Kentucky Wildcats walk-on could — but won’t — exploit likeness in NIL deal
People confuse Kentucky basketball walk-on Kareem Watkins with transfer Sahvir Wheeler.
“All the time,” Watkins said after a youth basketball camp UK staged on Friday.
Watkins cited an example that came to mind. “We were signing balls, and one dude asked me to sign. He said, ‘Sahvir, can you sign the ball?’”
Wheeler, who led the Southeastern Conference in assists last season while playing for Georgia, is expected to be Kentucky’s floor leader. Watkins played in one game for two minutes last season.
The two were standing next to each other when the “dude” asked for the ball to be signed, Watkins said.
Watkins is listed at 5-foot-8 and 145 pounds. Georgia listed Wheeler at 5-10 and 180.
That prompted a tongue-in-cheek question based on the currently hot name, image and likeness issue. If, say, a car company wanted a celebrity spokesman and thought he was Wheeler, might Watkins pretend that he was Sahvir and tell the company to make the payment to his agent, Kareem Watkins?
Watkins smiled and said, “I wouldn’t do that to my boy.”
A family connection brought Watkins to Kentucky. His stepfather, Dajuan Wagner, starred for John Calipari when the UK coach was at Memphis. Reportedly, Calipari revoked Wagner’s scholarship after one season because he believed the player was NBA ready.
When asked what insight his stepfather gave him about Calipari, Watkins said, “He just told me how hard he was. You’ve got to work hard in practice every day. You can’t take anything for granted.
Watkins’ younger brother, DJ Wagner, is the No. 1-rated prospect in the high school class of 2023. He is Dajuan’s son and the grandson of former Louisville standout Milt Wagner.
No, Watkins said, he is not playing a role in his brother’s college choice. “He’s only a junior (in 2021-22),” he said. “So, he still has a lot of time to think about any school.”
Payne and Payne
Meanwhile, another UK walk-on, Zan Payne, also fielded questions from reporters Friday. The coronavirus pandemic was not the only significant change he experienced in 2020-21. Last season was his first at UK without his father, Kenny Payne, as associate coach. Of course, the elder Payne took a job as an assistant coach with the New York Knicks.
“I went from seeing him every day to not seeing him except, like, once every six months now,” the younger Payne said.
Father and son call and communicate via Facetime every day, the son said.
When asked how his father liked the NBA life, Zan Payne said, “Oh, he loves it. He was telling me, like, he used to come in here and work out all night. But, like, in the NBA, they just have certain schedules, and he’s in bed by 8:00. He gets a good rest every night.”
Name game
Zan Payne’s given name is Alexander. So, why does he go by Zan rather than Alexander or Alex or Al?
“Ever since I was little everybody just called me Zan,” he said.
As for Watkins, you might think he was named after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. You would be wrong.
“I asked my mom about it one time,” he said. “She didn’t even know who (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) was.”
She just liked the name.
Kentucky Knicks
Zan Payne used his father’s connection to attend Game 2 of the Knicks’ first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks. It was the only game in the series the Knicks won.
“I’m still friends with some of the players on the team, like, Immanuel (Quickley) and Kevin (Knox) and, like, Nerlens (Noel),” he said. “It’s probably just like family over there.”
Transfer to play?
An ACL injury sidelined Payne for 2 1/2 years.
“It was crazy,” he said of the long rehabilitation period. “I just had to be patient and wait for my time.”
Payne played in two games and totaled four minutes last season.
With the transfer portal nearing 1,700 players as of Friday, Payne was asked if he considered transferring to another program in order to get more playing time.
“I think I found a home here,” he said. “I really like it here. The fans are great. Everything is good.”
Juggler
His UK bio says Watkins juggles.
“I’m a great juggler, actually,” he said. He added that he began juggling in middle school.
Etc.
▪ Payne is scheduled to graduate with a degree in communications and information this summer. He said he had not yet chosen what Master’s degree he will pursue.
▪ Watkins said Tyler Ulis is his favorite former UK player. “He was so small, but he controlled the game. He didn’t let his size (affect) his feelings.”
