BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University basketball program, under the direction of Head Coach Scott Padgett, has started a new in-depth "Where Are They Now?" series, which will highlight a number of its former student-athletes. The Bulldogs boast many successful players in their long, rich history and Samford would like its fans to be able to recognize their accomplishments.
 
The second installment of Samford's "Where Are They Now?" series features former Bulldog great Joey Davenport.
 
"During my time at Samford, I learned how to focus," said Davenport. "As a student-athlete, you are going to play high quality basketball and get a great education. In order to do both of these well, you must have the ability to prioritize your life."
 
Davenport, a standout at Samford from 1992-96, concluded his career as one of the best basketball players in school history. A shifty guard with a silky-smooth shooting stroke, Davenport finished his playing days with 1,651 points; a total which still ranks fourth in Bulldog history.

 
With an average of 16 points per game throughout his career, Davenport accumulated a personal-best 475 points as a junior and nearly equaled that feat with 470 points in his senior year. He averaged 17.6 and 17.4 points per game, respectively, in each of those seasons.
 
Davenport's sophomore year proved to be his breakout campaign in 1993-94 as the Bulldogs' feisty defender and reliable ball-handler exploded for a scoring average of 19.4 points per contest. He ended the season with 447 points and his scoring average is still ranked fourth in Samford history.
 
With an uncanny ability to fight to the lane and draw fouls, Davenport holds the Bulldogs' school records in both career free throws (557) and career free-throw attempts (679). He concluded his time at Samford with a stellar 82-percent free-throw percentage.
 
"He was extremely tough as a player and had a great ability to beat his defender, drive the lane and get to the free-throw line," said John Brady, Samford's head coach from 1991-97, and currently the head coach at Arkansas State. "Along with being one of the best 3-point shooters I've ever had, what also stands out to me was how he had the ability to constantly get to the line and shoot close to 90-percent during his last three seasons."
 
Davenport was recruited by and played all four seasons for Brady. Following his graduation, Davenport was named an assistant coach and remained on staff until Brady left to take the LSU job in 1997.
 
Davenport, who started every game of his high school career since the eighth grade, didn't hold any Division I scholarship honors until a serendipitous meeting between Brady and Kentucky AAU coach Eddie Ford in 1992. Ford's son Travis was a star at the University of Kentucky and is now the head coach at Oklahoma State.
 
"I was at an AAU tournament in Kentucky and just happened to run into Eddie Ford," Brady said. "He said he knew of a kid who would be outstanding for my team and that I should sign him sight unseen. So I did, and of course it turned out to be Joey Davenport. He went on to transform Samford basketball and make it one of the hottest tickets in Birmingham during his time on the team."
 
Brady signed Davenport the day before school started his freshman season. He wasn't a starter from day one, but his determination and stellar play in practice allowed him to work his way into the lineup.
 
"When Joey rolled in as a 17-year-old, he looked like he was 12, but he was a special athlete and could really shoot the ball," said Brady. "He was an outstanding, tough player and great to coach. He comes from a phenomenal family and is extremely humble. His Christian faith speaks volumes for him and his personality, and he should hands down be the poster boy for what it means to be a Samford athlete."
 
Brady recalled a game at Saint Louis when Davenport dropped in a game-high 35 points and nearly single-handedly knocked off the 13^th-ranked Billikens.
 
"Joey meant so much for Samford University and transformed the program from a place that was drawing 200 to 300 fans a game to one that was packing Seibert Hall and averaging close to 3,000," said Brady. "Before his arrival, Samford suffered six-consecutive losing seasons and he helped build that situation into the program that eventually went to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments."
 
Brady coached at Samford University for six seasons and hired Jimmy Tillette, Mike Morris and Davenport as assistant coaches during his tenure. Jimmy Tillette followed Brady as the Bulldogs' head coach and led the Samford program for 15 seasons.
 
Morris later took over as the women's basketball head coach and has brought his program to unprecedented success.
 
"As a basketball player, he might have been the last player picked for a pick-up game, but he was also the player you wanted taking the last shot in every game," said Morris. "He has a tremendous work-ethic, a servant's heart, is a true competitor and that's all made him a very talented overachiever. He is one of the best to play for the Bulldogs and an even better person. He represents what Samford University is all about on and off the court and I'm thankful we crossed paths."

 
Following his assistant coaching stint at Samford, Davenport returned to his home state of Kentucky and started working as a financial adviser at Hilliard Lyons, which is one of the most highly-respected firms in the Southeast.
 
With his intractable work-ethic and infectious personality, Davenport quickly became a high-riser in the company and is now the Senior Vice President of the firm. At Hilliard Lyons, he helps people plan for their retirement and enables them to fulfill their dreams throughout their retirement years. He has been working at the firm for 17 years.
 
"It's no surprise that Joey has been extremely successful in his professional career," said Brady. "He possesses all of the traits that it takes to succeed in life and I trust him so much that I'm not only a friend, but I'm also a client of his at Hilliard Lyons. He's a great guy and I'm fortunate that I crossed paths with Eddie Ford at that tournament years ago."
 
Davenport and his wife, Amy, have been married for 15 years and the couple boasts two wonderful children in Cooper (9) and Addison (6). They reside in Henderson, Ky.
 
"Joey is obviously one of the best players to ever play at Samford," said Padgett. "He is also a great person. What is special about Joey is his unwavering support of Samford University and its athletic programs. He's a great example to our current student-athletes about how to have great success both on and off the court. He gives our players a vision of what can be accomplished at Samford University through hard work and dedication."
 
Throughout the years, Davenport has remained an ardent supporter of Samford athletics and has closely followed the Bulldogs' basketball program since his graduation.
 
"Scott (Padgett) and his staff are definitely headed in the right direction," said Davenport. "I have always been a big fan of his as a player, but after getting to know him on a personal level, I am now an even bigger fan of his."
 
Davenport fondly remembers his time at Samford University and stresses the importance of also receiving a world-class education.
 
"Academics are the key to everything as a student-athlete," Davenport said. "To be productive in life, you must learn that we can't separate different areas of our lives. We must decide to be the best we can be in all areas, but especially in learning. That's why we must all Practice, Play, and Live ON Purpose!"