‘When you think about Kentucky, you think about basketball.’ UK introduces Kenny Brooks.
Kenny Brooks has arrived in Lexington, and he’s ready to get started.
“It’s a pleasure to be here,” Brooks said. “But it’s an honor to be the head women’s basketball coach here at Kentucky. And it sounds surreal, but when you think about Kentucky, you think about basketball.”
University of Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart introduced Brooks, the ninth head coach in the history of Kentucky women’s basketball, to a packed Joe Craft Center practice gym at a press conference on Thursday afternoon. Barnhart was effusive in his praise of the former Virginia Tech and James Madison head coach, taking the time to highlight Brooks’ deep appreciation for the game, his “passionate” and “loving” demeanor and, of course, Brooks’ accolade-packed resume.
“Six WNBA draft picks since 2015, seven total picks,” Barnhart said. “Eighteen 20-win seasons in 22 total seasons as a head coach, includes 18 20-plus win seasons in his last 19 seasons as a head coach, the lone exception being the COVID year. Guided players to seven conference player of the year honors. In the last two seasons combined, Brooks went 2-0 against Tennessee and 3-0 against Louisville.”
In Brooks’ first address of the Kentucky media, he emphasized what he’d like to see Kentucky women’s basketball become.
“We’re going to fight, we’re going to develop, but we’re going to put a product out there that you are going to be very, very proud of,” Brooks said. “And I’m not just saying you’re going to be proud of them in Memorial, but if you see them at Target — we have Target, right? — you see them in Kroger, wherever you see them, you’re going to be able to approach them and you’re going to be very, very proud that they represent the University of Kentucky.”
Brooks comes to Lexington with decades of coaching experience, serving as an assistant at the Division I level in both men’s and women’s basketball before eventually becoming the head coach at James Madison, his alma mater. Brooks led the Dukes for 14 seasons, posting an all-time best program record of 337-122. He arrived at Virginia Tech in 2016, and went a 180-82 overeight seasons.
Interested in Brooks’ winning culture? He’s one step ahead of you.
“A lot of people want to ask you what your philosophy is going to be,” Brooks said. “Year to year it’s going to be ‘we’re going to be a team,’ we’re going to be a team that you can be proud of. The style of play changes year to year, what type players do you have? What’s going to be your strengths, your weaknesses, what are you going to work toward? And we will evolve every year so that we can stay competitive and go out there and win.”
Brooks was officially hired this week following Virginia Tech’s season-ending loss to Baylor on Sunday evening in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. His contract is a five-year, $7.5 million deal and runs through the 2028-29 season. This contract makes Brooks the third-highest paid women’s basketball coach in the Southeastern Conference behind Kim Mulkey ($3.15 million annually) and Dawn Staley ($3.1 annually).
This story was originally published March 28, 2024 at 7:48 PM.
