Some player quotes from Kentucky’s Media Day as provided by UK:
DARIUS MILLER
On what he needs to do to win a championship this year: “I need to step it up in the leadership category. I’m really trying to lead by example. I’m trying to go hard every day and talk to the other guys and make sure they know what’s going on.”
On how he’s preparing the freshman for this season: “I’m trying to spend a lot of time with them and talk to them a lot so they understand what it’s going to be like and how intense it’s going to be. I think they’re doing a great job on their own with just stepping in and being comfortable and getting ready, though.”
On what he remembers about his first experiences with the media as a freshman: “I remember it, it seems like it was the other day. It’s gone by pretty fast. It’s hard to explain and put into words. You just have to experience it. I thought I knew what it was going to be like coming to UK but I really didn’t.”
On what it takes to get to the national championship: “It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication. There are going to be a lot of sacrifices made. One big aspect is that we have to be a team and be on the same page. We have to be like a family. If people are on different pages then it’s not going to work.”
TERRENCE JONES
On whether the team collectively wants a national championship: “It hasn’t been discussed, but it’s what everyone wants. I know it’s what everyone wants. We haven’t talked about it as a team, but it’s what everyone’s goal is.”
On what position he expected to play when he decided to return for a second year: “With this team, I feel like we have a lot of players that are interchangeable. We’ve got long players and players that remind me of myself when it comes to blocking shots and working hard. I just wanted to come back and win. I don’t care about who I have to guard. I just like playing basketball. It doesn’t matter what position I’m in.”
On what it takes to win the national championship: “Obviously from experience I don’t actually know, but I would say staying focused. You need to play the way you played to even get that far in the first place and not worry about the crowd or anything else.”
JON HOOD
On the process of rehab: “I am just going to support the guys. As far as rehab, I am just walking, walking faster, jogging a little bit. Eventually I will be cutting.”
On what he thought initially when he hurt himself: “Initially, I was hoping this would be something that would only keep me out for two to three weeks. Now it’s six months. “
On the toughest part of rehab so far: “The toughest part is mental. You will come into rehab some days and it feels great, and you will come into rehab and it feels terrible.”
JARROD POLSON
On playing so close to home: “It feels great. I’ve grown up here and I’ve always been a UK fan so playing for the team is like a dream come true.”
On what it’s like to be a student-athlete: “It’s kind of challenging. The classes aren’t easy so trying to handle classes and basketball at the same time is sometimes hard. We have tutors, though, that help us and our advisors get us organized.”
On who is going to take over (Josh) Harrellson’s role as the team comedian: “We have a lot of comedians this year. I don’t even know who would take number one. Anthony Davis is pretty funny and so is Kyle (Wiltjer), maybe one of them.”
TAWNY BECKHAM
On what he’s been working on for this coming season: “I’ve been working on everything. I’ve been working on being a leader and being more vocal. I’ve been working a lot on my jump shot. I’m just trying to be a better teammate because I want to help my team.”
On his role on the team: “I want to be productive. I want to come in and give valuable minutes whenever Coach Cal needs me and at whatever position on the floor he needs me at. I’m just looking forward to doing that.”
On bringing his SEC experience to this young team: “I played in the SEC for two years so I’ve definitely had some experience. I’ve seen what it’s like to be in a leadership role and to play in big games. I feel like I can come in and help this team out with whatever they need.”
RYAN HARROW
On the process of choosing UK: “I visited UK first and after meeting Coach Cal and some of the players last year, I knew this would be a front runner for where I’d want to go. After I visited all of the other schools I just knew this would be the right place for me.”
On his transition to UK thus far: “It’s been good, but it’s been hard since I can’t play this year. I know that I’ll get better during this off year. I can use it to get stronger and learn the system so I can be ready for next year.”
On Marquis Teague: “He’s fast, strong and a point guard that can score, but also get his team involved. He’s really strong for a freshman. I’m basically a freshman since I’m sitting out, but he body’s me and is tough so that’s definitely something he’s helping me work on.”
SAM MALONE
On how the offseason has gone for him: “I have really rehabbed my knee a lot. We have worked really hard as a team every day in the weight room.”
On how the team is coming together: “We have only had a few workouts so far, but everyone has really come together as a team on and off the court. We are a close group. We really like each other, and I think that’s important.”
On if he is excited for Big Blue Madness: “I am really excited, but I am a little bit nervous. I have never been to Rupp (Arena) before, so I am really excited. It’s things like Big Blue Madness that I wanted to come here for.”
MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST
On the amount of attention he’s received as a player: “It is hitting me right now. It is hitting me right now because I have never had all of this attention before. All the lights around here are bright, and I have to adjust.”
On if he’s used to having this much attention and how he’s adjusting: “I am not used to it at all. I think I am adjusting well. It is not my personality. I’m just a quiet person at times, and I have to be able to adjust.”
On the pressure of winning the National Championship: “That’s a lot of pressure. We are just taking our time at getting better and having fun doing it.”
DORON LAMB
On how much this team trusts coach John Calipari: “We trust coach a lot. Nobody ever thought Josh (Harrellson) would ever get drafted last year. Coach Calipari really worked him hard in workouts and I think we have a lot of guys that could go pro this year. I’m not saying we are going to go to the NBA, but we have the capability.”
On playing with NBA players this offseason: “I had a lot of fun. I got a lot better. They talked to us and hung out with us, so I had a really good time.”
On what he told the younger players about Big Blue Madness: “I just told the freshmen to go out there, have fun, and don’t be scared. I told them that whatever you do they are going to like you anyways, so just have fun.”
STACEY POOLE
On his development over the summer: “Last year, I didn’t play. It was shocking to me because I had never sat the bench before. The bench teaches you something and over the summer I got it in my mind that I’m going to go all out. I put in work over the summer and I’m continuing to put in work. My game is developing, I’m expecting a lot from myself this year.”
On what he must do to get more playing time this year: “Be consistent, do the things that I need to do. (I need to) stay focused, just play basketball and do the things that Coach Cal asks of me.”
On what he worked on during the summer: “I tried to get in real good shape. I worked on my jump shot, my defense, and just try to perfect every aspect of my game.”
On the talent on UK’s team: “The talent is crazy, in high school you would rarely have that many good players around you but here the whole team is good. There is a lot of talent on this team and I think we’ll be pretty good this year.”
ANTHONY DAVIS
On the high expectations of a national championship: “It’s a goal. You keep focusing on your goals and you can accomplish it. We’re just trying to go out here, play hard, win games, and accomplish our goals.”
On his recent workouts: “They’ve been good; everyone is going hard and competing hard. We try to do everything we can to make each other better. It’s been real fun.”
On the set up of the team: “We don’t really have a center. Everybody can do the same thing: dribble, pass, shoot, whatever needed. We are just trying to find an offense that fits everyone’s playing style. It will be a strength for us, not many bigs will be able to match up with ours.”
On the difference between high school and college: “It’s a lot different; everybody wants you to be great here. They only want what is best for you. It’s really like a family. You don’t really know what to expect but that is what all the veterans are here for. Darius (Miller), Terrence (Jones), and Doron (Lamb) really help us out with what to expect and in giving us advice.”
MARQUIS TEAGUE
On his excitement to play at Rupp this year: “I’m ready to do that. Last time I was here it was packed; it was really exciting so I’m ready to get to play.”
On the team’s defense: “We all really like playing defense. We like stopping people. We all have too much pride, we don’t want to be scored on and let our teammates down. Our defense can help us get in fast breaks easier and get more shots and dunks.”
On Coach Cal’s desire to win a national championship: “I know Coach wants to win every game. That’s why he looks so upset on the court, he just wants to win so bad and he is so passionate about it.”
On his relationship with Doron Lamb: “He showed me the ropes when I first got here as far as the dribble drive and working out with me. He has gotten a lot stronger, I barely see him miss any shots.”
On Cal’s classification of him as a “bulldog” in the weight room: “I came in at 170 pounds and am now 187. I really just started lifting hard when I got here. You have to go hard here. It has improved my game; I can take bumps a lot better when I’m going to the basket so it has helped me to be able to finish better.”
On an awakening of coming to college from high school: “College is another step-up. It’s not high school where you can just beat players one on one every time. We’re all ready for it, but it’s a big step up.”
ELOY VARGAS
On what Coach Cal has been telling him he needs to improve on: “He’s been telling me I don’t need to push with my body so much on defense. He says I need to move with my feet more so I can get around people and not just body them.”
On his favorite memory from Madness last season: “I had no idea it was going to be like that and that there would be so many people there. When I came out I was kind of surprised.”
On who has been surprising him in practice so far: “Everybody has been surprising everybody right now. We are a really good team right now. We have a chance to do something really special this year because of the different things that everybody can do.”
BRIAN LONG
On what he expects with Big Blue Madness: “I was there last year, it was really cool. That was a first and tomorrow night will be a first, too, since I’ll get to be out on the court. I’m looking forward to it since I’ve never played in any situation like that.”
On his favorite part of Big Blue Madness from last year: “I really liked the introductions. They were pretty special and really cool for each player.”
On whether he has any special plans for Big Blue Madness: “I don’t have any so far, but I’m hearing that a couple of guys have something up their sleeves. I guess we’ll just have to see it tomorrow night.”
KYLE WILTJER
On what it’s been like to see UK fans’ passion around Big Blue Madness: “It’s really exciting. This is what we’ve been looking forward to and what we’ve been working for. There’s all this hype and it’s really exciting for us because we’ve been working really hard and we’re excited for practice to start.”
On whether or not the hype makes him feel the pressure more: “We don’t look at it as pressure. We’re just going to go out every night and play as hard as we can. Whether it’s in a game or practice, we’re going to give it our all.”
On growing up near Terrence Jones: “In high school we played against each other. He’s a great player. We didn’t really know each other since we went to different schools. We were kind of rivals back then, but now it’s been nice to see a familiar face here and it kind of got me ingrained into the family. It helped me to get to know my teammates a little better at first.”
