#1, Devin Booker, Fr., G
On being the favorite to win in the SEC ...
“We can’t focus on that. I think we have to focus on ourselves like Coach (Cal) stresses to us – to play against ourselves, and you know, whoever’s out there, we’re not playing against them. We’re playing against ourselves.”
On how aware he was of Ole Miss when he lived in Mississippi ...
“It’s like five or six hours (away). It’s not even the closest school to me. LSU’s the closest school to where I was from. It’s not really close, but obviously there’s some Ole Miss fans from where I was from.”
On if Ole Miss recruited him at all ...
“They did a little bit, but more Mississippi State than Ole Miss though.”
On the offensive work the team’s done ...
“I’d say just, overall, execution. Guards finishing at the rim better and just overall execution of our offense – running our plays better, running our sets better, because we’re so defensively higher than our offense, so just to get better at offense.”
On the minor changes for the guards ...
“Just what I said – just getting in the lane more and finishing around the rim better. I mean, it wasn’t really a big change for us, but I feel like it’ll help us out a lot.”
On seeing guys drive to the basket more ...
“I guess we’ll see in the game.”
On what he means by finishing better ...
“It’s tough to say. I guess – we’ve been throwing a lot of lobs, so a team is going to back up more, obviously, so the guards are going to have to finish better and that’ll open up more opportunities for a lob, but really I guess we’ll see in the game if it comes to work.”
On what it is about he and Tyler Ulis being so competitive ...
“It’s not something that started here. When we were on the same team at camp and stuff we were the same way. We never wanted to lose. We’re just two competitive people. Even when we’re going against each other, even when we’re playing video games, just everything, we’re
“We can’t focus on that. I think we have to focus on ourselves like Coach (Cal) stresses to us – to play against ourselves, and you know, whoever’s out there, we’re not playing against them. We’re playing against ourselves.”
On how aware he was of Ole Miss when he lived in Mississippi ...
“It’s like five or six hours (away). It’s not even the closest school to me. LSU’s the closest school to where I was from. It’s not really close, but obviously there’s some Ole Miss fans from where I was from.”
On if Ole Miss recruited him at all ...
“They did a little bit, but more Mississippi State than Ole Miss though.”
On the offensive work the team’s done ...
“I’d say just, overall, execution. Guards finishing at the rim better and just overall execution of our offense – running our plays better, running our sets better, because we’re so defensively higher than our offense, so just to get better at offense.”
On the minor changes for the guards ...
“Just what I said – just getting in the lane more and finishing around the rim better. I mean, it wasn’t really a big change for us, but I feel like it’ll help us out a lot.”
On seeing guys drive to the basket more ...
“I guess we’ll see in the game.”
On what he means by finishing better ...
“It’s tough to say. I guess – we’ve been throwing a lot of lobs, so a team is going to back up more, obviously, so the guards are going to have to finish better and that’ll open up more opportunities for a lob, but really I guess we’ll see in the game if it comes to work.”
On what it is about he and Tyler Ulis being so competitive ...
“It’s not something that started here. When we were on the same team at camp and stuff we were the same way. We never wanted to lose. We’re just two competitive people. Even when we’re going against each other, even when we’re playing video games, just everything, we’re
competitive. I guess it was just something that was instilled in us at a young age and we just use
it all the time. Coming here, practice is so competitive and it makes us better every day.”
On the importance of his friendship with Ulis in transitioning into college ...
“It made it a lot easier. Coming to school, first, it made it a lot easier, you know just someone there that you’ve been friends with for a while so you can relate. We had to adjust to new things together, so I think it brought our brotherhood together even closer than it was. He’s just a special person to be around, and it’s his birthday.”
On when he first met Ulis ...
“Eighth grade. We were both at the Elite 100 camp and were on the same team and it just went from there. We exchanged numbers and we ended up being on the same team two other times at two other camps.”
On his first impressions of eighth‐grade Ulis ...
“He’s just like he is now. He was still smaller than everybody, but he made the game easier for me, and that’s why I loved him. He always found me. I always ran the floor and he’d kick it ahead for me. We just really took over competition, us two together, and he was fun to play with. I got a lot of open looks because of him. He was a warrior like he is now. He used to always get hit by screens, obviously, because he’s little, but he’d get back up and play hard.”
On hating to lose even at video games ...
“Everything. I don’t like losing at anything.”
On where that competitiveness came from ...
“I say having an older brother. My older brother in Michigan, he’s four year older than me, so growing up he used to beat me at everything and it used to make me mad. And then I got older and I’m beating him at everything now.”
On the first time he beat his older brother in basketball being a great moment for him ...
“Definitely. He beat me for a long time, till like my eighth grade year. But when I was a freshman and he was a senior, we got to play on the same team together on the varsity team, so it was a special moment.”
On who was the fifth guy on his practice team ...
“It switched between Derek Willis and Dom(inique Hawkins).”
On what it means to him to drive the competitiveness in practice for the team, as a freshman ...
