‘Pretty cool.’ UK’s Quickley discusses journey from fretful to SEC player of year
That Southeastern Conference coaches voted Immanuel Quickley as the league’s Player of the Year and Nick Richards to the All-SEC First Team spoke to how much the Kentucky players have improved in the past year.
And also how far “Quick and Nick” had come in the last four days.
After Kentucky rallied from an 18-point second-half deficit to win at Florida, Coach John Calipari (facetiously?) said the biggest play in the game was Quickley fouling out with 9:04 remaining.
“I thought he was just being funny,” a smiling Quickley said of Calipari’s verbal jab. “Because, I mean, this year I feel I played pretty good.”
Richards, whose big second half spearheaded UK’s comeback, was the target of a jab from associate coach Kenny Payne on Saturday. On Calipari’s radio show Monday night, Payne said he suggested at halftime (no doubt, in a direct manner) that Richards wore a diaper in the first half.
Richards laughed when asked about the diaper. “I think he was just trying to tell me to play harder (and) play better,” Richards said. “You know, he’s been a really good coach for me throughout the entire year.”
Of course, Quickley and Richards have improved greatly in the last year. Last season the two failed to average double-digit points as a tandem: a combined 9.2 points.
As he walked by a scrum of reporters interviewing Quickley, Payne shouted a memorable description of the player’s improvement.
“You went from committing suicide last year to a Hall of Famer,” Payne said. “SEC Player of the Year!”
Speaking less dramatically and in a quieter voice, Quickley did not dispute Payne’s assessment.
When asked what lesson from last year paid off the most this season, Quickley said, “Probably mentally was the biggest thing. Just knowing how mentally strong you have to be to play here. Playing through mistakes was a big part of my sophomore year coming back. I knew I was good enough. Just seeing in-game success was a big part.”
Richards broke the news to Quickley about being voted SEC Player of the Year when the two were in class earlier Tuesday.
“I looked at my phone,” Richards said. “I think I yelled at him. I think it stopped everybody in class.”
“I was trying to take a test,” Quickley said. “And he was, like, ‘Bro. Bro. Bro.’”
Quickley spoke in a whisper as he said Richards told him about being named Player of the Year.
“Nick was super happy for me,” Quickley said. “He was basically screaming while I was taking the test.”
Calling it a “pretty cool accomplishment,” Quickley said he did not have Player of the Year as a goal.
“One of my goals was to make First Team (All-SEC),” he said. “But to win SEC Player of the Year, I don’t think a lot of people thought I would be able to do something like this. That’s what makes it really cool. Be the quote-unquote underdog to just come out here and do something special, that’s really cool.”
Other awards
The SEC coaches also named Calipari as the league’s Coach of the Year.
The media named Reggie Perry of Mississippi State and Mason Jones of Arkansas as SEC co-Players of the Year and Buzz Williams of Texas A&M as the league’s Coach of the Year.
Perry and Jones were the only unanimous selections to the media’s All-SEC team. Quickley and Richards made the media’s All-SEC First Team along with Kira Lewis of Alabama.
Hagans update
Quickley and Richards voiced support to teammate Ashton Hagans, who did not make the trip to Florida for what was termed personal reasons.
“He’s in good spirits,” Quickley said. “We weren’t too worried about Ashton. He just needed that little break.”
Quickley spoke of a “rejuvenated” and “revived” Hagans returning to the team.
UK vs. UK?
When asked what might derail Kentucky in the postseason, Richards said, “Ourselves.
“Each guy has just got to come ready to play, myself included.”
Richards cited the game at Florida to make the point.
“You could see in the Florida game I didn’t get off to a great start,” he said. “My teammates started running plays for me. My coaches started coaching me up a little bit. I’d probably just say everybody’s got to bring it.
“I think we’re the only team that can stop us.”
SEC Tournament
When: Wednesday through Sunday
Where: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
Kentucky’s first game: 1 p.m. EDT Friday vs. Tennessee or Alabama (ESPN)
SEC Tournament schedule
Wednesday
7 p.m.: Georgia vs. Ole Miss (SEC)
9 p.m.: Vanderbilt vs. Arkansas (SEC)
Thursday
1 p.m.: Alabama vs. Tennessee (SEC)
3 p.m.: Florida vs. Georgia-Ole Miss winner (SEC)
7 p.m.: Missouri vs. Texas A&M (SEC)
9 p.m.: South Carolina vs. Vanderbilt-Arkansas winner (SEC)
Friday
1 p.m.: Kentucky vs. Tennessee-Alabama winner (SEC)
3 p.m.: Mississippi State vs. Georgia, Florida or Ole Miss (SEC)
7 p.m.: Auburn vs. Missouri-Texas A&M winner (SEC)
9 p.m.: LSU vs. South Carolina, Vanderbilt or Arkansas (SEC)
Saturday
1 and 3 p.m.: Semifinals (ESPN)
Sunday
1 p.m.: Championship game (ESPN)
All-SEC
Teams and awards announced Tuesday:
COACHES’ VOTING
First Team: Kira Lewis, Alabama; Mason Jones, Arkansas; Samir Doughty, Auburn; Keyontae Johnson, Florida; Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky; Nick Richards, Kentucky; Skylar Mays, LSU; Breein Tyree, Ole Miss; Reggie Perry, Mississippi State.
Second Team: John Petty, Alabama; Isaac Okoro, Auburn; Kerry Blackshear, Florida; Anthony Edwards, Georgia; Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky; Maik Kotsar, South Carolina; John Fulkerson, Tennessee; Saben Lee, Vanderbilt.
All-Freshman Team: Jaden Shackelford, Alabama; Isaac Okoro, Auburn; Scottie Lewis, Florida; Anthony Edwards, Georgia; Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky; Trendon Watford, LSU; Jermaine Couisnard, South Carolina; Scotty Pippen Jr., Vanderbilt.
All-Defensive Team: Herbert Jones, Alabama; Isaac Okoro, Auburn; Ashton Hagans, Kentucky; Nick Richards, Kentucky; Yves Pons, Tennessee.
Coach of the Year: John Calipari, Kentucky.
Player of the Year: Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky.
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Skylar Mays, LSU.
Freshman of the Year: Anthony Edwards, Georgia.
Sixth-Man of the Year: Tyson Carter, Mississippi State.
Defensive Player of the Year: Yves Pons, Tennessee.
ASSOCIATED PRESS MEDIA VOTING
First Team: Kira Lewis, Alabama; Mason Jones, Arkansas; Reggie Perry, Mississippi State; Nick Richards, Kentucky; Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky.
Second Team: Samir Doughty, Auburn; Anthony Edwards, Georgia; Keyontae Johnson, Florida; Skylar Mays, LSU, Breein Tyree, Mississippi.
Coach of the Year: Buzz Williams, Texas A&M.
Players of the Year: Mason Jones, Arkansas, and Reggie Perry, Mississippi State.
Newcomer of the Year: Anthony Edwards, Georgia.
