Checking in from Players First Fantasy Experience at Rupp Arena

The Players First Fantasy Experience is taking place this weekend in Lexington, where grown adults gather to live the life of a Kentucky basketball player for the weekend. In short, you show up, get a duffle bag of gear — this year’s package included two jerseys, two shorts, one polo, one sweatshirt, one shooting shirt, a t-shirt, socks and a pair of shoes — and play five-on-five games for three days with the current Wildcats serving as coaches.

After making my Fantasy Experience debut last year, I’m back for my sophomore campaign, this time drafted by Antonio Reeves, Adou Thiero and Grant Darbyshire. Longtime college basketball coach Jerry Wainwright is my General Manager, a welcomed veteran addition in the locker room.

How have things gone to start camp? So far, so good through two games, with Team AdvaMed off to a 1-1 start and sitting comfortably as the No. 2 seed going into championship Sunday. Game one was a bit rough, taking a double-digit loss to the No. 1 seed. Shots weren’t falling and defense let up in the second half. Me personally, I started strong with two early buckets and a few tough rebounds, but got into foul trouble — questionable (bad) calls, obviously — and crumbled down the stretch defensively.

To make matters worse, Sahvir Wheeler and Lance Ware got into my head at the free throw line, heckling from the opposing bench as I bricked the hell out of two free throws. “Twitter fingers,” they both said, likely referring to my mouth-running on social media (and this website, probably) and inability to back it up (at the free throw line, at least).

Resting up for 4 p.m. ET tip-off. Drafted by @ToniooReeves, @Adou_Thiero and @GrantDarbyshire.

I like my team. https://t.co/cNssYUsRdY pic.twitter.com/At57UjhCZw

— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) August 26, 2022

After approximately six minutes of recovery time, we jumped on busses and rode to WinStar Farm in Versailles for a stunning sunset dinner with a backdrop of rolling hills and horses you’d find on a screensaver — Gus’s World Famous Chicken was a 10/10, as well. My dinner table included Seth Greenberg — who went out of his way to say “don’t write this on KSR” before sharing every story, like I’d remember half of it four Woodfords deep anyway — Dino Gaudio and Jerry Wainwright, among others. Very much appreciated their company and insight into a combined near-century of coaching at the collegiate level.

After a quick sleep, we tipped off again this morning at 9:30 a.m., a much better performance both personally and as a team. I finished with clean eight points on strong field-goal efficiency and poor free-throw efficiency (2-4 with “Jack can’t shoot” heckles from Jacob Toppin on every attempt) to go with six or seven rebounds and solid defense. And more importantly, it came in a two-point win to secure our status as the No. 2 seed.

Jacob got his jokes off, but he still took an L.

After the win, Kentucky associate head coach Orlando Antigua — who watched the entire game from the leg massage chairs on the baseline — gave an in-depth breakdown of my performance.

“Young bull, a lot of energy, a lot of toughness, hustles,” Antigua said. “Got to get him to finish a little bit (more), guys got to find him when he’s open. A couple of times he was open and they missed him. But he just keeps bringing it every day, and it’s good to see. Got to get him to make the free throws and his little pull-up.

“He’s got to put the fingers in his ears and not listen to the outside noise, can’t let it influence him.”

Where would I be in Antigua’s rotation?

“He’d be right there, right where he’s at (laughs).”

Coach O: great coach, better liar.

“Young bull, a lot of energy, a lot of toughness, hustles.”

@CoachOantigua gives a very accurate scouting report (including the missed shots and free throws) pic.twitter.com/o8Nw6iqCFx

— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) August 27, 2022

Another member of the KSR crew, Dr. Michael Huang, is participating this weekend and splashed a big three from the top of the key in the game against me. He went down with a leg injury and is likely out for the season, but our go-to photographer was still able to make an impact in limited minutes. Happy to earn the win over him, but even happier he got his first bucket on the Rupp Arena hardwood.

Afternoon activities included pickleball and a 3-on-3 tournament for cash, neither of which I participated in. Had to get some recovery time in before our team competes for a Players First Fantasy Experience championship on Sunday — looking to go back-to-back in my first two years at camp.

Tonight includes dinner and a charity auction with Coach Cal, along with a game of Family Feud with the Kentucky basketball team. I’ll be there to get some footage to throw on the website later this evening.

We’ll have an in-depth breakdown of me making a fool out of myself when camp comes to a close. Until then, I’ll be icing my knees and getting some sleep.

Go Cats.