Wall named Kentucky Sportsman of the Year

Even if you had your eyes closed in Rupp Arena, you could tell when John Wall had the basketball in the open court.

You would hear the Rupp crowd inhale en masse with anticipation. After all, Wall was always apt to deliver something breathtaking.

In his first official appearance in a UK uniform, the electric point guard from Raleigh, N.C., hit a game-winning jump shot. The last time he represented Kentucky, Wall became the first player in the storied history of the Wildcats men's basketball program to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft.

Between those two points, Wall was both basketball star and cultural phenomenon. In his one year in Kentucky, he launched a dance craze, became a lyrical staple in rap songs and earned first-team All-America honors by leading a 35-3 UK team.

For all those reasons, members of the commonwealth's sports media have elected Wall the 2010 Lexington Herald-Leader Kentucky Sportsman of the Year.

Kelly Rowland Danica Patrick Josie Maran Leighton Meester Dominique Swain