UK to Honor ‘96, ‘97, ‘98 Teams

[KentuckyWild2020]

Hot take, but I think the 2012 team would pound the '98 team.

The '96 team would obviously smash them all.

Agreed 100%, 98 was not the 96 team. If the landscape of basketball had been different and you have a sophomore/junior more polished Anthony Davis and company then maybe it's different but 96 would run you out of gym, you had to play a hard 40 minutes 10 deep to beat them, my favorite team all time and it's not even close...

[Will Lavender]

Also about 1996: it's forgotten now how good Antoine Walker really was.

Because of all the stuff that happened after and his "because there are no fours" era in Boston, he's almost a forgotten player now.

He was one of the three or four most talented players I've ever seen at Kentucky, and that's of course counting anyone in the Cal era.

[matt colvin]

When thinking about '96 versus '12, to me one of the intriguing matchups would be 'Toine versus Terrence Jones. I want to think Jones was big enough and strong enough to guard him, but Walker a handful. It's possible Jones would pick up the 2 early fouls in that matchup.

I also think Delk would do well guarding Lamb, but I'm guilty of undervaluing Doron just smidge...he was better than I give him credit for being.

[matt colvin]

Antoine's "Shimmy" blows away Jones' flexing and exhaling after any time he scored inside, that's for sure.

[KentuckyWild2020]

Also about 1996: it's forgotten now how good Antoine Walker really was.

Because of all the stuff that happened after and his "because there are no fours" era in Boston, he's almost a forgotten player now.

He was one of the three or four most talented players I've ever seen at Kentucky, and that's of course counting anyone in the Cal era.

Antoine set the tone for the modern day stretch 4's you see in the NBA today in my opinion... Royce White kind of reminded me of A. Walker in a sense but Royce couldn't hit the side of a barn shooting the ball, still was a pretty good college player....

[Will Lavender]

I remember somebody calling into Pitino's show back in those days and asking him if he was going to keep putting up with Antoine's shimmy. The guy basically said that's not what UK should be about, etc. Pitino seemed to not understand the question.

That team used to do this thing where they had their names called in starting lineups and put devils horns or something up on their heads. We all thought it was cool and mimicked it in our high school lineup calls. Of course I wasn't quite as good as Antoine Walker but I had the same mentality as he did in Boston when it came to firing up ghastly outside shots.

[Spiritof96]

When thinking about '96 versus '12, to me one of the intriguing matchups would be 'Toine versus Terrence Jones. I want to think Jones was big enough and strong enough to guard him, but Walker a handful. It's possible Jones would pick up the 2 early fouls in that matchup.

I also think Delk would do well guarding Lamb, but I'm guilty of undervaluing Doron just smidge...he was better than I give him credit for being.

12 funneled everything to the middle where Davis was waiting. Jones was certainly strong enough and as I recall Toine didn't necessarily like to bang.

How well 12 did or didn't guard the 3 would be the issue imo. I think they could collectively handle Davis' offense. If they could handle Camby and Duncan they would do ok with Davis.

Davis and MKG still might eat McCarty, Pope, or whoever else on the boards.

[matt colvin]

I remember somebody calling into Pitino's show back in those days and asking him if he was going to keep putting up with Antoine's shimmy. The guy basically said that's not what UK should be about, etc. Pitino seemed to not understand the question.

I think it was on Rupp Rafters where I read this, where a guy has snuck in to watch the summer pickup games prior to the '95 season and Walker was showboating some as he was dominating in those pickup games. He said he was seated up in the stands and heard somebody say out loud, "It's time for somebody to teach the Rook a few lessons". He looked back and it was Mashburn who then proceeded to do some teachin' .

Who knows if that was true but if it was...definitely awesome.

[matt colvin]

Several years ago Derek Anderson was being interviewed and was asked about that mythical matchup, and he felt they would win a majority of times. Regarding MKG he said that he was very good, but remember he'd have to guard both Anderson and Mercer throughout a game. He thought the depth would make a difference.

[matt colvin]

I sincerely doubt there's any Kansas fans out there this morning debating how their former great teams would matchup against each other. Just saying...we're different.

[Catsrock]

Antoine's "Shimmy" blows away Jones' flexing and exhaling after any time he scored inside, that's for sure.

Antoine’s shimmy shake, Jones’s flex, Monk’s shotgun pump, Murray’s bow and arrow—all outdone by PJ’s stinkface 🤣 Just part of the fun in modern sports. Probably kicked off the team in 1955.

[Spiritof96]

Antoine’s shimmy shake, Jones’s flex, Monk’s shotgun pump, Murray’s bow and arrow—all outdone by PJ’s stinkface 🤣 Just part of the fun in modern sports. Probably kicked off the team in 1955.

I hated the bow and arrow and the shotgun.

I loved the 3 goggles!

[Catsrock]

I hated the bow and arrow and the shotgun.

I loved the 3 goggles!

Oh yeah. That was primarily D Lamb, correct? But seems like was popular more generally across the sport for one season.

[matt colvin]

Doron Lamb started a fad with the 3 symbol.

Probably kicked off the team in 1955.

Bob Tallent of Langley, KY was kicked off of the team in 1967. Jon Scott's site says it was because of back talk but I suspect the real reason was his propensity celebrate made bank shots by rubbing his thumb over his index and middle fingers so as to say "money" .

[matt colvin]

I hated the shotgun.

It seemed appropriate for Malik Monk, ha ha. Dude was a bit of a gunner, and I say that as a big fan.