Kentucky men's basketball players called me old

Life sure does come at you fast sometimes. I recently turned the big 3-0, and while I certainly don’t feel like I’m aging at an accelerated rate, I definitely feel more out of touch with the younger generation as the years go on. But the entire Kentucky men’s basketball team has me questioning myself — maybe I am old?

The program’s social media team dropped a video on Thursday asking every player what the minimum age is to refer to someone as “unc”. For those unfamiliar with the term “unc”, a shortened version of uncle, it’s an endearing way for the youths to make fun of the olds. I felt my joints crack just typing that sentence. The Merriam-Webster dictionary even has a tab for “unc” under the slang section.

Which brings us to our main question: how old does someone need to be for a Kentucky player to call them “unc”? Not that old, unfortunately! The majority of them said mid-20s or younger. A few said 30s and up, while Malachi Moreno and Andrija Jelavić earned some brownie points with me (and a good chunk of the fanbase) by saying 40s. Some made sure to clarify, however, that when used in a team setting, “unc” can really be used for any of the veterans. Here is each player’s age requirement to be considered an “unc”.

• Jasper Johnson: 27
• Brandon Garrison: 22 or 23
• Andrija Jelavić: 40-plus
• Otega Oweh: 25
• Denzel Aberdeen: mid-20s
• Mo Dioubate: 25
• Jaland Lowe: 22 – “When I was a freshman, I called some of the upperclassmen unc. But in general, you gotta be 30s to be considered real unc.”
• Braydon Hawthorne: 30 or 31 – “In the 20s, you’re just bro.”
• Zach Tow: 30s
• Malachi Moreno: 40 and above
• Reece Potter: 25
• Collin Chandler: Above 30
• Walker Horn: 22 – “I’m 22 and I’ve been getting unc status on the team.”
• Kam Williams: 22 – “On the team, on the team. But just in general, like 28.”
• Trent Noah: “Otega and BG’s age.”
• Jayden Quaintance: 27

How old is unc status??? pic.twitter.com/rqFmRDqO1b

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) September 25, 2025

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