Joey Hart opens up on how first Kentucky practices have been

Kentucky men’s basketball practices during the John Calipari era have featured some of the most talented groupings in college basketball. The 2023-24 squad is no different, and freshman shooting guard Joey Hart discussed going at it with so much talent.

While Hart, the No. 269 prospect in the 2023 signing class according to the On3 Industry Ranking, is the lowest-rated of the newcomers, he appreciates getting to start on equal footing with his blue-chip peers. Nothing is promised, leading to competitive runs.

“There’s not a defined lineup yet, obviously, for the team. And everybody wants to be in the starting lineup. Everybody wants to have a role. But you gotta compete for it. And coach Cal said nothing’s promised. Nobody is promised like a starting spot or anything like that, so everybody’s working to get a role,” Hart said.

Kentucky signed the top overall class in 2023, Hart included. Along him him, Kentucky signed Justin Edwards (No. 2), Aaron Bradshaw (No. 4), DJ Wagner Jr. (No. 7), Robert Dillingham (No. 15), Reed Sheppard (No. 38) and Jordan Burks (No. 173).

And with so much talent on the court at one time, Hart has already noted some improvement.

“I mean we get better every day, I think. Practices are really competitive and just a lot of talent on the team,” Hart said.

Another Kentucky newcomer shared how practices have been

Kentucky transfer forward Tre Mitchell hasn’t been with the Wildcats for long, but he’s already raving about his teammates in his first few practices.

He’s been around the block more than the freshmen, so he knows a little better what good practices look like at the college level. And he certainly believes this team is competing the right way in the early going.

“Just like I said, we’ve been doing a lot of competing. It’s been a lot of competing. Dudes are hungry,” Mitchell said. “Dudes want to get after it every single day and it shows in the way that we play. Dudes are diving on the floor, dudes are going out the bus but at the same time.”

He continued: “I think we moved the ball very well. There’s dudes willing to give up a good shot for a great shot. And I don’t think there’s really any selfishness out there on the court, even though the dudes have just gotten here and just learned each other’s games and are still learning each other’s games. I think that we’re on trajectory to do something great.”