You’ll have to wait to see Kentucky in London. Here’s how Michigan series looks now.
UK playing a game in the UK has been delayed.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Wednesday that its inaugural Basketball Hall of Fame London Showcase originally scheduled for Dec. 6, 2020, has been rescheduled because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
The doubleheader — which would feature Kentucky against Michigan after Marist played the University of Maryland Baltimore County — will be played Dec. 4, 2022, the Hall of Fame announced. As originally scheduled, the games will be played in The O2 Arena in London.
UK Coach John Calipari and his counterpart at Michigan, Juwan Howard, took consolation in the event being postponed rather than canceled.
“I’m disappointed that we aren’t able to go to London this season,” Calipari said in a statement released by UK. “I was really looking forward to meeting the Queen. But I’m glad we were all able to come together, figure this out and preserve this series for the future.
“This was a tough decision for the Hall of Fame because we all want to play this game in London, but I support the group’s decision in putting everyone’s health concerns first and pushing a temporary pause on this. The good news is we’re still able to play three great games with Michigan.”
The revised three-game series between Kentucky and Michigan will have UK playing at Michigan on Dec. 4, 2021, then the teams will play in London on Dec. 4, 2022, then the Wolverines will play at Kentucky on Dec. 2, 2023.
In a statement released by Michigan, Howard acknowledged the uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Hall of Fame took the time to review what is happening around the world and explore all options, all the safe options for the teams and most importantly the fans,” Howard said. “The best thing is this tremendous event isn’t canceled. It’s just delayed.”
All fans who purchased tickets for the event can receive a full refund through the method they purchased tickets, the Hall of Fame said. The refund should be received within 14 business days.
Tickets for the 2022 Hall of Fame London Showcase will go on sale in January or February of 2022, the Hall of Fame said.
The 2022 Kentucky-Michigan game in London will be televised by ESPN/ABC, the Hall of Fame said.
John L. Doleva, the president and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame, explained the decision to delay the event as putting safety first.
“As we navigate these unprecedented times, the Basketball Hall of Fame has remained vigilant in placing health and safety above all else,” he said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the unknown combination of health, safety, international travel regulations and the economic viability for all parties involved has required us to postpone this highly anticipated event at The O2. We look forward to hosting a fantastic event in 2022.”
The London Showcase is one in a series of collegiate events the Hall of Fame hopes can help celebrate basketball beyond the museum walls.
Kentucky has played three regular-season games in foreign countries. UK played Arizona State in the Bahamas on Nov. 28, 2016. UK also played two games in Cancun, Mexico on Nov. 24 and 25, 2009.
Kentucky has also played three regular-season games in Puerto Rico, which is a territory of the United States. The games were Nov. 26, 27 and 28, 1998.
Doubt was cast on Kentucky playing Michigan in London next season within weeks of the event being announced on Feb. 21. In the first half of March, the NBA stopped its regular season after a player tested positive for the coronavirus. The NCAA Tournament was canceled a day later.
In a statement released on March 31, the Basketball Hall of Fame said it remained “diligent in monitoring” the pandemic as it reassessed the London Showcase.
“It is up in the air right now . . . ,” Calipari said at the time. “And we probably have until about June to make that decision.”
Calipari voiced enthusiasm for the London Showcase when it was originally announced. A game with Michigan checked off “a lot of boxes when we’re looking at teams to schedule,” he said. A game in London would be “an unforgettable experience for our players and for our fans,” he added.
2020-21 UK schedule
After the removal of the Michigan game in London originally scheduled for Dec. 6, here are the contests Kentucky has locked in so far for the upcoming season (Home games in all capital letters, except for UCLA):
Nov. 10: Kansas-1
Nov. 13: DETROIT MERCY-2
Nov. 17: HARTFORD-2
Nov. 20: GEORGIA STATE
Nov. 23: RICHMOND-2
Nov. 27: Georgia Tech-3
Nov. 30: CLEVELAND STATE
Dec. 19: UCLA-4
1-Champions Classic at United Center in Chicago; 2-Bluegrass Showcase; 3-Holiday Hoopsgiving at State Farm Arena in Atlanta; 4-CBS Sports Classic at location TBA.
