Former Kentucky stars applaud current players taking stand against social injustice
As do their basketball brethren, Kentucky players shoot, dunk, rebound, defend and pass. The video calling for social reforms the current Cats recently tweeted drew a thumbs up from some ex-Cats because it reminded us that players also think, feel, lament, hope and despair.
“I love it,” Reggie Hanson said of the video. “The problem with people when it comes to athletes is they don’t look at them as people. They don’t look at them as people who have problems.”
As a certified “life coach” who aspires to work in the mental health services field, Hanson knows that players are not immune to human frailties and feelings. Having been a Kentucky player (1987-88 through 1990-91), he can see how this disconnect between player and person can be vivid at an elite program.
“I tell people this all the time: they look at what a player was ranked coming out of high school,” he said. “He’s, like, the top player in the country coming to Kentucky, the top program in the country. And they automatically assume this athlete is perfect. ‘You’re supposed to be great. Go entertain me.’”
The video showed that life off the court affects players. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others moved UK players and Coach John Calipari to call for a discussion on how to combat systemic racism and police brutality in this country.
Earlier this summer, Keion Brooks Jr., memorably said of Black people in the United States, “it’s almost like we’re being hunted.”
To PJ Washington’s ears, this was not hyperbole.
“I think it’s crazy being able to feel like that just because of the color of our skin,” he said. “It is outrageous to me. At the end of the day, we’re all regular people. And we all want the same things in life. That’s just happiness and being able to have respect from others.
Washington, who played for UK in 2017-18 and 2018-19, said he liked how the players used the video to express their feelings.
Tony Delk, an All-American in 1995-96, found the police killing of Floyd particularly disturbing.
“As I watched that video, I was, like, man, if my mom was alive and here I am with somebody having a knee on my throat, and I’m screaming for my mom, and she can’t do anything, she can’t help her baby, she can’t help her son, like, that’s when it really, really hit home for me,” Delk said. “And it took me a few days just to get over that. I felt for him.”
Delk also saluted the UK players.
“Social media has given them a platform to where people are listening,” he said. “People are watching. People are waiting to tweet. So, it’s a different platform in 2020 than it was back in 1992 when I first went to college.
“I commend this generation for what they’re doing and they’re speaking out and not accepting what’s going on.”
Cautionary tale
Until his death last weekend at age 59, former Kentucky player Dwight Anderson had been speaking to youth groups about the dangers of drug use. These appearances began shortly after a documentary film on his basketball journey — titled “The Blur” — was produced in 2015.
The filmmaker, former sports reporter Branson Wright, had the idea of a speaking tour.
“I would come out and talk to the kids about staying focused on your goals, and not to get distracted,” Wright said. “And if they were athletes, I would tell them I don’t care how good you think you are, this guy was the best in the country, and he got distracted.”
That guy was Anderson, who acknowledged that drug and alcohol use derailed his presumed destiny as a basketball star. Isiah Thomas likened Anderson to Michael Jordan. Former UK teammate Derrick Hord likened him to John Wall. Elton Alexander, a sportswriter who chronicled Anderson’s high school career, likened him to Derrick Rose.
Anderson’s NBA career lasted only five games.
After hearing Wright and watching the documentary, someone in the audience would inevitably ask how Anderson was doing. This was the cue for Anderson to come on stage and tell his cautionary tale.
Anderson’s appearances included speaking to one of Bob Huggins’ teams at West Virginia, teams coached by Jerrod Calhoun for Youngstown State and Fairmont State, twice at a youth program sponsored by the Cincinnati Reds and at schools in Cleveland and Dayton.
McCarty update
Former Kentucky player Walter McCarty has been ordered to appear in Vanderburgh County court Oct. 29 to respond to a civil suit filed by Old National Bank of Evansville, Ind., that claims he defaulted on a $75,000 “private select line of credit.”
