KSR Today: NBA Combine Week, Boley Watch, and Other UK Athletics Things To Know
These are surprisingly busy times in a slow season for Big Blue Nation’s newswire. Traditionally a drought for UK conversations, the topics are hot as Kentucky Basketball and Football build for the future while some of Kentucky’s other programs chase postseason dreams. Of course, we have former Wildcats making news professionally, too. And Election Day. Remember that one is coming up tomorrow.
Right now, I vote that you spend a few minutes catching up on everything UK-related because I got up really early on a Monday to tell you about it all.
We’ll start with the latest from the Wildcats still playing in the Association.
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia eliminated from the NBA Playoffs
Sunday marked the end of the road for Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia Sixers in this year’s NBA Playoffs. Maxey and his teammates left the City of Brotherly Love for Game 7 in Boston, where Jayson Tatum’s 51-point effort was too much to overcome in the West semifinals’ decisive game. Tatum was on fire.
In the road unis, Maxey scored 17 points in defeat, more than Joel Embiid and James Harden, as Philadelphia blew a 3-2 lead in the series with a 112-88 loss. Boston got up by as many as thirty in the Mother’s Day afternoon blowout to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals to play Bam Adebayo and Miami.
Game 1 is Wednesday night in Boston.
Denver and L.A. tip off the Eastern Conference Finals tomorrow night.
Kentucky Baseball dodged the brooms in Knoxville
Also on Sunday, Kentucky Baseball spoiled Tennessee’s plans of a three-game sweep in the second-to-last weekend series of the regular season. Our ‘Cats dropped the first two games on Friday and Saturday, only to recover with a 10-0 shutout of the Vols in front of their mothers (and one lightning delay) on Sunday.
RHP Zack Lee got the short, two-inning start before the hourlong weather delay, and Kentucky got on the board early to get him a win in enemy territory.
Up next, Kentucky Proud Park hosts one last home series before postseason play begins next week at the SEC Tournament. The Wildcats host Florida in Lexington starting Thursday night at 6:30 p.m.
A sweep would be lovely for momentum ahead of the trip to Hoover.
Kentucky Softball begins NCAA Tournament play later this week
After a quick exit from last week’s SEC Tournament, Kentucky Softball is well-rested to chase its NCAA dreams. Over the weekend, Rachel Lawson’s Wildcats qualified for a fourteenth-straight tournament appearance with a spot in the Evanston, Illinois, regional.
Kentucky will play fellow unseeded Miami (OH) in a one o’clock Friday matinee.
You can see the entire NCAA Tournament bracket here.
Cutter Boley to announce his decision on Thursday
Coming up on Thursday, Kentucky Football is likely to add one of its top recruiting targets, Cutter Boley, to its list of commitments from the Class of 2024. The top in-state prospect, Boley is a highly sought-after quarterback talent from Lexington Christian Academy, ranked as the third-best high school QB in the entire country, according to Boley’s On3 Industry Ranking.
Last night, the 6-foot-5 passer announced a commitment ceremony at his school scheduled for this Thursday at 11 a.m., where he will likely pick Kentucky over offers from Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Florida State, and many more.
Thursday’s episode of KSR will be broadcast live from the ceremony, which should indicate how we’re feeling about Kentucky’s chances. Expect a big day for the future of Kentucky’s offense.
Kentucky Men’s Tennis in the Elite Eight
After you celebrate Boley’s decision, turn your attention toward Kentucky Men’s Tennis because the Cats are in the Elite Eight following a Sweet 16 win over Standford in Lexington.
Kentucky advanced from its own home courts this past Saturday to play Virginia in the quarterfinals. The Elite Eight matchup is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. in sunny Orlando, Florida. You can watch from home here.
The NBA Combine begins today
In Chicago, three former Kentucky Basketball stars are among the 78 scheduled participants at this year’s NBA Combine. Cason Wallace, Oscar Tshiebwe, and Chris Livingston each earned invites to audition for all thirty NBA franchises at the premier pre-draft event. Coverage begins today on the NBA app as players arrive at DePaul’s Winstrust Arena, followed by ESPN2’s live broadcasts on Wednesday and Thursday.
How to Watch the 2023 NBA Draft Combine
- Date: Monday, May 15 | Time: 3-5 p.m.
NBA App - Date: Wednesday, May 17 | Time: 2-6 p.m.
ESPN2 - Date: Thursday, May 18 | Time: 4-8 p.m.
ESPN2
We will keep you up to speed on Kentucky’s draft hopefuls here on KSR, too.
Antonio Reeves shined at G League Camp
Another former ‘Cat, Antonio Reeves, was in Chicago over the weekend as part of the G League Elite Camp, a pre-draft event of the same premise before the NBA Combine. Reeves was a participant in the second-tier camp, where he was one of the Day 2 standouts with a team-high 16 points off the bench in 5-on-5 play. Reeves missed all four of his 3-point tries in the eye-catching game, but still hit seven shots inside the arc to carry his team.
Unfortunately, Reeves’ play wasn’t enough to earn him one of the G League Camp’s promotions to the NBA Combine. So, now we await the announcement regarding his basketball future. A return to Kentucky is still very much in play.
Kentucky Football added another kicker
Yahtzee! On Sunday, Kentucky added Alex Raynor, a placekicker from Georgia Southern, to its roster for the 2023 season. Raynor, a three-year starter for the Eagles, hit 18 of 20 field-goal tries in 2022 with one missed extra point out of 50 attempted. His career long is 47 yards.
Raynor will compete with Chance Poore and Jackson Smith in Lexington for the Wildcats’ full-time kicking responsibilities this fall. However, his late addition to the roster suggests Mark Stoops may not have complete confidence behind the two already in the program.
Titans fans are quickly changing their tone on Will Levis
It took one throw on Will Levis‘ first day of rookie mini-camp to make Tennessee Vols fans delete tweets about their new pro QB in Nashville. As a Titans fan myself, I love to see them backtrack on all of the awful things they said only a few weeks ago.
Here’s the throw they’re drooling over:
More on this topic later today.
Off Topic: Colorado road trip advice, anyone?
On Friday, I’m off to Denver for a week of Colorado things. I plan to see some Telluride, Aspen, Vail, and even Moab, Utah, when I’m not locked down in Denver, so any tips, recommendations, or travel advice will be greatly appreciated if you got ’em—hikes, views, food, beer, etc. Let me know if there’s anything I want to include. Thank you.
Join us at Floyd’s 99 Barber Shop in Lexington this Friday
Before I leave Friday, we have a KSR remote show in Lexington at the new Floyd’s 99 Barber Shop on South Broadway, not far from our own KSBar and Grille. Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond, Shannon The Dude, and I will be at Floyd’s from 10 a.m. to noon as part of Floyd’s parking lot party to celebrate two new Lexington locations. Join us for the show, free food, and a great haircut. If you can’t make it, you can still mention KSR at Floyd’s for a first-timer discount anytime.
As for today’s show, Matt Jones and Ryan Lemond are at KSBar and Grille in Lexington for two hours. Shannon is running the board out of Louisville.
Tune in at 10 a.m.
Go Cats and have a good Monday.
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