Optimism prevails as UK basketball stages its annual Pro Day

Kentucky’s Pro Day — which could stand for promotional as well as professional — was Sunday night. The eighth annual rendition followed a familiar script: linking UK basketball to the NBA while touting the upcoming team’s superiority.

For instance, SEC Network co-host Seth Greenberg likened freshman guard TyTy Washington to not one but two former Kentucky backcourt standouts: the energy of Tyrese Maxey and the on-court moxie of Tyler Ulis.

UK Coach John Calipari, whose interviews began and ended the two-hour television show/infomercial — said that Oscar Tshiebwe told him he wanted to average 20 rebounds a game this season.

“I said, come here, give me a hug,” Calipari said of his response.

Later, Calipari noted that Tshiebwe, who transferred to UK from West Virginia at the semester break last school year, weighed 255 pounds and had only 7 percent body fat.

Tshiebwe said an average of 20 rebounds was plausible.

“I think anything is possible when you work harder,” he said in a courtside interview. “I can get there. That’s not a big deal.”

Greenberg described the impact of offensive rebounds as “breaking the hearts of opponents.”

The SEC Network hosts — Tom Hart and Greenberg — noted how Tshiebwe defended out on the floor during full-court drills.

“Oscar is much quicker than I thought . . . ,” Greenberg said. “I’ve been impressed with how he changes ends.”

As for the average of 20 rebounds, Greenberg said he saw Tshiebwe playing as if offensive rebounds were passes off the backboard.

While saying that these early workouts are devoted to weight training and conditioning, Calipari said slender freshman Daimion Collins had gained 15 pounds.

One of UK’s veterans, Keion Brooks, spoke of new point guard Sahvir Wheeler as exceptional.

“He makes the best play every time down,” Brooks said of the transfer from Georgia. “It’s good to have a point guard like that because you know you’ll get a good shot every time down.”

Calipari also said that injuries had sidelined returnee Jacob Toppin, transfer CJ Fredrick and freshman Bryce Hopkins. The hope is all three could return to practice within a week, he added.

This was the third time UK’s Pro Day was held in Rupp Arena.

Kentucky is returning 42.1 percent of its minutes and 41.9 percent of its scoring. Only two UK teams coached by Calipari returned a higher percentage of minutes and scoring: the national champions of 2011-12 and the 2014-15 team that had a 38-0 record going into the Final Four.

With the addition of four Division I transfers, the Kentucky team’s college basketball experience totals 13,385 minutes, 5,203 points, 1,917 rebounds, 1,132 assists and 543 three-point baskets.

In noting that his best UK teams have been a blend of experienced players and highly touted freshmen, Calipari said, “I’m walking into practice and I’m skipping and I’m whistling.”

The track record suggests that Kentucky’s Pro Day is an imperfect guide to the upcoming season.

Last year’s Pro Day, which did not have NBA people present because of COVID precautions, included a mention of freshman Brandon Boston having declared that his goal was to be the greatest player in the history of basketball.

“If I put in the work . . . , it’ll come,” he said.

Boston was the 51st player selected in this year’s NBA Draft.

In 2018, the telecast included a host saying PJ Washington had “a little Draymond Green potential” and Reid Travis being “a bigger Grant Williams.”

The coaches voted Williams, who played for Tennessee, SEC Player of the Year for a second straight season in 2018-19. Travis averaged 11.2 points and 7.2 rebounds.

Longtime NBA coach Del Harris put the possible insights provided by Pro Day in perspective last year.

“Nobody has prophetic powers,” he said.

Another ESPN analyst, Jay Bilas has categorized “Pro Day” as one of countless ways Kentucky basketball identifies itself with players’ NBA aspirations.

Pro Day was a “job interview,” he said last year before adding, “it’s a great marketing tool.”

As if on cue, the telecast noted that 70 NBA scouts collectively representing all 30 NBA teams attended Kentucky’s Pro Day this year.

Calipari said he was happy other college programs are staging Pro Day events. “It helps kids,” he said.

TJ Beisner, who is UK’s director of player development, was interviewed. Co-host Tom Hart’s introduction included saying that Kentucky handled name, image, likeness opportunities “better than anyone.”

During an appearance at the Lexington Rotary Club last week, Calipari put NIL in the context of being secondary to how Kentucky launches NBA careers.

“What I tell every recruit (is) you don’t come to Kentucky (for NIL money),” Calipari said. “(The NIL profits will) be better than any other school. But that’s not why you come here. You come here (for what’s) between the white lines. We get players drafted.”

Important upcoming UK dates

Oct. 15: Big Blue Madness (7 p.m., SEC Network)

Oct. 22: Blue-White Scrimmage (7 p.m., SEC Network)