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John Calipari and CJ Fredrick Praise Sahvir Wheeler for Accepting New Role

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© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

The Kentucky Wildcats extended their winning streak to four straight after beating Vanderbilt 69-53 on Tuesday night. One of the biggest reasons for this is lineup changes, notably Cason Wallace taking over as starting point guard.

While the lineup change has paid dividends, John Calipari has made it clear that Sahvir Wheeler is still an important part of this team, and will be needed (i.e. Wallace in foul trouble).

Still adapting to his new role, Wheeler showed what he is capable of against Vanderbilt. Coming off the bench, Wheeler played 22 minutes while adding four points and five assists. Yet, his impact was felt more outside of the stat book, as he brought physicality and pushed the pace of the game.

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Following the game, Wheeler spoke on the players that have emerged in Kentucky’s turnaround. “Those guys who’ve been playing the past couple of games are guys that have been winning games. That’s the group who went down to Tennessee and popped Tennessee,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler followed that up with a mature answer on accepting his new role.

“At the end of the day, we’re at Kentucky. I’m playing some really good players and sometimes that’s okay. You’ve got to learn to live with that and learn to grow from it and be mature about it because those guys deserve to play as much as anybody else. Those guys were fighting in practice, working their tails off, paying attention to detail, and they deserve that”

“Today, it was just my turn, my opportunity to kind of give us some energy and I did that but you’ve gotta give all the credit to these guys. They were the ones who were in there when I wasn’t available and we continue with that, and now we look pretty good.”

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With his play, Wheeler gained some much-needed confidence, which could be observed in his postgame interview. Yet, Coach Cal and his teammates knew that he had it in him.

“Sahvir was great tonight,” CJ Fredrick said. “He was the reason that we got up so big in transition. He was that ignite that we needed today.”

Fredrick also talked about how Wheeler leads the team as they try to “win every day”. “He comes in every single day with a leadership mentality, and he’s been ready to go and he was ready tonight, and he’s gonna continue to do that. He’s our guy. We have tremendous respect for Sahvir and that’s just the kind of guy he is. Every day brings it. You know, he’s been great in practice.”

Undoubtedly, the most heartwarming reaction came from John Calipari. “I kissed Sahvir. I’ve got sweat all over my face, I had to get a towel. I kissed him. I said, ‘I’m about ready to cry’. I know what he’s been through; you don’t.”

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Calipari continued, talking about the “team’ decision that was made to change the lineup.

“Now, you may have to come off the bench,” Calipari said of his message to Wheeler. “But so what? Doesn’t mean I don’t love you, I’m not for you, I won’t be there for the rest of your life as long as I’m living. But someone’s playing better, so they gotta be in. That’s team. Then you accept it and say, ‘I’m ready. What’s my role? I’m going to do this.’”

With Kentucky finding its stride, it is key for Wheeler to continue to come off the bench and have an effect on the game, something that Calipari said he was an “all-star” at on Tuesday.

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Men's Basketball

The 2025-26 Cats Consensus: It’s Time for Banner Number Nine

Every new and returning Wildcat shares the same dream: bringing a championship trophy to Lexington once more.

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Mark Pope in a crowd of fans at Big Blue Madness
Tyler Ruth | UK Athletics

“We are here to win banners.”

While just about everything Mark Pope said at his introductory press conference went viral in one way or another, that aforementioned declaration stood out amongst his crowd of quotes like no other to a fanbase more than a decade removed from a national championship.

To the big blue nation, Coach Pope’s words last spring were a much needed battle cry. Now, as he’s set to enter his second year at the helm, Pope has made sure the team he assembled for the 2025-26 season shares the same hunger.

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It begins on a basic level, with players across the board throwing the number “9” around on social media in posts, replies, and commitments. Much like the Kentucky faithful, the newest roster to roll through Lexington isn’t afraid to make reference to the top task at hand.

For (likely) starting point guard Jaland Lowe, it’s an opportunity he “can’t miss.” “See y’all soon #BBN,” he said in a post on X, announcing his return to the collegiate level. Lowe chose a junior season at Kentucky over a chance to be chosen in the NBA Draft. Otega Oweh, the now-projected SEC player of the year, would follow suit shortly thereafter.

The Ultimate Goal

Andrija Jelavic, a primary member of the incoming unit, as well as the team’s lone international player, dubbed the title chase as “the ultimate goal” in his interview with KY Insider. “We all [the team] agree that the ultimate goal is the same and that is to bring a championship to Kentucky, to the state and the fans,” he said.

To Jelavic, it goes further than hunger. It’s a responsibility.

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And that responsibility is what sets Kentucky apart from other programs. As awkward as the conversation around John Calipari can get, when push comes to shove, much of the dissatisfaction growing within the fanbase as his tenure came to a close was rooted in the coach’s apparent disinterest in winning another championship.

Year after year went by; top-ranked roster after top ranked roster. After a while, it seemed that Kentucky was more often mentioned in the first round of the NBA Draft than it was in the NCAA Tournament. The problem persisted, the tension festered and, ultimately, the two sides split… and it all goes back to that elusive ninth title.

