Hello HOB. I’m over at Memorial Coliseum today for Kentucky’s annual basketball media day. We’re scheduled to have John Calipari joining us at 2 ET, followed by interviews with players. I’ll be posting all the major talking points in this thread. Stay tuned…
JOHN CALIPARI Q&A:
* Tre Mitchell is a calming influence on this team as a veteran and a guy who makes the game easier for everyone around him. Likes playing the 5, even though he’s more like a stretch 4.
* Biggest thing about this team is having good people with big hearts and are willing to share. But they are competitive, don’t misunderstand. Practices get chippy. They get after it, then they get in the locker room and they’re laughing and screaming and having a great time around each other.
* On what things might look like when 7-footers return… Want to have post presence and rim protection but want to play fast and have basketball players on the court.
* Asked about his “Kentucky good” comments in Birmingham… Have to play the games. We won’t know that until we play the games, but this team has a will to win and a toughness that lends to that. Notes that the schedule is really tough, so they’ll certainly be tested. When he started here, there were 2-3 teams you had to worry about. Now there‘s 10.
* Speaks highly of how bad Big Z wants to be here that he went thru all the struggle to get here. He’s in decent shape now, but not quite game shape. They are ramping up. Thinks, if he had to guess, may play in the 2nd exhibition game. “If he’s able to go tomorrow (in practice), we’ll see, and go from there.” We threw him into the main stuff a little too fast, but people who came in to watch said, “Yeah, he’s good. Good basketball player.”
* On Chuck Martin’s addition to the staff… Great ties in recruiting, great relationships and ties with the players.
* On Rob Dillingham… He’s playing in a different way than when he first got here. Proud of him. You don’t have to make a highlight reel play every trip down the court, and he’s taking that to heart. Play for your team, and they’ll play for you. There were 3-4 plays in the whole BWG that Cal would say, “C’mon man. Don’t need that.“ But the rest of it was really good stuff. That added weight (now says it’s 24 pounds… ha) is really helping him.
* Really staying on Justin Edwards to ”be that slasher“ first and foremost.
* On not being considered one of the top teams entering this season, if he likes that a bit… None of the teams last year in the Final Four were picked to be there, Cal suggests, so it doesn’t matter. Says forget the polls. If you want to know how to think about your team and your chances, look to Vegas. I haven’t looked there, but that’s where I’d look to gauge my team. (Media member says UK has 4th best odds to make FF in Vegas.)
* Reed Sheppard is a guy everyone wants on their team when they’re competing. Stuffs the stat sheet, doesn’t have to score a lot to impact the game. Great kid.
* If a kid’s whole focus is NIL, “this ain’t the place to go.” Says you can do better here with that than anywhere else, but it can’t be your primary goal. Notes that NIL has to be totally transparent to continue down this path. Does not want the government involved.
* Cal says he likes where program is right now. “We’re close.”
* Cal reiterates there needs to be a 5 years to play 4 for the transfer portal. You get that one free transfer, but after that, you have to sit out a year, and you’re still restricted to 5 total years.
* On whether this was a ”down year” in basketball recruiting… We’ll know at the end of the year, but I know the ones I got are really good. Says his focus is not going to change moving forward. He wants the best freshman players he can possibly get, and try to find some pieces in the transfer portal if you need them. Not going to bring in five guys like that, though, like some programs are. Doesn’t like how coaches are holding back a bunch of scholarships now for transfers. We don’t need a 27-year-old with two kids out here playing against us.
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ZVONIMIR IVISIC Q&A:
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DJ WAGNER Q&A:
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JORDAN BURKS Q&A:
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TRE MITCHELL Q&A:
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UGONNA ONYENSO Q&A:
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ADOU THIERO Q&A:
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ANTONIO REEVES Q&A:
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ROB DILLINGHAM Q&A:
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REED SHEPPARD Q&A:
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JUSTIN EDWARDS Q&A:
JOHN CALIPARI Q&A:
* Tre Mitchell is a calming influence on this team as a veteran and a guy who makes the game easier for everyone around him. Likes playing the 5, even though he’s more like a stretch 4.
* Biggest thing about this team is having good people with big hearts and are willing to share. But they are competitive, don’t misunderstand. Practices get chippy. They get after it, then they get in the locker room and they’re laughing and screaming and having a great time around each other.
* On what things might look like when 7-footers return… Want to have post presence and rim protection but want to play fast and have basketball players on the court.
* Asked about his “Kentucky good” comments in Birmingham… Have to play the games. We won’t know that until we play the games, but this team has a will to win and a toughness that lends to that. Notes that the schedule is really tough, so they’ll certainly be tested. When he started here, there were 2-3 teams you had to worry about. Now there‘s 10.
* Speaks highly of how bad Big Z wants to be here that he went thru all the struggle to get here. He’s in decent shape now, but not quite game shape. They are ramping up. Thinks, if he had to guess, may play in the 2nd exhibition game. “If he’s able to go tomorrow (in practice), we’ll see, and go from there.” We threw him into the main stuff a little too fast, but people who came in to watch said, “Yeah, he’s good. Good basketball player.”
* On Chuck Martin’s addition to the staff… Great ties in recruiting, great relationships and ties with the players.
* On Rob Dillingham… He’s playing in a different way than when he first got here. Proud of him. You don’t have to make a highlight reel play every trip down the court, and he’s taking that to heart. Play for your team, and they’ll play for you. There were 3-4 plays in the whole BWG that Cal would say, “C’mon man. Don’t need that.“ But the rest of it was really good stuff. That added weight (now says it’s 24 pounds… ha) is really helping him.
* Really staying on Justin Edwards to ”be that slasher“ first and foremost.
* On not being considered one of the top teams entering this season, if he likes that a bit… None of the teams last year in the Final Four were picked to be there, Cal suggests, so it doesn’t matter. Says forget the polls. If you want to know how to think about your team and your chances, look to Vegas. I haven’t looked there, but that’s where I’d look to gauge my team. (Media member says UK has 4th best odds to make FF in Vegas.)
* Reed Sheppard is a guy everyone wants on their team when they’re competing. Stuffs the stat sheet, doesn’t have to score a lot to impact the game. Great kid.
* If a kid’s whole focus is NIL, “this ain’t the place to go.” Says you can do better here with that than anywhere else, but it can’t be your primary goal. Notes that NIL has to be totally transparent to continue down this path. Does not want the government involved.
* Cal says he likes where program is right now. “We’re close.”
* Cal reiterates there needs to be a 5 years to play 4 for the transfer portal. You get that one free transfer, but after that, you have to sit out a year, and you’re still restricted to 5 total years.
* On whether this was a ”down year” in basketball recruiting… We’ll know at the end of the year, but I know the ones I got are really good. Says his focus is not going to change moving forward. He wants the best freshman players he can possibly get, and try to find some pieces in the transfer portal if you need them. Not going to bring in five guys like that, though, like some programs are. Doesn’t like how coaches are holding back a bunch of scholarships now for transfers. We don’t need a 27-year-old with two kids out here playing against us.
******
ZVONIMIR IVISIC Q&A:
******
DJ WAGNER Q&A:
******
JORDAN BURKS Q&A:
******
TRE MITCHELL Q&A:
******
UGONNA ONYENSO Q&A:
******
ADOU THIERO Q&A:
******
ANTONIO REEVES Q&A:
******
ROB DILLINGHAM Q&A:
******
REED SHEPPARD Q&A:
******
JUSTIN EDWARDS Q&A:
