UK's Pro Day starts off a busy week of hoops
It's basketball time in Kentucky. The season may be roughly a month away, but the familiar lineup up of events preceding the opening tip against New Mexico State on November 6 begins in earnest this week.
It was announced Monday morning that the basketball program will feature it's annual Pro Day on Wednesday night at Rupp Arena. SEC Network+ will air the event per digital stream from 6 to 8 P.M. EST. Jimmy Dykes and Kentucky legend Jack "Goose" Givens will be the announce team.
According to a release from the athletic department, ESPN SportsCenter will also provide "live hits" from 6 to 7:30 P.M. EST with Kevin Negandhi and Seth Greenberg on the call.
The same press release also disclosed, "All 30 NBA teams will attend UK’s annual Pro Day, where the Wildcats will go through a combine-like practice conducted by Kentucky coaches and staff. Coaches and staff will direct the players through various agility and shooting drills in addition to 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 scrimmaging."
Pro Day will be followed two days later by Big Blue Madness which takes place Friday night. The release from UK also gave a quick summary of what to expect from the roster over the next few days.
"Kentucky Men's Basketball boasts the nation's No. 1 class recruiting class with seven first-year signees, including five top-25 prospects in Aaron Bradshaw, Rob Dillingham, Justin Edwards, Reed Sheppard and D.J. Wagner. Jordan Burks, who led OTE in points per game, and Joey Hart, who captured a state high school crown, were spring additions, while Zvonimir Ivišić, a native of Croatia, was added in August.
Additionally, Kentucky signed one of the top graduate transfers in Tre Mitchell, who has played in 102 collegiate games, making 92 starts, and has scored 1,398 career points.
The Cats will also return Antonio Reeves, who averaged 14.4 points per game a season ago and was named the SEC’s Sixth Man of the Year. Sophomores Ugonna Onyenso and Adou Thiero also return. Onyenso had a per-40-minute average of 5.7 blocks per game, while Thiero played nearly 10 minutes a game and was a spark off the bench."
Big Blue Madness will serve as a huge collection of important visitors. Darius Acuff, who is ranked No. 13 in the 2025 class will be on an official visit. There will also be a plethora of unofficials led by 2024 guard, Travis Perry from Lyon County. Five-star juniors, Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson, and Jasper Johnson will also be in attendance. Jordan Bender of Louisville Ballard will be there as well.
2026 in-state prospects such as Gabe Weis from Washington County, Jayden Johnson of Louisville, and Taylen Kinney of Newport will also be on unofficial visits.
Kentucky will have two exhibitions as well against Georgetown College on October 27 and Kentucky State on November 2 before the season opener.