February 1, 2018).
921:"Derby Classic tickets available"
371:Fields, Mike (January 26, 1996).
981:Brewer, Jerry (April 16, 2006).
950:Temkin, Barry (April 17, 1988).
869:"Division I Proposal - RWG-14-1"
687:from the original on May 2, 2023
611:Brubaker, Bill (April 9, 1995).
442:Estes, Gentry (April 17, 2018).
1077:1973 establishments in Kentucky
721:White, Bob (January 25, 1983).
577:Wiley, Ralph (August 2, 1982).
550:. March 22, 1973. p. B-5.
198:Federal Bureau of Investigation
897:. November 4, 1983. p. D3
837:Reed, Billy (March 22, 1984).
476:Adams, Kirby (April 6, 2015).
1:
927:. April 15, 2005. p. B-2
781:White, Bob (April 18, 1981).
755:Kelly, Tim (March 24, 1982).
645:Forde, Pat (April 21, 1996).
55:, except for one year at the
507:Green, Ed (April 20, 2013).
312:"The Derby Festival Classic"
178:Jordan Brand Capital Classic
138:McDonald's All-American Game
1098:
200:that drained Louisville's
1052:Basketball all-star games
613:"All-Stars, All Business"
515:Louisville Business First
925:News-Democrat and Leader
1020:Lexington Herald-Leader
579:"Their Rite of Passage"
377:Lexington Herald-Leader
62:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
33:Kentucky Derby Festival
23:was an annual American
27:featuring high school
182:Jordan Brand Classic
111:Louisville Cardinals
39:, leading up to the
37:Louisville, Kentucky
987:The Courier-Journal
956:The Chicago Tribune
895:The Courier-Journal
843:The Courier-Journal
787:The Courier-Journal
761:The Washington Post
727:The Courier-Journal
681:The Courier-Journal
651:The Courier-Journal
617:The Washington Post
482:The Courier-Journal
448:The Courier-Journal
408:The Courier Journal
346:The Courier-Journal
316:The Courier-Journal
285:The Columbia Record
259:The Courier-Journal
583:Sports Illustrated
548:The News-Democrat
142:Roundball Classic
107:Kentucky Wildcats
90:Dominique Wilkins
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190:Nike Hoop Summit
115:Indiana Hoosiers
105:programs of the
78:Donovan Mitchell
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134:Capital Classic
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57:KFC Yum! Center
47:restaurants of
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297:Newspapers.com
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180:and later the
97:
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82:Victor Oladipo
74:Jamal Mashburn
66:Penny Hardaway
41:Kentucky Derby
15:
13:
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989:. p. C12
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729:. p. B10
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287:. p. 7-B
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25:all-star game
22:
1028:. Retrieved
1019:
1007:
997:– via
991:. Retrieved
986:
976:
964:. Retrieved
955:
945:
935:– via
929:. Retrieved
924:
915:
905:– via
899:. Retrieved
894:
885:
873:. Retrieved
863:
853:– via
847:. Retrieved
845:. p. C1
842:
832:
820:. Retrieved
797:– via
791:. Retrieved
789:. p. C2
786:
776:
764:. Retrieved
760:
737:– via
731:. Retrieved
726:
695:– via
689:. Retrieved
680:
671:
661:– via
655:. Retrieved
653:. p. C1
650:
625:. Retrieved
616:
591:. Retrieved
582:
572:
562:– via
556:. Retrieved
547:
523:. Retrieved
514:
485:. Retrieved
481:
471:
461:– via
455:. Retrieved
447:
418:– via
412:. Retrieved
410:. p. C3
407:
397:
387:– via
381:. Retrieved
379:. p. C4
376:
366:
356:– via
350:. Retrieved
345:
336:
326:– via
320:. Retrieved
315:
305:
295:– via
289:. Retrieved
284:
274:
262:. Retrieved
258:
225:
216:
174:Jordan Brand
167:
163:Bobby Knight
155:Freedom Hall
146:
119:
99:
86:Isiah Thomas
70:Moses Malone
53:Freedom Hall
20:
18:
159:LeRon Ellis
49:Kentuckiana
1046:Categories
237:References
202:recruiting
45:McDonald's
29:basketball
1030:April 24,
993:April 25,
966:April 25,
931:April 24,
849:April 29,
822:April 30,
793:April 30,
766:April 29,
733:April 29,
657:April 25,
627:April 21,
593:April 29,
558:April 29,
525:April 28,
457:April 21,
383:April 25,
352:April 25,
322:April 25,
291:April 24,
264:April 21,
1024:Archived
960:Archived
685:Archived
621:Archived
587:Archived
552:Archived
519:Archived
126:Kentucky
875:May 10,
204:class.
196:by the
122:Indiana
103:college
96:History
901:May 2,
871:. NCAA
691:May 1,
487:May 2,
414:May 1,
186:Adidas
150:senior
113:, and
88:, and
208:Notes
1032:2023
995:2023
968:2023
933:2023
903:2023
877:2023
851:2023
824:2023
795:2023
768:2023
735:2023
693:2023
659:2023
629:2023
595:2023
560:2023
527:2023
489:2023
459:2023
416:2023
385:2023
354:2023
324:2023
293:2023
266:2023
170:Nike
140:and
124:and
19:The
35:in
1048::
1022:.
1018:.
985:.
958:.
954:.
923:.
893:.
841:.
807:^
785:.
759:.
747:^
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679:.
649:.
637:^
619:.
615:.
603:^
585:.
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535:^
517:.
513:.
497:^
480:.
452:A9
446:.
428:^
406:.
375:.
344:.
314:.
283:.
257:.
245:^
165:.
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109:,
92:.
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268:.
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