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Men's Basketball

Looking Back at Kentucky’s Champions Classic Performances

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Folks, it’s finally here. Opening night in college basketball and the first official game for our University of Kentucky Wildcats. Tonight, they will take on the top-ranked team in the country, the Michigan State Spartans, in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Kansas will take on Duke in the first game at 7 p.m. EST and Kentucky will play Michigan State in the second game at 9:30 p.m. EST

Kentucky has been participating in the Champions Classic since 2011, so let’s take a look at the Wildcats’ previous performances.

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2011: #2 Kentucky 75 – #12 Kansas 65

Little did we know this was just a preview for that years National Championship game, which Kentucky took home.

The leading scorer that night was Doron Lamb with 17 points including three three-pointers. The National Player of the Year, Anthony Davis, 14 points, six rebounds, and SEVEN blocks.

2012: #3 Kentucky 68 – #9 Duke 75

This might be the best game Alex Poythress ever played at Kentucky considering he was projected to be the number one pick in mock drafts days after.

Poythress recorded 20 points with eight rebounds. And, Nerlens Noel had 16 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and three blocks.

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2013: #1 Kentucky 74 – #2 Michigan State 78

This game is basically a reverse of what we’ll see tomorrow night in terms of rankings, but this game ended the 40-0 talk quickly and showed us that one of the best recruiting classes ever, wasn’t quite worth all the hype.

After a terrible start, the Cats fought all the way back to tie the game in the second half, but Michigan State got a tip-in bucket late to seal the game.

James Young had 19 points and four rebounds. And, Julius Randle had 27 points, 13 rebounds, and eight turnovers.

2014: #1 Kentucky 72 – #5 Kansas 40

Crazy to think, but we had no idea as to what was ahead for this season. It ended bad, but got off to one hell of a start.

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“It’s like trying to play frisbee in the Redwood Forest.” – Jay Bilas

Willie Cauley-Stein had seven points and 10 rebounds. And, Karl Anthony Towns had nine points and eight rebounds.

2015: #2 Kentucky 74 – #5 Duke 63

Always a great game when you thump the Blue Devils. Might be one of the best games this team played all year.

Marcus Lee had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jamal Murray had 16 points, five rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Tyler Ulis had 18 points, four rebounds, six assists, and two steals. And, Alex Poythress had nine points and seven rebounds.

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2016: #2 Kentucky 69 – #13 Michigan State 48

This is definitely one of the most impressive opening games in the John Calipari era. I think we were all thinking #9 after this game.

Malik Monk had 23 points and six rebounds, including seven threes. De’Aaron Fox had 12 points, four rebounds, and six assists. And, Isaiah Briscoe had 21 points, four rebounds, and two assists.

2017: #7 Kentucky 61 – #4 Kansas 65

This game was tight until the very end. A Malik Newman (what happened to him?) three in the final minutes is probably what sealed the game for the Jayhawks. Well, that and the fact Kevin Knox tried a floater over the backboard to tie the game.

Kevin Knox had 20 points and seven rebounds. Hamidou Diallo had 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists. And, Sacha Killeya-Jones had eight points and nine rebounds.

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2018: #4 Duke 118 – #2 Kentucky 84

How about we pretend like this game never happened?

Men's Basketball

Amari Williams Picked 46th by the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA Draft

Amari Williams is the second Kentucky player selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, as Boston takes the big man with their second round pick.

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Amari Williams is drafted by the Boston Celtics.
Wesley Hale | Imagn Images

Fan-favorite big man (and official Weetabix sponsor) Amari Williams has officially made it to the big leagues, taken by the Boston Celtics with the 46th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, via a trade with the Orlando Magic.

The selection makes Williams the second Wildcat to be scooped up from this year’s pool, following Koby Brea being picked by the Phoenix Suns just five picks earlier at the 41st spot. From Mark Pope’s first Kentucky team, two transfer athletes (thus far) in their last year of eligibility have achieved next-level dreams by way of the blue and white.

Williams, who averaged 11 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game during his lone season in Lexington, will look to aid Boston in filling their recently vacant five-spot, left by the recently traded Kristaps Porzingis.

