MUST-SEE: Kentucky's seniors leave messages for younger selves ahead of Senior Night

Tonight, the Rupp Arena crowd will say goodbye to six Kentucky Wildcats on Senior Night. If the video I’m about to share is a preview of what’s to come, you better pack your tissues.

The UK Sports Network asked Ansley Almonor, Koby Brea, Lamont Butler, Andrew Carr, Amari Williams, and Jaxson Robinson to leave a message for their younger selves, complete with an old-school telephone. At first, talking into a phone on the steps of Memorial Coliseum may seem like a silly exercise, but as the video goes on, you can see each Wildcat really get into it, reflecting on how far they’ve come in their lives, both on the court and off.

This team’s story is still being written, but after watching each senior talk about achieving the once-impossible dream of playing for Kentucky, you’ll be reminded that no matter how the season ends, this group will have a special place in program history.

📞 Dear younger me…if only you knew. pic.twitter.com/trXUP2z1Mx

— UK Sports Network (@UKSportsNetwork) March 4, 2025

Jaxson Robinson

“Hey, Jax. It’s your older self here talking…I just want to let you know to always keep going. You’ll eventually make it here to Lexington, Kentucky where you’ll be a Wildcat, something that I know we both thought was far out of reach…I love you, man.”

Lamont Butler

“This is man-man. This is you. I’m just a little older now. I’m 22 right now….You know when you were watching John Wall the other day, he came out doing the Dougie with the Kentucky team? Yeah. You’re him now. You’re playing on the same team. You’re at UK.”

“In the future, you’re going to put in a lot of hard work, man. It’s going to be a lot of tough times. A lot of good times too…You’re going to enjoy the future. I don’t want to tell you too much and give you too many hints but there are a lot of things that you’re going to do that will surprise people.”

Ansley Almonor

“Hey, Ansley. It’s older you. You’re at the University of Kentucky now…It sounds a little crazy, but we’re about to walk on our Senior Night.”

“You’ll have a lot of doubters along the way but they’re all wrong. Keep going out there, keep working hard, keep being inspired and everything will work out. All your dreams will come true.”

“Make sure you always keep God first and keep going to church and everything will take care of itself. I love you and keep going.”

Amari Williams

“We’re in Lexington, Kentucky right now. I’m not sure you even know where that is or what that may be about but we’re here playing collegiate basketball in America…We’ve come a long way from watching big bro play basketball and just shooting on the side basket and having fun.”

“Me and mom are going to be walking out for Senior Night and I’m not sure you even know what that is, but in front of 20,000 fans.”

“You’re going to be on a journey, a journey you may not know where you’ll end up. Still don’t know where you’re going to end up but just have fun and keep making memories with the lifelong brothers you’re going to meet.”

Koby Brea

“What if I told you, man, we’re at the University of Kentucky? Remember when the coach at Stanley told you that couldn’t get there? Remember when he told you you couldn’t do it? Mhmm. You’re here now.”

“It’s going to be a tough path. It’s going to be a lot of obstacles you’ve got to face, man, but you’ve just got to keep working, keep your head up and move forward. You’re going to go through some injuries, you’re going to have some bad games, and you’re going to have some bad seasons, just keep your head up and keep going, man. It gets better. I promise.”

“It took you four years, but now you’re at the University of Kentucky. That’s alright, man. Everyone’s path is different. You couldn’t get there out of high school but you made it happen somehow. That’s why it’s important to keep God first, man. He makes it possible for you. Just keep working, like I said. Keep your faith high, keep loving on the people around you and everything else will take care of itself. Love you, little bro.”

Andrew Carr

“You’ve defied all odds, man. You’ve made it to the pinnacle of college basketball…You had an amazing season at the best place to play at the University of Kentucky.”

“You wouldn’t believe it, but you made it here, man, and I would say that you would be very proud of yourself. It took a lot of hard work and support from everybody you love.”

“No matter what happens, just keep trusting yourself, believing in yourself and it all works out. You’re a really special person, the impact you’ve been able to have on other people without you even knowing it and just keep being yourself and you really made it somewhere really special that you may never believe…Keep trusting the process and you’ll make it here.”