Kentucky’s fingerprints were all over NBA Media Days this week, with a handful of former Wildcats popping up in stories that felt tailor-made for Big Blue Nation.
Milwaukee gave us one of the cleaner little traps of the week. The Bucks worked in a bit of harmless mischief by slipping players college-rival slogans to read, and Kentucky ended up in the mix twice.
Tyler Herro was asked to say, “Go Cards!” and didn’t bite.
His answer was simple: “No, sir. I don’t say that.”
Herro wasn’t about to get pulled into that one, and he stayed true to his Kentucky roots and the school he has tattooed on his body. It also comes after a busy offseason for Herro, who drew attention when he recreated the iconic TJ Ford pictures. Good offseason so far for the bucket.
On the other side of that same Bucks bit, Nate Ament - a former Tennessee Volunteer - was handed “Go Big Blue!” and said it.
And, by the sound of it, he said it well. We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Nate!
Otega Oweh’s first NBA Media Day with the Oklahoma City Thunder brought a question plenty of people saw coming from a mile away. Since he spent time at OU and then Kentucky, he was asked whether he’d be at the Sooners-Wildcats game in a split-down-the-middle jersey or picking a side.
His answer was cautious, but he did make one thing clear: “It’s crazy; I was just talking about that, like, I want to say yesterday. I probably don’t have enough time now to get a split jersey, but I’ll be supporting for sure. I’m not going to say who, but I just want to see a good game.
Big Blue Nation probably wanted something closer to, “What’s a Sooner, I’m a Wildcat”, or “No question, I’m Big Blue all the way”. Still, Oweh said enough to show he’s planning to watch, even if he didn’t exactly choose a side. It’s a 26-minute drive from Paycom Center, where the Thunder play, to Gaylor Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, where the Sooners play football, so maybe that split loyalty isn’t as easy as it sounds.
If Oweh shows up in a T-shirt featuring one of his buzzer beaters against Oklahoma, that would be ideal. Maybe that’s wishful thinking, but Kentucky fans can at least appreciate the time he had in Lexington.
Then there’s Philadelphia, where the offseason buzz has centered on LeBron James leaving the Lakers to join the 76ers. That move gives Kentucky fans a couple of familiar faces to track, since Tyrese Maxey and Justin Edwards are now alongside the King and aiming high in Philadelphia.
The best detail from 76ers Media Day, though, came from Edwards. He wore the Kobe 5 Grey Kentucky PE’s in his photos, and for a lifelong Kentucky fan and sneakerhead, that was a perfect choice. It was a clean nod to Kentucky on a day built for fresh starts, and it’s the kind of thing BBN notices immediately.
In Other News...
Trent Noah Faces A Make Or Break Stretch At Kentucky
Trent Noah flashed what he could bring in a memorable showing against Arkansas last season, but the shot that helped get him noticed did not stay with him afterward. For Kentucky, that makes this next stretch interesting in a very practical way: Noah is trying to turn one good night into a more reliable role, and he has made it clear he wants to do more entering the upcoming season. The Wildcats also know the backdrop matters here, since offseason hamstring injuries interrupted his work and slowed the kind of rhythm shooters usually lean on.
Now the path back looks a little clearer. Kentuckys roster additions should create better spacing, which can open cleaner looks and give Noah more room to rediscover the form that made him worth watching in the first place. For a player trying to carve out a bigger place in the rotation, this is the kind of opportunity that can change how a season feels, especially if the shots start falling early and the confidence follows. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Fans May Not All Agree With Will Stein On This
Will Stein is already looking at the game through a bigger lens, and on his weekly radio show he made it clear he believes college football is drifting closer to the NFL. The Kentucky coach said the sport is functioning more and more as a developmental system for the pros and suggested the two levels ought to use the same rules, from field markings to kickoff regulations.
Stein also pointed to kickoffs as a place where he would like to see more alignment, saying he wants more returns in college games. In his view, the current version has lost some of the excitement while still carrying danger, a combination that keeps the rule set in an awkward middle ground for anyone trying to balance safety with entertainment. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Suddenly Has A Defensive Depth Issue Fans Need To See
The latest wrinkle in Kentuckys depth chart comes off the field and straight from the courtroom, where a ruling from the Kentucky Court of Appeals has put a group of class of 2022 athletes back into limbo. Among those affected is Alex Afari, whose availability had been tied to a temporary legal order that had kept him on the field this season while the broader eligibility fight played out.
Now the Tigers are dealing with the reality that several players involved in the Jefferson County case are currently ineligible, including Missouris Mark Mitchell and Louisvilles Seth Trimble and LJ Wells. There is still a path for the athletes to seek more relief in trial court, but for the moment Kentucky is left watching a defensive depth situation get shakier at a time when every available piece matters. [Read more 🡒]