“It doesn’t surprise me. I’ve always been like this, and I’ve always been told that. It’s not something I really notice, but I guess I do it, so I’m going to keep doing what I do.”
On if practice being so intense helps to make the team better and to ward off complacency ...
“I think so. I think that’s what makes us better. Like we had nine days off and other teams are playing, but in practice I felt like we were playing a game because we’re so competitive, no one
On the importance of his friendship with Ulis in transitioning into college ...
“It made it a lot easier. Coming to school, first, it made it a lot easier, you know just someone there that you’ve been friends with for a while so you can relate. We had to adjust to new things together, so I think it brought our brotherhood together even closer than it was. He’s just a special person to be around, and it’s his birthday.”
On when he first met Ulis ...
“Eighth grade. We were both at the Elite 100 camp and were on the same team and it just went from there. We exchanged numbers and we ended up being on the same team two other times at two other camps.”
On his first impressions of eighth‐grade Ulis ...
“He’s just like he is now. He was still smaller than everybody, but he made the game easier for me, and that’s why I loved him. He always found me. I always ran the floor and he’d kick it ahead for me. We just really took over competition, us two together, and he was fun to play with. I got a lot of open looks because of him. He was a warrior like he is now. He used to always get hit by screens, obviously, because he’s little, but he’d get back up and play hard.”
On hating to lose even at video games ...
“Everything. I don’t like losing at anything.”
On where that competitiveness came from ...
“I say having an older brother. My older brother in Michigan, he’s four year older than me, so growing up he used to beat me at everything and it used to make me mad. And then I got older and I’m beating him at everything now.”
On the first time he beat his older brother in basketball being a great moment for him ...
“Definitely. He beat me for a long time, till like my eighth grade year. But when I was a freshman and he was a senior, we got to play on the same team together on the varsity team, so it was a special moment.”
On who was the fifth guy on his practice team ...
“It switched between Derek Willis and Dom(inique Hawkins).”
On what it means to him to drive the competitiveness in practice for the team, as a freshman ...
“It doesn’t surprise me. I’ve always been like this, and I’ve always been told that. It’s not something I really notice, but I guess I do it, so I’m going to keep doing what I do.”
On if practice being so intense helps to make the team better and to ward off complacency ...
“I think so. I think that’s what makes us better. Like we had nine days off and other teams are playing, but in practice I felt like we were playing a game because we’re so competitive, no one
likes to lose and both platoons go at each other hard and I think that’s what’s making us better
each and every day.”
On how it works out wanting to see Ulis do well, but also wanting to do better than him because they’re so competitive ... “We’re on the same team. Two platoons, but one team. We go at each other each and every day, but right when we get off the court, we understand that we’re the same team and we have the same objective and that’s to win. I think we just make each other better when we’re that competitive.”
On how he and Ulis became a package deal ...
“It started in eighth grade at the Elite 100 camp. We were on the same team. I just enjoyed playing with him. It was a long shot then. I didn’t think it was going to happen. I just really liked playing with him. Then when we ended up being on the same team again at another camp, and then another camp, so from there I was like ‘wow,’ I really, really wanted to play with him, but we didn’t have the same schools then. And then Kentucky and Michigan State were the two schools really recruiting us hard. We talked to each other each and every day, our fathers spoke to each other, our families both talked and we came up with this as the best decision for us.”
On what Cal has said about SEC play differing from the non‐conference play ...
“Every game is going to be a dog fight out there. You know, they have film on us so far because we’ve been through 13 games this season. No one’s going to take us lightly. Everyone knows we’re supposed to be the No. 1 team or supposed to run the SEC, so we’re going to get everyone’s best every night.”
#3, Tyler Ulis, Fr., G
On where his competitive drive comes from ...
“As a child, I was always very competitive and always wanted to win. My family was just like that. That’s how I grew up.”
On how heated the practices get ...
“It’s very heated, very competitive. Everybody’s going at each other. It’s like a game against ourselves. We’re competing out there and making each other better.”
On how important it is to maintain that daily competition ...
“It’s important because we don’t want to get complacent as a team. We want to keep going out there, working hard and have something to look forward to working at.”
On how the break between games has been ...
“It hasn’t been a break because we’ve had a couple practices a day, just a lot of basketball stuff. But I feel like we’re getting better as a team, so it’s been great.”
On how it works out wanting to see Ulis do well, but also wanting to do better than him because they’re so competitive ... “We’re on the same team. Two platoons, but one team. We go at each other each and every day, but right when we get off the court, we understand that we’re the same team and we have the same objective and that’s to win. I think we just make each other better when we’re that competitive.”
On how he and Ulis became a package deal ...
“It started in eighth grade at the Elite 100 camp. We were on the same team. I just enjoyed playing with him. It was a long shot then. I didn’t think it was going to happen. I just really liked playing with him. Then when we ended up being on the same team again at another camp, and then another camp, so from there I was like ‘wow,’ I really, really wanted to play with him, but we didn’t have the same schools then. And then Kentucky and Michigan State were the two schools really recruiting us hard. We talked to each other each and every day, our fathers spoke to each other, our families both talked and we came up with this as the best decision for us.”
