Derek Anderson

[HagginHall1999]

I recorded all of the Southern SEC stories months ago and not watched all of them yet. Just watched episode covering the '96 team. I had no idea the personal struggles DA had. No parents from young age (drug addicts), became a Father at 14. I literally had no clue. Pretty amazing what he achieved considering what he had to overcome.

One of my all time favorite Cats.

 

[Smashcat]

I recorded all of the Southern SEC stories months ago and not watched all of them yet. Just watched episode covering the '96 team. I had no idea the personal struggles DA had. No parents from young age (drug addicts), became a Father at 14. I literally had no clue. Pretty amazing what he achieved considering what he had to overcome.

One of my all time favorite Cats.

Very tough life.

 

[kywildcat41035]

Man he was an amazing player and I didn’t realize all that either. I’ll tell you though if he would’ve been able to play in 97 we would’ve been 3 peat champions of the 90’s!

 

[electricat2]

i love DA
also we would prolly be shocked at all the stuff that went on before social media that we didnt know about

 

[rick64]

Met him in an elevator in downtown Louisville going to a meeting. He was wearing the ‘97 runner up ring. I looked over to see it and comment I’d never seen a NCAAT ring. He said it should’ve been the championship ring. 👍

 

[MethodUK]

DA is a really good dude. Have had the opportunity to become friends with him over the past 8 years with bball and business.

He also created STAMINA, does a lot of speaking, training, consulting, and has a few products out.

His stories of how he played and worked out when he was young is inspiring.

 

[jerrycat75]

M

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

Father at 14??? Good night nurse.

 

[Cawood86]

I recorded all of the Southern SEC stories months ago and not watched all of them yet. Just watched episode covering the '96 team. I had no idea the personal struggles DA had. No parents from young age (drug addicts), became a Father at 14. I literally had no clue. Pretty amazing what he achieved considering what he had to overcome.

One of my all time favorite Cats.

I didn't know that either. Quite a story.

 

[kybloo92]

Met him in an elevator in downtown Louisville going to a meeting. He was wearing the ‘97 runner up ring. I looked over to see it and comment I’d never seen a NCAAT ring. He said it should’ve been the championship ring. 👍

He is right about that!

 

[track42]

One of my favorite players.

 

[TopCatCal]

Man he was an amazing player and I didn’t realize all that either. I’ll tell you though if he would’ve been able to play in 97 we would’ve been 3 peat champions of the 90’s!

3-peat indeed. Anderson was clearly the best player on our 1997 team & one of the 2 or 3 best players in the nation that year before he got hurt.

 

[bnewt]

Teamingup with Mercer gave UK a terrific combination. Mercer got most of the publicity, but Anderson was the better complete player. It would be nice to see him hired by UK in some sort of basketball capacity.

 

[EdgeHD]

Man he was an amazing player

Derek could do everything well on a basketball court, and had an incredible will to win. Unbelievable heart.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

DA never struck me as cocky or arrogant. He had an infectious smile.

 

[CondorCat]

Father at 14??? Good night nurse.

I think I was still learning how to tie my shoe laces when I was 14.

"I had a child at 14, and got custody of him at 15,"Anderson said. "I had to work two jobs while playing basketball and going to high school, so I was basically one of those kids who missed a lot of life, but I never complained. I always smiled. I always tried to make due with whatever I had."

"I had to wear the same clothes (over and over). Today's kids would lose their minds trying to deal with certain things, but me, I just made the most out of it. I didn't feel like I had to prove anything to anybody. I just wanted to be a better person. I didn't make excuses."

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

I think I was still learning how to tie my shoe laces when I was 14.

"I had a child at 14, and got custody of him at 15,"Anderson said. "I had to work two jobs while playing basketball and going to high school, so I was basically one of those kids who missed a lot of life, but I never complained. I always smiled. I always tried to make due with whatever I had."

"I had to wear the same clothes (over and over). Today's kids would lose their minds trying to deal with certain things, but me, I just made the most out of it. I didn't feel like I had to prove anything to anybody. I just wanted to be a better person. I didn't make excuses."

He grew up fast, but he sounds like he was better for the wear. I hope he inspires youth with this. He certainly sounds like a valuable asset there.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

I think I was still learning how to tie my shoe laces when I was 14.

"I had a child at 14, and got custody of him at 15,"Anderson said. "I had to work two jobs while playing basketball and going to high school, so I was basically one of those kids who missed a lot of life, but I never complained. I always smiled. I always tried to make due with whatever I had."

"I had to wear the same clothes (over and over). Today's kids would lose their minds trying to deal with certain things, but me, I just made the most out of it. I didn't feel like I had to prove anything to anybody. I just wanted to be a better person. I didn't make excuses."

TBH, I still struggle with shoe tying. Keep it in here.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Derek Anderson was the best guard in the country before that injury in 1997. I remember watching him torch Syracuse in the great Alaskan shootout in the fall of 1996, and thinking, "Kentucky's winning it all." And they would have, too, if not for the injury.

Pitino had that thing rolling. I've never been more excited about Kentucky basketball. It was a great time to be an impressionable kid and UK fan. A truly magical time.

 

[crestcat]

DA was poetry in motion on a basketball court with the heart of an assassin.

 

[shaudyshaud]

Was my fav player growing up .

My list of fav players . Derek Anderson , Penny , T-Mac and Boogie .

A lot of bad injury luck between them all

 

[HagginHall1999]

Adding to story...

As mentioned he didn't have a relationship with parents while young. He since reconnected with his mother and eventually his father. He was able to spend a year with his dad before he passed away.

Also, found the below article re: Derek Anderson Jr. who actually played for Oak Hill Academy at one time.

I just cannot believe I never knew this story...wild.

In the name of the father...

By CHRIS LARICK Staff Writer Derek Anderson Jr. didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps when he was younger. But Anderson, the son of the former Cleveland Cavaliers' first-round

www.starbeacon.com

 

[true blue1]

One of my favorite Cats.

 

[Louis_Skunt]

Which one, Mercer or Anderson, who got involved with some illegal stuff a few years ago?

 

[ncaaky]

DA is a very nice guy. Too bad that he tried investing in inner-city Louisville. It essentially ruined him financially.

 

[seccats04]

DA has been pretty outspoken against Cal for a long time. He saw what we've all seen coming for a while now.

 

[Wildcats1st]

Man he was an amazing player and I didn’t realize all that either. I’ll tell you though if he would’ve been able to play in 97 we would’ve been 3 peat champions of the 90’s!

I have thought about this and wonder though if we won it 97 would we have won it in 98? Maybe another player would have jumped to the nba? Maybe not as hungry. Idk just something I’ve wondered about

 

[kywildcat41035]

TBH, I still struggle with shoe tying. Keep it in here.

I just don’t buy the shoes that require me having to tie them anymore they just slip on and I go. I have sketchers and hey dudes that are that way. My steel toes for work even slide right on 😂

 

[kywildcat41035]

I have thought about this and wonder though if we won it 97 would we have won it in 98? Maybe another player would have jumped to the nba? Maybe not as hungry. Idk just something I’ve wondered about

I don’t think so the kids in the 90’s didn’t think like the kids of the 2020’s do though. You had just a select few that would leave early and now it’s like the whole team leaves early and they don’t even win anything when they do so.

 

[HagginHall1999]

I have thought about this and wonder though if we won it 97 would we have won it in 98? Maybe another player would have jumped to the nba? Maybe not as hungry. Idk just something I’ve wondered about

I don't think Pitino wins it with '98 group.

 

[yoshukai]

Father at 14??? Good night nurse.

He just skipped the “masturbation” phase .