By Connor Link, UK AthleticsFor most teams, competitive is the last word one might use to describe a preseason intrasquad scrimmage. But, as the record nine McDonald’s All-Americans and 10 projected NBA Draft picks indicate, most teams aren’t Kentucky.”You know we have a lot of competitive guys on this team,” said sophomore Dakari Johnson. “When you put us out on the court, we are going to compete against each other.”Instead of first- and second-string rotations, Kentucky features two “platoons” of talented lineups. Instead of six or seven players earning the lion’s share of playing time, the Wildcats boast 12 athletes with a chance to see the floor this season. For reasons like these, the annual Blue-White Scrimmage was no different than the countless high-intensity practices that took place prior: competitive.”It’s just the beginning of the season,” said Johnson. “We still have a lot of things to work on and get better at. We started off as a bunch of competitive guys, and that’s a good start.”In a talent pool laden with NBA potential, Johnson was able to stand out among his peers Monday night. The 7-foot Brooklyn native finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks while logging minutes for both the Blue and White squads. Ironically enough, his teammates are some of the steepest competition Johnson is expected to face all season.”Just knowing that you’re going to come out with four other guys that have the same competitive spirit, know how to play, and are talented as you,” Johnson said, “it’s just going to be great.”Johnson spent most of his time battling on the low block with freshman big man Karl-Anthony Towns.”(Guarding Johnson is) very difficult,” Towns said. “He’s a bear down there. He’s a bruiser.”After declining the opportunity for a possible first-round selection in last June’s NBA Draft, Johnson spent the summer improving his conditioning and basketball skill set in order to help the Wildcats reach the pinnacle this year of which they fell just short last season.”I feel much lighter,” Johnson said. “That’s the main focus. The bigs have to run the floor, because when you play with point guards like Tyler (Ulis) and Andrew (Harrison), they’ll get you the baskets if you run the floor.”Throughout the scrimmage, Johnson wowed fans with plays that he simply was not able to make a season ago.”I feel like I’m moving way better than last year,” Johnson said. “Just getting the weight off me helped me a lot. Not getting tired so fast has really helped me, too.”Head coach John Calipari echoed the 19-year-old’s sentiment.”He’s playing with great energy,” said Calipari. “I mean, he’s going after every ball. He has a fight and a fire in him.”Though the Blue team defeated the White by an official score of 94-66, the scoreboard was reset to 0-0 with 11:36 remaining in the second half. It was during this time that Johnson left the White team and traded places with Towns, who was originally on the Blue. Johnson’s new ensemble won the second contest, 29-22.  Even while encouraging spirited competition every day in practice, Calipari has instilled in his players that the ultimate team goal is for each student-athlete to improve as an individual.”I enjoy (facing Johnson) every day because it makes me a better player,” Towns said. “Playing against Dakari, (I) get to utilize some things and implement some things that he does so well on the post into my game. It can definitely change my game.”Johnson, who averaged 5.2 points and 3.9 rebounds and started 18 games for last season’s national runner-up team, looks to make the most of Calipari’s in-and-out two-platoon system every time he’s on the floor.”Every time I step on the court, I just want to play my hardest and just compete out there,” Johnson said. “That’s what (Monday) was.””We’ve got to challenge each other every day to be the best human beings we can be, and the best basketball players we can be,” Towns said. “Having Dakari around makes the job very challenging, but it makes it very deserving, very loving, and just very fun. (We’re) fortunate to have him around and on the team.”