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Belief Never Wavered That Justin Edwards’ Breakthrough Would Come, “I stayed in the gym, and I believe in God”

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After a dominant win over Alabama, the Kentucky Wildcats will take on Mississippi State on the road.
© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Co-authored by: Wyatt Huff

What a journey it has been for Justin Edwards.

The top recruit in Kentucky’s heralded 2023 No. 1 recruiting class, many, including myself, believed that Edwards held the highest star potential of the group. At 6-8, 203 pounds, Edwards was one of the most versatile players in high school basketball, which led many outlets to project him as a Top 5 pick in the 2024 Draft, and in some cases even the No. 1 draft pick.

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In his first action for Kentucky, during the Wildcats’ summer trip to Canada for GLOBL JAM, Edwards looked the part, averaging 14.5 points and 6.5 rebounds over four games. However, when the regular season started, Edwards met “true adversity” for the first time in his basketball career.

While his talent and athleticism helped him put up good numbers against lower competition, he struggled in big games against Kansas and North Carolina. In the process, his struggles on the court became more visible, as did his lack of confidence.

From early December to the end of January, Edwards did not score in double-figures one time over an eight-game stretch. That culminated in a game against Arkansas where he went scoreless and recorded just nine minutes of action, both season lows, and was followed by a DNP against Florida due to a hip injury.

When things looked their bleakest, feeling “the weight of the world” as John Calipari has referred to it in the past, something changed for Edwards.

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Part of that is that the Kentucky staff and his teammates never gave up on him, calling their shots on his breakout.

  • Dec. 11th, John Calipari: “I really think there’s going to be a game where Justin goes for 30.”
  • Dec. 13th, Chuck Martin: “Everyone’s journey is different. He’s an extremely hard-working kid, in the gym every day. He’s super versatile. It’s just a matter of time before he breaks out.”
  • Jan. 9th, John Calipari: “In a month from now, you will all say, ‘Wow, this is what they were talking about.’”

During that time, Reed Sheppard took the initiative to help his teammate by introducing Edwards to his mental health coach.”Everyone struggles mentally,” Sheppard told KY Insider. “It’s a hard thing not to struggle with. I just wanted to help him and get him to think positively, instead of negatively.”

Instilling confidence and aiding Edwards in getting into a better mental space was just part of the solution, he still had to put the work in. “We don’t have anyone working harder right now,” Calipari said in mid-January amidst Edwards’ struggles.

While it would have been easy to revert and put in less work, when the on-court performance wasn’t improving, he didn’t, trusting the process. His improvement has been gradual, with demonstrated performances allowing his confidence to grow. It started with a 7-point, 4-rebound performance against Tennessee, then setting a career-high at Vanderbilt. Then came Saturday.

Against a top 15 team, on CBS, in Rupp Arena, Edwards had his best game as a Kentucky Wildcat and in historic fashion. Putting up a career-high and team-high of 28 points, Edwards didn’t miss a single shot, shooting a perfect 10-10 from the field and 4-4 from three-point range. Edwards became just the third player in Kentucky basketball history to go perfect from the field with at least ten field goal attempts, joining Kenny “Sky” Walker and Rodney Dent, and the first to do so with at least one three-point attempt.

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After his big performance on Saturday, Calipari doubled down in his belief in Edwards. “I kept saying you’re going to break through, I believe in you,” Calipari said. “He said coach, I believe in you. And I said you just got to stay the course. What I said to the team today – he has lived in the gym. He made every shot.”

The joy of Edwards’ breakthrough carried over to his teammates. “I’ve been lucky enough to have this guy,” Reed Sheppard said. “He’s been able to help me be positive, no matter what… I’m really glad he’s finally turning the page and I’m super proud of him.”

Edwards, himself, also got the chance to speak with the media after the game, where he opened up about what that performance meant to him and the mental struggles he has had to overcome.

“It felt good. I had been struggling mentally the whole season so to go out there and to play how I did felt good,” Edwards said. He said Coach Calipari has been a constant source of encouragement throughout the season. “Me and Coach Cal always talk about it, and he tells me he believes in me, and I tell him I believe in him. I stay in the gym, and I just believe in God.”

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His message to those going through tough times:

“It’s not going to rain forever. Stay the course and believe in God.”

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Men's Basketball

Brandon Garrison Takes On A Leadership Role Heading Into Next Season

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Brandon Garrison and Kentucky head coach Mark Pope
Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

Brandon Garrison had his ups and downs during the 2024-25 season, at times making plays above his experience level on the court, and other times, causing unfortunate turnovers and making Big Blue Nation yell “pass the ball” when he attempted to show off his handles.