The Evansville Courier & Press reported that on Aug. 20 Judge Robert Tornatta approved a garnishment order on McCarty’s NBA pension. NBA players who play three or more seasons in the league can begin drawing from their pension plan at age 45. McCarty is 46.
On Aug. 25, Tornatta ruled that if McCarthy fails to appear in court, he could be arrested on sight.
McCarty, who played for UK from 1992-93 through 1995-96, had been Evansville coach. He led Evansville to a victory at Kentucky Nov. 12. He was fired by the school in January amid a Title IX investigation.
On Thursday, McCarty tweeted, “Stay tuned! I can wait to expose all these lies and untruths. I got a 30 for 30/best seller for sure.”
The same day, a second Evansville bank claimed McCarty defaulted on a loan with it for $45,000, the Courier & Press reported.
Ready or not?
Amid the many unknowns enveloping a 2020-21 college basketball season, there’s a voice speaking with certainty. It belongs to Bill Owen, the president and CEO of the Lexington Center Corporation.
When asked if the ongoing renovation of Rupp Arena and the Lexington Center could interfere with a UK season, Owen wrote in an email, “We will be ready for an on-time start if there is one, including (Big Blue) Madness.”
If there is a season, fans will need to make adjustments.
“There are some changes with respect to ingress and egress as the entrance to Rupp must shift to the west side of the arena for the upcoming season, whenever it begins,” Owen wrote.
Details on those changes will be given to ticket holders and the media “once a start time clarifies,” Owen wrote.
Freshman scorers
Until John Calipari’s one-and-done era, only four freshmen averaged more points for Kentucky than Dwight Anderson’s 13.3 ppg in 1978-79.
Those four were Alex Groza (16.5 ppg in 1944-45), Patrick Patterson (16.4 ppg in 2007-08), Rex Chapman (16.0 ppg in 1986-87) and Chris Mills (14.3 ppg in 1988-89).
Since Calipari became coach in 2009, 17 UK freshmen have had higher scoring averages: Jamal Murray (20.0 ppg in 2015-16), Malik Monk (19.8 ppg in 2016-17), Brandon Knight (17.3 ppg in 2010-11), De’Aaron Fox (16.7 ppg in 2016-17), John Wall (16.6 ppg in 2009-10), Terrence Jones (15.7 ppg in 2010-11), Kevin Knox (15.6 ppg in 2017-18), DeMarcus Cousins (15.1 ppg in 2009-10), Julius Randle (15.0 ppg in 2013-14), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (14.4 ppg in 2017-18), James Young (14.3 ppg in 2013-14), Anthony Davis (14.2 ppg in 2011-12), Archie Goodwin (14.1 ppg in 2012-13), Tyrese Maxey (14.0 ppg in 2019-20), Tyler Herro (14.0 ppg in 2018-19), Aaron Harrison (13.7 ppg in 2013-14) and Keldon Johnson (13.5 ppg in 2018-19).
Partnering with PJ
Fans can partner with former UK player PJ Washington through the investment platform SportBLX. A minimum investment of $200 is required. Dividends are expected to be paid at an annual rate of 5 percent.
When asked what made him want to get involved in the idea, Washington said, “being able to connect with my fans and create wealth off the court.”
More information is at Sportblx.com.
In another partnership, Washington owned a share of the Kentucky Derby horse Max Player. Taking care of a new Doberman puppy named Apollo prevented him from attending the Derby and watching Max Player finish fifth, Washington said.
Happy birthday
To retired referee John Clougherty. He turned 77 on Thursday. . . . To Mark Pope. He turned 48 on Friday. . . . To EJ Montgomery. He turned 21 on Saturday. . . . To Billy Evans. He turns 88 on Sunday (today). . . . To Marcus Lee. He turns 26 on Monday. . . . To Todd Svoboda. He turns 49 on Monday. . . . To Hall of Fame Coach Larry Brown. He turns 80 on Monday. . . . To Marquis Estill. He turns 39 on Tuesday. . . . To Reggie Warford. He turns 66 on Tuesday.
