The Basketball Tournament is back in the summer spotlight, and once again Kentucky fans are treating it like it matters. That’s been the pattern with Big Blue Nation, which has shown up in force for former Wildcats at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
La Familia was already a loaded group before its July 18 matchup with The Ville, but the roster got another jolt with the return of DeAndre Liggins. TBT announced on social media that Liggins is back with the Kentucky alumni team, adding another familiar name to a summer showdown that already has plenty of juice.
DeAndre Liggins IS BACK with La Familia!
The 38 year-old is repping Kentucky once again this summer as he’s set to make his second straight appearance with the Kentucky Alumni‼️
KENTUCKY ALUMNI VS LOUISVILLE ALUMNI IN LEXINGTON ON JULY 18!
Tickets: https://t.co/l7V53Bb5hN pic.twitter.com/7NPZcNka6s
- TBT (@thetournament) July 9, 2026
Liggins gives La Familia more than name recognition. He brings real TBT experience, and he still carries the kind of defensive bite that can swing a game fast. Willie Cauley-Stein and Quade Green had already helped build the buzz, but Liggins adds a different layer to the mix.
Even at 38, he remains a tough assignment.
His reputation at Kentucky was built on defense first. Liggins averaged at least one steal per game at his peak in 2010-11, and his value went well beyond the box score. He had a knack for cutting off driving lanes, staying attached to ballhandlers and making life miserable for opposing guards throughout his three seasons in Lexington.
And then there’s the shot everyone remembers: the corner three he drilled with under a minute left in the 2011 Elite Eight against North Carolina. That basket came right after a huge block from Liggins on the other end, a sequence that still sits among Kentucky’s signature tournament moments. It also produced the famous sideline hug from Coach Calipari, one of those images Kentucky fans never forget.
Now Liggins gets another crack at Louisville. La Familia already beat The Ville two years ago, and this summer’s setup turns the rivalry into a three-game series that could send the tiebreaker back to Lexington.
With the team set to report to Lexington this weekend and begin preparing, the city is about to get its first real basketball buzz since March. Kentucky hoops in the middle of summer is hard enough to ignore. Put Louisville on the other side, and it becomes impossible.
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The challenge is obvious, but so is the reason for some optimism around the program. Stein has already started to build momentum on the recruiting trail, including a promising 2027 class, and his track record at Oregon gives Kentucky reason to believe the long-term picture can improve even if the short-term road is steep. The question now is how much patience the Wildcats will need if the results in year one get tested by one of the toughest slates in the sport. [Read more 🡒]
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Mark Popes latest comments only sharpened the discussion. He has been openly impressed with Noah through the first month of camp and sees a player whose value goes well beyond the box score, which is exactly why the rotation question has become so interesting. The remaining issue is whether Noah can make enough progress as a shooter and defender to turn all that praise into a real, every-night role. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Entered A Massive Battle For A Surging Elite Guard
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Bowmans recruitment is still in its early stages, but the list of suitors is already starting to look like a heavyweight fight. He is lining up official visits to Arizona and Texas, with North Carolina and Illinois also in the mix, giving Kentucky an immediate chance to make up ground in a race that figures to stay crowded for a while. [Read more 🡒]