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Men's Basketball

Tyler Ulis Feels Great About This Kentucky Team, “These Guys Are Gonna Be Special”

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1 year ago

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Tyler Ulis coaching Kentucky freshman Rob Dillingham at GLOBL JAM
UK Athletics

After the Kentucky men’s basketball team went 4-0 to win gold in the GLOBL JAM, Assistant Coach Tyler Ulis had a lot of good things to say about the state of the program.

UK Sports Network’s Tom Leach had a brief interview with Ulis following the 89-72 win against Team Canada in the gold medal game. Coach Ulis raved about Kentucky’s backcourt and the freshmen group, specifically.

When asked how he felt about UK’s performance overall during GLOBL JAM, Tyler Ulis said, “I think they [the games] went really well. We didn’t have a lot of time to put things in. We gave them a few things, I feel like they made adjustments the right way, they used their instincts, and it was a fun time. They went 4-0, so I feel like it was great for us.”

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He was also asked if he was surprised about the team’s unselfishness, especially this early in the year. Ulis responded, “I’m not surprised. We’ve seen it in practice. These guys respect each other; they’re selfless. They’re just here to make it.”

He also added, “They’re always in the gym, running around and playing with each other. It’s a lot of fun. I feel like it’s gonna be a fun year. These guys are gonna be special.”

Then, Leach and Ulis got into discussing the backcourt and how well they’re progressing. Here is what Coach Ulis had to say about each of his guards:

Rob Dillingham:

“We’re happy for him, to see some shots go in, but he’s a baller. He’s always in the gym. There’s gonna be ups and downs, and I feel like he’s fought through it. He made some shots today [during the gold medal game], and there’s more to come.”

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DJ Wagner:

“He’s strong, he’s physical. He doesn’t play like an 18-year-old kid. He wants it. He wants the moment. He played really well this week.”

Reed Sheppard:

“I love Reed, his passing, his hands. He’s blocked like 6 three-pointers. I just want to be a lot more aggressive, and I feel like we have a lot of options in the guard game. Even with Tre [Mitchell] playing a big, spacing the floor, we have a lot of depth, and it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”

Ulis also talked about the competitiveness within the whole freshmen group, saying, “They love the game. They’re always in the gym. We have to force them to get out of the gym. These guys love it, and they work hard. They’re selfless. They respect each other’s game. They understand they have to share to win. We all eat when we want.”

You can listen to and watch the interview for yourself using the link below:

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Players Say They Think About Winning National Championship “Every Second”

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3 days ago

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November 18, 2024

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Kentucky basketball players celebrate after their big over Duke.
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The expectations at Kentucky are the highest of any school in the country, and there is good reason why. The winningest college program ever. Eight national titles, under five different coaches. Seventeen Final Four appearances. You get it, a lot of success.

Fans want the players to have those same expectations. Despite not having the elite talent or preseason hype of great Kentucky teams past, this year’s team still has their eyes set on doing something “people will remember forever”, winning a national championship.

Asked on social media, if hanging banner #9 was all the players thought about “every second”, Ansley Almonor had a response.

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“We do.”

It takes a lot to win a national championship, including some luck, but this team is certainly going to be loved for their desire to live out their dream of playing at Kentucky and their unselfishness. Those two things can take them a long way this season .

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart Seemingly Takes Shot at John Calipari, “Anybody Can Recruit”

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5 days ago

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November 16, 2024

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Mitch Barnhart sitting next to basketball coach John Calipari.
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John Calipari and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart had their differences over fifteen years, but success can hide a lot of things. Not that they hated each other, but they each had vastly different personalities. As that success weaned towards the end of Calipari’s tenure, those issues started to be noticed publically.

If you need evidence of that, despite their efforts to dispute it, there is the infamous press conference where Barnhart talked about “entitled” coaches, shortly after Calipari publicly called for a new practice facility. Then, there were multiple times when Calipari expressed that the administration was not on the same page and that he was facing “headwinds”.

That said, Calipari is now at Arkansas, but those differences and some disdain remain. During an interview on the Kentucky Football pregame show, Barnhart seemingly took a shot at Calipari when asked about Mark Pope’s recruiting philosophy and prioritizing fit.

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“I tell people all the time, ‘Anybody can recruit, not everybody can evaluate,’” Barnhart said. “You can recruit. You can be phenomenal at bringing people to your program. But if it does not fit you, it’s really not helpful.”

Of course, Calipari is one of the best, if not the best, recruiters in college basketball history. At times, he prioritized talent and athleticism over fit.

Quite the coincidence.

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Men's Basketball

ESPN’s Jay Williams Gives Message to Kentucky Fans, “You’re Not Going to Like It…”

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6 days ago

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November 15, 2024

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ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams gives a message to Kentucky fans after the Wildcats win over Duke. "You won't like it."
ESPN

Back in April, opposing fanbases like Duke, told Kentucky fans to “cope with Pope” following the hire of Mark Pope and the corresponding initial shock. On Tuesday, those same fanbases had to watch as Mark Pope outcoached Jon Scheyer and Duke in the final minutes of the Champion’s Classic to get his first marque win in just his third game at Kentucky.

Of course, shortly after the game, Duke fans began to rationalize the loss by highlighting their team’s youth. While true, it sounded like an echo chamber of what Kentucky fans said for years under John Calipari. One notable example was former Blue Devil Jay Williams.

At halftime, while Duke was leading 46-37, Williams called this year’s Duke team the most talented since the 2001 team that he was a part of at halftime. To his credit, he complimented Kentucky on the comeback victory, specifically on their offense and maturity, but then 36 hours later he posted a message to Kentucky fans on social media.

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“Let me put you on to something,” Williams started. “Whether you like it or not, networks are going to sell Cooper Flagg. He’s going to be the number one pick in the draft. You’re going to talk about whether he won the or whether he lost the game, regardless of the outcome.”

“You’re not going to like it. There should be more kudos to Mark Pope and Kentucky,” Williams continued. “Regardless of whether you won the game or not, they’re still going to sell Cooper Flagg because he is selling the sport. Sorry.”

William’s statement is true. That said, it comes off as ‘sour grapes’ about losing. Cooper Flagg is a great talent and will likely be the first pick in the NBA Draft, but most Kentucky fans would say they would much rather have the win than the marketing.

Futhermore, Kentucky and its ‘brand’ has raised the level of multiple players and coaches, and will continue to do so. A deeper impact than Cooper Flagg will have on Duke in just one season.

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