Former Kentucky men's basketball player Sean Woods is adding a new line to his lengthy coaching resume: Scott County High School Boys Basketball Head Coach.
"I think it's a match made in heaven."
The Scott County Cardinals are known as one of the state's premier basketball programs, formerly led by Hall of Fame coach, Billy Hicks. The Cardinals recently turned in four consecutive 11th Region titles (2016-'20), but have struggled in the years since, finishing with a 6-21 record last season. Former coach Steve Helton announced he would be stepping down in March, leading to a month-long search.
"This is a place where I want to be. It's a place rich in tradition - it's the UK of high school basketball," the UK Athletics Hall of Famer said Tuesday. "It's a place where they're thirsty and they're used to winning. I'm just happy I'm the steward who they chose to hopefully lead them into that type of prominence again."
Woods turned heads inside the LEX 18 newsroom Tuesday afternoon, when the former Wildcat (and LEX 18 employee) walked back into a familiar place, now wearing an unfamiliar color.
"This is a different Card," Woods joked in reference to his collegiate alma mater's rival, Louisville, as he stood in the BBN Tonight studio wearing a red button down. "I'm still true blue, but I am a Scott County Cardinal... Which I'm very, very excited about."
Woods said the timing was "perfect," as the stars aligned for his first head coaching gig at the high school level. Previously, he was the head coach at Mississippi Valley State (2008-'12), Morehead State (2017-'18) and Southern (2018-'23). Woods was also an assistant at High Point University (2003-'05), Texas A&M Corpus Christi (2005-'06), TCU (2006-'08) and Stetson (2017-'18) following an "Unforgettable" four-year career with the Kentucky Wildcats.
Woods said his own background as both a Division I player and head coach will assist him in this new position: pun intended. Woods earned 794 career points and 482 assists from 1989-92 under Rick Pitino, and he remains fifth on the program's career assist list.
He's also excited for the opportunity to teach the fundamentals of the game, help student athletes know what it takes to get to the next level, and impact the community at the "grassroots" level.
Sean Woods may be wearing red + heading to coach the Cardinals... but let him make one thing very clear, #BBN: "I'm still true blue!"
— Maggie Davis (@MaggieDavisTV) April 22, 2025
Full conversation coming your way tonight at 7:30, only on @BBNTonight pic.twitter.com/zsQqchI6vx
"I get an opportunity to make a difference at this level. Being at Scott County is also unique in that I can make a difference in the grassroots. You're in a small community that has a lot of talented kids... Everyone wants their kid to be a Division I athlete, but nobody knows how to get there," Woods said. "Hopefully I can prepare them at a younger age [and] all the way up, which will make me better and make our team better."
"I'm very blessed to be the next coach."
In his extended conversation with BBN Tonight's Keith Farmer and Maggie Davis, Woods also discussed current Kentucky coach Mark Pope's first year at Kentucky ("he overachieved"), how the transfer portal worked for the Cats last season, and what it meant to him and his teammates to see the name on the front of the jersey making a major comeback with the Cats.
See that interview and more Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., only on BBN Tonight.
