Kentucky legends write letters to current Cats ahead of UK/UL rivalry battle

Introducing the best thing you’ll see today — other than the upcoming win over Louisville, of course: The Kentucky Legends Project. You don’t need me to tell you the significance of today, the start of a new era of the most historic and passionate rivalry in college basketball between the Cats and Cards. Mark Pope is the new head coach of the good side while Pat Kelsey is the leader of the dark side, the two sides meeting inside Rupp Arena for ultimate bragging rights.

It’s new for Pope as a coach — although he’s got two matchups under his belt as a player. It’s brand new for all of the Cats, however, limited to outside experience as hoopers elsewhere and casual fans of the game. Travis Perry and Trent Noah felt it growing up in the state as kids, but they haven’t experienced it personally as players.

They’re all excited to learn on the fly when the ball is tipped at 5:15 p.m. ET.

“We know it’s going to be history in the making,” Koby Brea said ahead of the matchup. “We definitely want to be all in on that.”

How do you prepare for something like that? Pope is a good person to lean on, although he’s intimately involved in the day-to-day — he’s gotta put together a winning game plan first and foremost. That’s why some former Cats stepped in to help the current Cats get ready and understand the magnitude of the challenge they’re set to take on.

Insert Ramel Bradley, Kenny “Sky” Walker, Tayshaun Prince, Willie Cauley-Stein, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Dominique Hawkins, John Pelphrey, Travis Ford, Darius Miller, Patrick Sparks, Tony Delk, Deron Feldhaus and Jim Master. That long list of Kentucky legends hand-wrote letters to the team sharing their experiences in the Battle of the Bluegrass and how important it is to make the most of this opportunity as the next generation of Wildcats.

“Playing at Kentucky is a privilege each of us players cherish — playing for you,” Bradley said. “Every time we put on the blue and white, we understand that. But one game in this state is different. How better to express that than directly from those of us who wore the uniform to those who are wearing it now.”

“It’s not just another game. Never say that,” Pelphrey added.

“This game is probably something you have never seen before,” Kidd-Gilchrist continued.

“You must be ready to meet the challenge,” Walker told the team.

If there was one thing you wanted this team to hear before the game tips off this evening, it’s this. Watch it for yourself (and the again and again after that):

Feldhaus wrote his letter to Andrew Carr while Miller wrote his to Lamont Butler, Master to Koby Brea, Prince to Ansley Almonor, Hawkins to Collin Chandler, Walker to Brandon Garrison, Ford to Kerr Kriisa, Pelphrey to Trent Noah, Cauley-Stein to Amari Williams, Delk to Jaxson Robinson, Sparks to Travis Perry and Bradley to Otega Oweh.

You can watch the players read their individual letters from the former Cats here.

A new era begins at 5:15 p.m. ET. This group will be prepared.