ALL ACCESS PASS: Inside Phil Cox's Rise From The Mountains
- kentuckysportsmemo
- Apr 9
- 2 min read
Hoops, Heart, and the Mountain Way
Phil Cox's roots trace back to the rugged mountains of Eastern Kentucky, where he grew up balancing basketball practice with family chores. Reflecting on his upbringing, he recalls being offered two choices, "My parents...a lot of times my dad would give me a choice, you can work in the garden or go shoot basketball." Needless to say, he picked up the ball, going out to play on their homemade basketball court, with a goal post made out of "...a locust bow we'd cut out of the mountains and put plywood on."
And that choice paid off—he became one of the best shooters in the state, averaging 35 points as a junior and 28 as a senior. And he did it all without a three-point line.
However, despite his amazing high school performance, Phil did not receive an offer from the University of Kentucky, a typical dream for many Eastern Kentucky players. "It's disappointing," he admitted, "because if you grow up in Kentucky and play basketball, your goal is to go to University of Kentucky."
But things have a funny way of working out. Phil's acceptance to Vanderbilt, ended up being right where he needed to be. There, he not only thrived but became the school’s all-time leading scorer by the time he graduated in 1985.
While the sting of UK’s pass-over may have lingered initially, Phil embraced his newfound opportunity at Vanderbilt. "I look back now and you know, in a way it was a blessing..." he expressed.
Rest assured, Phil's relocation to Tennessee did not erase his Kentucky heart. While he became integrated into a community outside his home state—ultimately becoming a middle-school principal near Knoxville, Tennessee—he hasn’t forgotten where he came from. He still holds onto his Eastern Kentucky roots with pride. “You can take the boy out of the country, but you’re always going to be a Kentucky person,” he said.
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