KSR Today: Eight Cats compete for Gold in Paris

As fast as they came, the 2024 Paris Olympics are leaving just as quickly, Saturday marking the second-to-last day of competition with the closing ceremony scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. They’re saving the best for last this weekend, as well, with eight current and former Kentucky Wildcats set to compete in three different events throughout the day — all for gold medals.

That comes after a Friday that included three Cats dominating in their respective heats in the Women’s 100M Hurdle Semifinal, former student-athletes Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Masai Russell, along with current volunteer assistant coach Devynne Charlton all combining to earn three of the top eight qualifying times to advance. They’ll all run in the Women’s 100mH Final on Saturday at 1:45 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, a chance for Kentucky to have three competitors earn a medal in the same event.

Elsewhere, Alexis Holmes ran a personal best time of 49.77 seconds in the Women’s 400m Final on Friday to finish sixth among a world-class field. She’ll be joining Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone — the Women’s 400mH champion and world-record holder — in the 4x400m Relay Final at 3:22 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

And then the big one for basketball fans, featuring three former Cats: the Men’s 5×5 Gold Medal Game. Team USA will take on host country France at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock with Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker and Anthony Davis again taking the floor in that one.

The full schedule to help follow along throughout the day:

• TRACK & FIELD — 1:45 PM: Women’s 100mH Final (Masai Russell, USA; Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Puerto Rico; Devynne Charlton, Bahamas); USA, Peacock
• TRACK & FIELD – 3:22 PM: Women’s
  4x400m Relay Final (Alexis Holmes & Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, USA); NBC, Peacock
• MEN’S 5×5 BASKETBALL – 3:30 PM: United States (Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis) vs. France; Gold Medal Game; NBC,
  Peacock

And then to close things out on Sunday:

• WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL — 7:00 AM: United States (Avery Skinner) vs. Italy; Gold Medal Match; NBC, Peacock

Doesn’t get much better than that.

Mark Stoops speaks after Kentucky’s first scrimmage

While the Cats in Paris look to bring back nine more gold medals before the weekend comes to a close, the Cats in Lexington are getting ready for the football season-opener vs. Southern Miss on August 31. And it’s a big Saturday for the team as Kentucky will participate in its first scrimmage of fall camp, a chance to dig into just what Mark Stoops’ squad can and will be in his 12th year with the Wildcats.

Was it a win for the offense or defense? Who were the individual standouts? Any major injury updates — hopefully not — to address? Stoops will talk to the media at 12:45 p.m. ET, as will a few select players. KSR will be in attendance with more to come this afternoon and throughout the rest of the weekend.

Football season is here, folks.

Summer practice ends for basketball

As the football team ramps up, the basketball team is taking a well-deserved break. The eight-week summer practice schedule has come to a close, Thursday morning marking the last run of workouts until players return on August 22. From there, the preseason officially begins on August 26 as the Cats prepare for Big Blue Madness in October and the start of the Mark Pope era in November.

Reed Sheppard joins Sources Say

Speaking of basketball, an all-timer joined KSR’s Sources Say Podcast this week to talk about his time in Lexington and move to the NBA as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 Draft.

Reed Sheppard discussed the transition period for Kentucky following his departure with his former coach moving to Arkansas and his dad’s college roommate replacing him in Lexington.

Is that weird? Not at all — he’s got plenty of love to go around.

“I don’t think it’s weird at all. Coach Cal is my coach, I still talk to him multiple times a week. He’ll text and call me and we’ll cut up here and there. It’s been good seeing him and I’m looking forward to watching them this year, watching him coach,” Sheppard told KSR this week. “But at the end of the day, I’m a Kentucky fan. I’m from Kentucky, I played at Kentucky. I’ll continue to cheer for Kentucky no matter what.”

As for his thoughts on Pope, he’s optimistic the first-year coach will do a great job and the program is in good hands moving forward.

“I think Coach Pope is gonna do a really good job,” he said. “Coach Pope and his family are really close to our family, he did a great job at BYU and I expect him to do the same thing here at Kentucky. I’m excited to watch them play this year, I think they’ve got a good team and I think he’s gonna have a good season this year.”

Check out the complete interview below:

Happy Saturday, BBN. Time to watch some Cats earn gold medals.