The Kentucky Wildcats have not been to the Final Four since 2015, which coincidentally is one of the last seasons that the checkerboard was used in moderation on the basketball uniforms. This was prior to the infamous pattern being featured very prominently on the sides of the jersey and shorts, which is what has been used for the past six seasons.

Over those six seasons, numerous players and many more fans have voiced their displeasure with the uniforms. The staff seems to have become pretty self-aware of this, with TJ Beisner making this trolling tweet in anticipation of the uniform unveiling.

Fortunately, the checkerboard is no more, at least on the home uniforms.

On Tuesday, looks of the new home basketball uniforms were released with Oscar Tshiebwe donning the new threads.

The uniforms feature a much more classic look reminiscent of Kentucky’s classic uniforms of the past, specifically the early 2000s.

The away uniforms are sure to be released soon, but in the meantime, what are your thoughts on the new home uniforms?

Also published on A Sea of Blue.

Over the past decade-plus, the Louisville Basketball program has been the country’s most reliable source of athletic-department salaciousness, ranging from affairs between the head coach and booster’s wife to an escort scandal to paying recruits.

It has been so frequent that the NCAA has not even provided consequences for all of the scandals yet. As of now, the NCAA has only issued consequences for the escort scandal, vacated their 2013 national title, and put them on four years of probation starting in 2017.

Five years later, NCAA has yet to issue any more consequences, but many believe it is just a matter of time before they are at least put back on probation.

Given that, many teams have used this to their advantage, using the provided ammunition against Louisville in recruiting. Most people familiar will college athletics and/or the world of recruiting would not be surprised by this.

That is unless you are Kenny Payne.

On Sunday, Payne talked to the media about being unprepared to face the negative recruiting. “I wasn’t prepared for universities to say, ‘Louisville’s going on probation, why would you ever go there?’ to deter these kids from listening and especially from people that I’ve helped in the past. It’s a lesson for me.”

While Payne did not list any names, he went on to say, “my relationships with certain people that have been in my life for 30, 40 years have changed.”

Could these comments be directed at another talented recruiter down the road, John Calipari? Calipari and Payne are battling for two top 10 prospects, Aaron Bradshaw and DJ Wagner. The latter of which, Payne hired his grandfather, Milt Wagner.

Whatever the case may be, Kenny Payne knows to recruit. During his time at Kentucky, he received commitments from a dozen five-star recruits and several four-star recruits.

For someone with that amount of recruiting success, it is difficult to believe that Payne wasn’t aware of the recruiting situation he was coming into.

The last three and a half years have not been easy for former Wildcat John Wall.

In December of 2018, Wall had season-ending surgery to help with recurring left heel pain. A month into his recovery, he fell in his home and partially tore his Achilles tendon. This was worsened when the surgery to repair his Achilles revealed an infection from his heel surgery.

Through the physical injuries, Wall also had to deal with being traded to the Houston Rockets who opted to sit him as they tanked, in addition to the passing of his mother and grandmother in the midst of COVID.

While many knew about his injury struggles, few knew about his mental struggles. During a garden dedication for his mother earlier this month, Wall opened up and talked about just how difficult it was.

“I thought about committing suicide. Tearing my Achilles, my mom passing, my grandma dying a year later, in the midst of COVID. Me going to chemotherapy, sitting by my mom taking her last breaths wearing the same clothes for 3 days straight.”

In the three and a half years since his initial injury, Wall has played just 40 games but his contract was bought out and he will be playing for a Los Angeles Clippers team with fellow All-Stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.

Wall’s string of injuries is enough to force some players into retirement, coupled with the mental challenges he had to face, it is a testament to the strength of John Wall.

Also published on A Sea of Blue.