Name on the Front of the Jersey

Mark Pope has said before that he wants to bring in guys who are playing for the name on the front of their jersey. It just so happens that there are enough of those like-minded athletes across the nation to build one of the consensus best teams in college basketball, all of whom are in full pursuit of a new blue banner in the rafters of Rupp.

With a mindset like that shared across the board and talent like the 2025-26 team has at hand, it’s only a matter of time before that dream becomes a reality once more. For the first time in more than a decade, the entire Big Blue Nation is on the same page – and that includes the guys who can actually make it happen.

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Koby Brea Talks With Andrija Jelavic About His Legendary Chapter Awaiting At Kentucky

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ABA League (Left) | Imagn (Right)


Andrija Jelavic, in a recent Q&A with Kentucky Insider, revealed that he exchanged messages with former Wildcat Koby Brea, who will be handing down his No. 4 jersey to Jelavic.

The big man was asked if he had spoken with any former Wildcats after comparing his play style to Karl-Anthony Towns, and what he knew about Kentucky growing up.

“I exchanged some messages with Koby Brea because I’m gonna be wearing his number four,” Jelavic said. “About Kentucky, I always knew that they are the biggest franchise in college basketball history, and just everything about them is legendary.”

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Jelavic added on what exactly Brea said in those messages.

“He just told me to go be great and that he can’t wait to see me play,” Jelavic said. “Also, that he likes my number decision.”

Alone, the fact that Brea reached out speaks volume to the culture that is established at Kentucky. The lethal sharpshooter from Mark Pope’s first team at Kentucky played only one season in the blue and white, yet, seems interested in the future of the program despite chasing his own big league dreams.

To end our exclusive interview, Jelavic talked about the goals he has now as a Wildcat and how he wants to be a legendary piece to this year’s roster.

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“Definitely to bring many wins and hopefully a championship to Kentucky, Jelavic said. “To be a player that Kentucky will always remember.”

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The Bluegrass Call: Otega Oweh Returns To Kentucky For The 2025-26 Season

The wait is over. Otega Oweh is returning to Kentucky.

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Otega Oweh and Mark Pope
Chet White | UK Athletics

Big Blue Nation has been waiting weeks for Otega Oweh’s decision, and the moment is finally here.

After participating in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine and testing his luck against the best young talent in the world, Oweh has officially decided to withdraw his name from the draft and return to Kentucky for his senior season.

Jonathan Givony was the first to report Oweh’s decision on May 28, sending Wildcat fans into a flurry of emotion that their leading scorer from last year’s team is officially back.

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Before last season began, fans knew that Oweh was a highly regarded prospect with loads of potential, but until he proved it night in and night out, it remained uncertain who the star was going to be on the 2024-25 roster.

Many expected it to be Jaxson Robinson, who played under Mark Pope at BYU and held four years of experience under his belt at the collegiate level. Next in line was Lamont Butler, who also opted into his fifth-year option and brought Pope’s squad a level of confidence and dependability with the ball, having played deep into the season with San Diego State multiple times.

However, when the Wildcats were riddled with injuries, Oweh emerged as “the guy” in the blue and white. There’s countless moments you can reflect on from his junior session: locking up the nations’ best with Cooper Flagg, dropping 20 or more points on a nightly basis, embarrassing his former team, the Oklahoma Sooners, not only once but twice with his clutch performances, and ultimately walking off of the court as a leader, a mentor and a legend in every associated Kentucky fan’s eyes.

Oweh gave the season hope, taking on a role that was unexpected.

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When the final buzzer of the season sounded, many of the Kentucky faithful wondered what was next for double-zero, and if he wanted to “run it back” with Pope and company.

On April 15, Oweh declared for the NBA Draft, calling Kentucky fans the “best fans in the world.” At the time, the decision seemed quite scary for those keeping tabs on Pope’s second-year roster, but the last line in Oweh’s announcement remained crucial: “…while maintaining my NCAA eligibility.”

Looking back, maybe awaiting the decision was probably stressful for the best fans in college basketball, seeing the “former” Wildcat bully defenders in the combine and have his way offensively. Oweh waited until the day of the withdrawal deadline, and even had another workout the same day. Reports came out that he was receiving great feedback from the NBA programs, and that sentence sounds scary.

When he originally entered the draft process, he was presumed to be just be trying his luck, which did a complete 180 when he stated that he’s wasn’t doing anything “one foot in, one foot out” and that he wanted to achieve his dreams.

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Well, look at it now. The decision has been made and Oweh is going to put on the blue and white once again. He followed his heart, and soon his own form of the bluegrass call, “Oweh, Oweh, Oweh”, will be chanted throughout Rupp Arena after every captivating play and bring a fire to his soul.

The ninth championship in Kentucky basketball history is long overdue, but now, the odds are ever in their favor. Pope has his superstar back, and he’s prepared to lead his team its former glory.

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