After going through one of the most trying seasons in Kentucky basketball history a year ago, Davion Mintz had a tough decision to make.
Move on with his professional basketball aspirations as he originally intended after transferring from Creighton or take the NCAA up on its Covid-19 "waiver" season of eligibility.
Mintz chose the latter. He never realized how rewarding it would be.
"It's been the best decision of my life," he said. "... It was the greatest thing that ever happened to me because I really found myself this year."
Nearing the end of an exciting regular season that has flown by in stark contrast to last year's joyless slog, Kentucky will face Ole Miss on Tuesday night in the home finale at Rupp Arena, where Mintz will go through his second "Senior Day" with the Wildcats.
This time around, though, it should be a proper send-off.
The Wildcats won only nine games a year ago. The last one came on "Senior Day" when Mintz scored 20 points and dished out seven assists in a 92-64 blowout of South Carolina, but only 3,075 fans were allowed in Rupp Arena for the game, and family members were not allowed on the court for the traditional pregame ceremony.
Five days later, the season ended unceremoniously with a 74-73 loss to Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament.
Fast-forward to the doorstep of March 2022, and Mintz finds himself as a key member of the No. 7 team in the country with a legitimate chance to win a championship. More than 20,000 fans will say farewell to the 6-foot-3 combo guard on Tuesday, and a large group of family members will stand alongside him as "My Old Kentucky Home" stirs up the emotions at Rupp Arena, even for a North Carolina native.
"I've just seen the heart of what this place is," Mintz said when asked about the difference between his first and second years in Lexington.
"Sometimes, even in the middle of the games, I'll just be thinking, do I really go to Kentucky? Am I really here right now? It's still crazy to me."
There could be as many as 11 games remaining for the Cats if all goes as well as Mintz hopes. Like so many other players who came before him, his legacy could be magnified by a big run through March Madness, but he hopes fans will simply remember him for the effort he displayed each time he donned the uniform.
"I want to be known as that guy who tried to give his all, no matter what happened," Mintz said. "That guy you knew was always going to go out there and fight, the guy who would sacrifice everything for the team, and then leave as a winner.
"When you see my name and put it beside Kentucky, I want them to say 'This guy won, and he fought every night, and he tried to represent this place the way we want to be represented."