On what Cal has said about SEC play differing from the non‐conference play ...
“Every game is going to be a dog fight out there. You know, they have film on us so far because we’ve been through 13 games this season. No one’s going to take us lightly. Everyone knows we’re supposed to be the No. 1 team or supposed to run the SEC, so we’re going to get everyone’s best every night.”
#3, Tyler Ulis, Fr., G
On where his competitive drive comes from ...
“As a child, I was always very competitive and always wanted to win. My family was just like that. That’s how I grew up.”
On how heated the practices get ...
“It’s very heated, very competitive. Everybody’s going at each other. It’s like a game against ourselves. We’re competing out there and making each other better.”
On how important it is to maintain that daily competition ...
“It’s important because we don’t want to get complacent as a team. We want to keep going out there, working hard and have something to look forward to working at.”
On how the break between games has been ...
“It hasn’t been a break because we’ve had a couple practices a day, just a lot of basketball stuff. But I feel like we’re getting better as a team, so it’s been great.”
On what Coach Cal has said about SEC season ...
“He says the games are going to be a lot tougher, they’re going to come at us more and we have to be ready for that and come ready to play.”
On avoiding buying into the hype that Louisville was their hardest game left ...
“You just don’t listen to it. You just worry about our team and play.”
On what UK learned from the Louisville game ...
“I don’t feel like we learned much. We just learned as a team we’re willing to fight if we’re in that position, and I feel like we did a great job of fighting them back and (not) letting them get in our heads with the pushing and stuff like that. As a team, we played hard and competed.”
On Devin Booker also having that competitive fire ...
“We have an understanding. We’re both competitive and want to win every time we’re on the court. We feed off each other. We’ve been playing together for a while now. It’s just great to play alongside him.”
On if they’re competitive with each other ...
“Yeah, we’re competitive with each other in a lot of stuff. Playing a game, I don’t play much, but when I do he talks a lot of trash and stuff. Everything in life we try to compete with each other. It’s great.”
On how they met each other ...
“We met each other at camp in eighth grade.”
On if they then stayed in touch through this time ...
“We stayed in touch. Every camp we went to we ended up on the same team – I don’t know if it was purposely – but we were on the same team a lot and we figured we’d just make sure we went to college together.”
On if their similar backgrounds played a role ...
“I don’t think that changed anything. We just clicked at the beginning and just became best friends from there.”
On when they became best friends ...
“Eighth grade. We really liked each other’s game and that was more basketball. Once we started talking more and exchanged numbers we just became really cool and decided we’d come to school together.”
On if he sees himself in Devin Booker ...
“Yeah, a little bit. We have a couple of the same tendencies. Some differences, we get in confrontations sometimes, but it’s a great friendship, he’s my best friend, like I said, and I’m just glad I get to play with him.”
On what he liked about Booker’s game in eighth grade ...
“He could score. I could pass the ball and get assists, I think I led the camp in assists and it was become of him getting buckets.”
On what camp that was ...
“Elite 100 in St. Louis.”
On transitioning to Kentucky with Booker ...
“It was great. It wasn’t as hard as I expected because coming in with him we came in the gym every night, working out, playing one on one. We’re just trying to get better and make sure we come out here and we’re competitive every day.”
On how much they talked during the recruiting process of playing together ...
“We talked about playing together once we talked about and understood what we were going to do. We didn’t really talk about it (playing together), but we talked every day though, just about life outside of basketball.”
On being a large favorite in the SEC ...
“Well, we really don’t pay much attention to it. We’re just going to come out and play and not try to feed into everyone else and just play our game as a team.”
On the change Coach Cal talked about for the guards ...
“He’s just trying to help us draw fouls and not flail into the defenders when we get to the bucket. Basically, just helping us all out a little bit, which has helped. It’s changed a lot in practice. We’re actually doing great with the adjustments.”
On how easy it is to continue to improve despite beating the competition by so much ...
“I feel like we all understand that we need to get better because offensively we know we’re not where we need to be. Our defense is very good but we need to execute more, so that’s what we’re working on.”
On how much better they can get offensively ...
“A lot better. I don’t think we’re near where we can be. We have a lot of miscommunications, and, like I said, we don’t execute well. Cal is really stressing that. We’re just trying to get it down.”
On how nice it is to play with your best friend in college ...
“It’s great because when we maybe get into it on the court or something it’s not personal. We know we’re just trying to do what’s best for each other and if I say something to him he understands, he doesn’t react like I’m coming off trying to be negative or stuff like that. It helps us out a lot.”
On how often they get into it on the court ...
“Not often because we don’t mess up a lot when we’re together. We just try to play hard. The only time I would get on him is if he doesn’t play hard, and like I said, he’s competitive so he plays hard most of the time.”
On if he knows where Booker is on the court due to playing together so much ...
“Yeah. We play to each other. We have a great chemistry because we’ve played with each other for a long time together now. It’s just great to have that bond.”
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