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As Wildcat fans surely know, not only can Williams battle with the best of them in the paint, but he can run the floor as efficiently as just about any guard, too. His versatility and sizable frame ensure a high ceiling in the NBA and, despite not every draft board seeing him selected, the league champions two years removed made the call when it mattered.

Hailing overseas from Nottingham, England, and spending his first four years of college basketball at the University of Drexel, Williams’ success is a testament not only to Kentucky Basketball’s immaculate tradition, but to his own incredible work ethic and intangible ability.

Cats fans will be sure to follow and support their point-center to the next level, as they always do. Go be great, Amari – all of BBN has your back.

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Men's Basketball

Koby Brea Selected to the Phoenix Suns With the No. 41 Overall Pick in the 2025 NBA Draft

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Tristan Pharis | KY Insider

Koby Brea arrived at Kentucky last season as one of the nation’s deadliest shooters, lived up to the billing, and reaped his rewards on Thursday night at the NBA Draft. The former Kentucky star is heading to the Phoenix Suns with the No. 41 overall pick

As a 6-foot-7 wing, Brea entered the 2025 NBA Draft as one of the most experienced prospects after spending four years at Dayton and a fifth at Kentucky during Mark Pope’s successful first season as head coach, where he became one of the best three-point shooters in all of college basketball.

Last season at Kentucky, the Bronx native averaged 11.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43.5% from beyond the arc on nearly six attempts per game in 36 games, 16 of which were starts, showcasing his scoring ability in transition, off the catch, and via handoffs and screens.

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Not only did Brea achieve his own dreams of playing at the next level, but becomes a piece of history for Pope, becoming the first player drafted out of Kentucky during the Pope era.

Brea joins a rebuilding franchise with a notorious background for drafting Kentucky guards. Eric Bledsoe rings the bell, Tyler Ulis of course, and the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, Devin Booker obviously leads the pack.

Go be great Fuego!

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Men's Basketball

How a Call with Mark Pope Led Denzel Aberdeen to Kentucky

After winning a national title at Florida, Denzel Aberdeen committed to Kentucky without ever visiting campus—thanks to a revealing three-hour call with head coach Mark Pope.

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Chet White | UK Athletics

As a junior, Denzel Aberdeen was a key part of Florida’s national title run. But a certain phone conversation convinced him to leave his home state and head north to Lexington in hopes of experiencing that feeling once again.

He had never set foot in Lexington before deciding to become a Kentucky Wildcat — and he didn’t need to. All it took was one phone call — three hours long, on Easter Sunday — with head coach Mark Pope to convince him that he belonged in blue and white.

“Our phone call lasted about three hours, to be honest,” Aberdeen said, meeting with the media in Lexington for the first time earlier this week. “A lot of it was just getting to know me and getting to know the school, the university, getting to know him (Pope), how their style was, a lot of film. Once I saw that, I was like this looks like a great guy to play for.”

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The two went on to discuss Aberdeen’s role at Kentucky in more depth, including how Pope envisions him fitting into Kentucky’s new system — a system that, according to Aberdeen, is very similar, if not better than the one he just left.

“We had a lot of great players at Florida, especially the tall bigs. Bigs that love to run there, and we have just as much here; our bigs love to run, they play defense, and they play at a fast pace. So I think the things that we’ve got here are just as good, or even better,” Aberdeen said.

Averaging 7.7 points and nearly 20 minutes per game off the bench for the Gators last year, it’s clear to see what Aberdeen brings to the team: experience, versatility, calmness in the backcourt, and championship pedigree. Pope’s phone conversation with Aberdeen wasn’t just impactful on the court — it also speaks volumes to what he is doing off the court in pursuit of the goal he laid out in his introductory press conference: to hang banners.

This phone call wasn’t just about Denzel Aberdeen. It was a glimpse into Pope’s player-first, transparent coaching approach, which could define his era at Kentucky — and potentially make this season a special one, with Aberdeen playing another key role in a deep NCAA Tournament run.

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“I know the goal is to win No. 9,” he said. “I know the fans want that, we want that, all the staff and coaches want that. That pushes us. We know what we gotta do when we come here and put on that Kentucky jersey. Just playing for the University of Kentucky is a big thing. Being here is a blessing, and I can’t look back.”

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