However, since the offseason has began, we’ve seen the backup big man from last year’s squad take major jumps in not only his skill set, but in his mentality and leadership as well.

“BG” announced that he was coming back to Kentucky on April 12 for the 2025-26 season, and since then, has been the talk of the town to be the starting center for Mark Pope’s second-year team.

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Last season, Garrison played behind Amari Williams, coming off of the bench and averaging 5.9 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game in just 17.3 minutes a night. 

Having played a year already in Pope’s system, Garrison may get a nod for the starting role over one of the transfer pickups, especially since Pope and the coaching staff have been publicly vocal about his development. With young players such as Jayden Quaintance and Malachi Moreno coming in behind Garrison, you can guarantee he will play a major role in their development.

In an offseason press conference, Pope said that Garrison has already taken on more of a mentorship role heading into next season.

“He’ll be the first to tell you that Amari Williams was a life-changing mentor for him,” Pope said. “He’s excited to help some other guys come along.”

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Pope added on that Garrison went out of his way to have breakfast and talk to four of the incoming transfers, on their official visits, about Kentucky and the way the staff does things.

“Brandon Garrison showed me some signs in the last month, and certainly this summer, where he is just, like he is growing up, man,” Pope said in an interview with KSR on May 22. “It’s so cool to see, it’s the best thing to see as a coach. He’s talking about what he wants to be. It’s no longer kind of what he is and who he is and how he acts, but it’s what he wants to become.”

As the season inches closer, we’ll learn more about Garrison’s impact on the court and if he’ll be the day one starter, but regardless, off the court, you can bet he has some wisdom to pass down.

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Former Wildcats Headline Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals Matchup

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Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Kevin Jairaj | IMAGN

The NBA Finals tip off with familiar faces on both sides in the first-ever series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.

For the first time since 2012, when the Thunder were led by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City is in the NBA Finals. The franchise has the opportunity to earn its first title in Oklahoma City since the team’s rebrand and relocation in 2008.

As for the Pacers, it’s the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. Indiana is seeking its first championship in team history. 

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City’s superstar and crowning 2024-25 league MVP has continued his season-long dominance into the postseason. Averaging 31.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Gilgeous-Alexander impressed as the Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1, as he led all but one game of the series in scoring. 

After an underwhelming performance in Game 3, Gilgeous-Alexander responded with a near triple-double performance, posting 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Oklahoma City defeated the Timberwolves narrowly, 128-126.

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The Thunder blew out Minnesota in Games 4 and 5 thanks to back-to-back massive performances by Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 34 and 40 points, respectively. Clinching his first bid to the NBA Finals. 

At midcourt after their Game 5 victory, OKC hoisted the Western Conference Trophy in front of their home crowd. Gilgeous-Alexander walked off with the Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson Trophy for his Western Conference Finals heroics.

Cason Wallace

Second-year pro Wallace is the Thunder’s ultimate plug-and-play contributor. Although Wallace isn’t a stat-stuffing machine like Gilgeous-Alexander, his defensive prowess stands out.

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In five games, the Kentucky product averaged 25.8 minutes per game off the bench. Wallace was often assigned to guard Wolves superstar Anthony Edwards. 

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged five points, 3.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and nearly a block and steal per game. 

Known for his hustle, Wallace excels at imposing himself on defense despite commonly matching up with larger opponents. His ability to disrupt the Timberwolves’ offense created offensive opportunities, which coincided with his pass-first mentality on offense.

Wallace could be found stealing from 7-foot-1 Frenchman Rudy Gobert in the post and nailing 3-pointers on the other end.

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In Game 5, Wallace scored only five points but had two rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Helping OKC seal a commanding 124-94 victory to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.

Isaiah Jackson

The tallest former Wildcat out of the bunch, Jackson stands at 6-foot-9 as a physical off-the-bench presence for Indiana.

Unfortunately, the big man won’t be available to play in the NBA Finals. In the fifth game of the season, Jackson suffered a season-ending Achilles tear on Nov. 1 in a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. 

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This season Jackson made six appearances for the Pacers, including a start against the Boston Celtics early in the season. Posting seven points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

Despite the injury, the four-year Pacer would still receive a ring if Indiana wins for his short-lived contribution this season.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips-off on Thursday, June 5, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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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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