Moments to Remember from #BBM17
It’s a night of unmatched hype, but somehow Big Blue Madness never disappoints.
The 2017 edition of the annual first open practice for the Kentucky men’s and women’s basketball teams was as much of a spectacle as ever – and probably even more so. There were pyrotechnics, dancing, bright lights and, of course, some basketball.
Let’s count down some of the best moments.
6) Blue Carpet
Last year was the first Madness to feature a Blue Carpet arrival for basketball alumni and VIPs, but it’s already starting to feel like a tradition.
This year, the Blue Carpet moved outside to the High Street entrance so fans could watch as some of their favorites arrived at Rupp Arena. The guests spanned all eras, ranging from players like Cliff Hagan and Bill Evans who played for Adolph Rupp, to Derek Willis and Makayla Epps, who completed their eligibility just last year.
Squad! #BBM17 pic.twitter.com/QPnc6LNOHI
— Kentucky WBB (@KentuckyWBB) October 13, 2017
5) Matthew Mitchell, coming to a wedding reception near you
Matthew Mitchell faces a tall order every season, trying to one-up himself and his dance from the year prior. This time, he did it by doing every dance you’ve ever seen at a wedding reception: the Electric Slide, the Wobble, the Cha-Cha Slide. He closed it out with a new twist, as his team joined him at midcourt to bust some moves of their own.
4) Coach Cal’s speech and welcome to the family
John Calipari knows what to say to get the Big Blue Nation going.
He had every fan in Rupp hanging on his every word during his state-of-the-program speech, even when he warned them his team would be “ugly” early in the season as the Wildcats build toward March.
Coach Cal finished his speech by talking about the Kentucky family, which includes a special guest we’ll get to later. He then invited the members of that family in attendance Friday to the floor for a meet-and-greet and photo. They gathered while a video featuring a number of notable alumni welcomed the newest group of Wildcats to the Kentucky family.
#EmbraceFamily #BBM17 pic.twitter.com/qmRe1y7qHS
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) October 14, 2017
3) Drake
So, about that family.
Arriving soon after Calipari shouted him out in his speech was Drake, the superstar and friend of Cal who adopted UK as his own. After Coach Cal donned Drake’s special Air Jordan 8 Caliparis, Drake took the mic and told everyone why, of all the madness events going on nationwide, he picks Kentucky’s.
“I’m a Wildcat through and through and there’s only one Big Blue,” Drake said.
To hammer the point home, Drake announced he will be back in Rupp soon to play, get this, a free show for UK students.
Drake is in the building! #BBM17 pic.twitter.com/hgORLt6Hfu
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 14, 2017
2) The basketball
With what Madness has become, it’s a practice for the men’s and women’s teams in name only. Nonetheless, there was some basketball played.
The women’s team showed the length that Mitchell talked about on media day, with newcomers Ogechi Anyagaligbo, Tatyana Wyatt, Dorie Harrison and Keke McKinney seeming poised to give UK a new dimension. The team, however, belongs to veterans like Alyssa Rice, Makenzie Cann, Taylor Murray and Maci Morris. That was clear.
On the men’s side, they sure are athletic. Hamidou Diallo threw down all kinds of silly dunks in the pre-scrimmage layup line, as is to be expected, but he wasn’t the only one. This group is going to be a handful for opponents if the Cats can channel all that raw talent.
1) These teams are going to be fun
You saw it with the women’s team when they joined Mitchell for his dance routine. You saw it with the men’s team during their intros as teammates cheered wildly as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Knox, Jarred Vanderbilt, Sacha Killeya-Jones and Wenyen Gabriel danced when they took the stage.
Neither of these squads are finished products at this point. It’s impossible to even say what they will look like when they are. What can be said for certain, however, is that they’re going to be a lot of fun to follow along the way.
#BBM17 ?? in the locker room with the Cats.@Diallo1Hamidou @JVando_ @pjwashington_25 pic.twitter.com/bIPWOhRf3O
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) October 13, 2017
