Takeaways From Kentucky's Open Practice In Pittsburgh

Day 1 at the 2024 NCAA Tournament’s Pittsburgh site is behind us. Now, we rest up, and tomorrow, we’ll see how the first day of competition plays out. Hopefully, Thursday brings the first of six consecutive wins for the Kentucky Wildcats.

But before that game and three others tip off here in the Steel City, Wednesday was a busy prelude as PPG Paints Arena opened its doors for a first-look and open practices before first-round play begins tomorrow. Behind the scenes, the eight participating teams spent 30-45 minutes with the media, answering questions about what’s ahead. Once KSR went off the air at noon, I made a whole day of it, watching practices and soaking in the NCAA excitement. And because I knew you wanted to be there, too, I took some notes:

The Road To Phoenix tee: $40

My first stop in PPG Paints Arena was at the merchandise stand, where a UK-branded “Road To Phoenix” t-shirt was calling my name. However, I worried I might jinx the team if I bought it too early, so I hope it is still there on Friday.

I also want one of those yellow Final Four basketballs (top left of the photo), but I don’t know what I’d do it with it. A certain UK legend bought two for his grandchildren and carried them around all day, but I won’t blow his cover on the off chance it could ruin the surprise. He’s a cool granddad for doing that, though.

Calipari is happy to be back in Pittsburgh

At his Wednesday press conference, John Calipari spent more time talking about yinzers, jagoffs, and the Stillers than his team’s matchup with Oakland. But that’s OK because he’s happy to be back home, coaching in the NCAA Tournament in the city that raised him. Calipari grew up in Moon Township, part of the Pittsburgh area, playing in the “crick” in his backyard and learning the meaning of hard work, he recalled to a crowded room full of listeners at PPG Paints Arena.

“I love coming back,” Calipari said before his team’s open practice. “I’ll probably take the tour of my grandparents’ house and my other grandparents’ and our house where I grew up and the high school and my aunts and uncles and cousins, and I normally come back and I do the whole drive. But a special place.”

More than a reunion for Calipari, Kentucky’s Pittsburgh draw is also a homecoming for Orlando Antigua, a standout player at Pitt in the early 1990s and then an assistant coach in his first college job. Tre Mitchell and Adou Thiero are also from Pittsburgh.

Brad came home

Something seemed different about the Wildcats as they walked onto the court for Kentucky’s open practice. They had a little more swag than usual. Then I spotted him. Brad’s back. Brad Swag is back on the Kentucky bench, reuniting with his old man in Pittsburgh just in time for the tournament. John Calipari shared a photo with Brad, who was the Director of On-Court Player Development at Vanderbilt this season, after the practice: 

“I couldn’t be more proud of Brad and who he is becoming as coach and man,” Calipari posted. “I’m really thankful to Jerry Stackhouse for giving him the opportunity to learn from somebody I have such great respect for. And now the next chapter begins!!”

It’s a Pittsburgh homecoming, and Brad is back. Everything is falling into place for this to be the beginning of something special.

It was a small fan turnout for the open practice

Usually, Kentucky’s open practice before the first round of the NCAA Tournament is a decent-sized draw compared to the seven other fan bases in town. Kentucky still had the best turnout on Wednesday, but the numbers were low compared to some in the past. It is Wednesday, after all.

The fans who made the trip were treated to a memorable experience. Kentucky shut down its open practice a few minutes early so the players could thank their supporters before (hopefully) a wave of Blue arrived on Thursday.

Walker Horn made the halfcourt shot

If you had Walker Horn sinking the halfcourt heave to end practice, congratulations, you’re the winner. The bank was open for the sophomore walk-on after several of his teammates and coaches, including John Calipari, missed the mark.

This seven-minute highlight video from the open practice features Horn’s shot and several others. Steven Peake did a tremendous job capturing the action for everyone at home.

Kentucky looks loose and excited to get started

There have been years when Kentucky has looked tense or under immense pressure, or maybe some guys were loose while others kept to themselves. Today, this Kentucky team looked like it has for most of this season: like a bunch of best friends who happened to get picked to be on the same basketball team. 

I followed them on their walk from their locker room through the bowels of the arena and onto the court for the open practice, and they were too busy dancing or cutting up with Big Z to even notice all the people like me around them. (Well, Adou Thiero did cover Big Z’s mouth at one point and told him I was recording. When he did, Aaron Bradshaw turned and gave a big smile and peace sign.)

It was only an open practice in front of a couple hundred people. Still, on Wednesday, they seemed very laid-back but excited—not like a group feeling the pressure to carry Kentucky past the first weekend for the first time since 2019. How will it translate into tomorrow and beyond? I don’t have those answers, but they passed the eye test at Wednesday’s dress rehearsal. They’re such a fun group. I hope they get six more games together.