Kentucky's Lamb enters sophomore season with purpose

Posted: 12:00am on Oct 6, 2011; Modified: 10:18pm on May 5, 2012

14-Michael Kidd-Gilchrist during photo day for the University of Kentucky men's basketball team held in the Joe Craft Center on the UK campus in Lexington, Ky., Wednesday, August 31, 2011. Charles Bertram | Staff CHARLES BERTRAM

  • This is the seventh in a series of question-and-answer sessions with each of the 15 UK men's basketball players. Chats with the Cats are edited excerpts from interviews conducted with the UK players in August and September. More excerpts will be published in the Herald-Leader's college basketball preview section on Nov. 6.

    Coming Friday: Brian Long

  • About Lamb

    Height, weight: 6-4, 210

    Position: Guard

    Class: Sophomore

    Hometown: Queens, N.Y.

    High school: Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va.

Doron Lamb was Kentucky's top three-point marksman (48.6 percent) and its third-leading scorer (12.3 points per game) last season. Coach John Calipari has said the sophomore has only scratched the surface of his abilities. "If he's in great condition and he has a sense of urgency, he's our best basketball player."

Q: What led you to return to UK this season?

A: "It was a heavy decision to come back. It was to play with this group of guys and try to win a national championship. I hope everyone's dream comes true."

Q: How did you decide?

A: "I had a meeting with my family and Coach Cal. And if I come back, I'll probably be a higher draft pick in the NBA Draft. I just wanted to come back and compete and, hopefully, everybody's dream comes true."

Q: When you first came to Kentucky, were you thinking you'd be a one-and-done player?

A: "I wasn't thinking of the NBA. I was worrying about having a great college season, and whatever happens after the season, whatever is said about me, I'll just go from there. Right now, I'm not really worrying about the NBA. You never know what will happen."

Q: What do you need to work on?

A: "I've been working on getting in shape, never getting tired on the court and working on my body strength and ball handling."

Q: Did you get tired on the court last season?

A: "I got tired a couple times on the court. I had to fight it out. We didn't have that many players. This year we have a group of guys who can play. We just have to wait and see what Coach is going to do with it."

Q: Was the NBA lockout a factor in your return to UK?

A: "That was a factor. Nobody got their money. I decided to come back to college and work hard and just try to make more money."

Q: Did you show what you can do last season?

A: "I proved everybody wrong. Everybody thought I wouldn't have a good season. That I wasn't ready. I was young. Now, I'm hoping to play better this year."

Q: Who had doubts about you being productive last season?

A: "People back home saying that. People I know saying that I've got to wait until my sophomore year, my junior year to be ready."

About Lamb: Lamb was Kentucky's top three-point marksman (48.6 percent) and its third-leading scorer (12.3 points per game) last season, and Coach John Calipari has said the sophomore has only scratched the surface of his abilities: "If he's in great condition and he has a sense of urgency, he's our best basketball player."

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