By Larry Vaught
Kentucky’s three freshmen guards — Travis Perry, Trent Noah and Collin Chandler — are not the most talked about players on coach Mark Pope’s first team even with Perry and Noah being in-state standouts.
“They are all three really talented. They are all good enough to help this year,” Pope said. “Collin is a really good player. He’s better than a top 25 dude. He put down the basketball (to go on a two-year mission trip) and all the guys he was lighting up three years ago are now in the NBA but he went and served people he did not even know. I don’t know if you will ever meet a better human being. I think he is one player who will win the heart and soul of Kentucky fans in a way that will be very, very special.”
“Those two Kentucky kids are special. You know how those Kentucky kids raise up and win national championships. Cameron (Mills) and Scott (Padgett) did it with me. The Kentucky kids are just built different.
“The other players understand and appreciate what Kentucky is but they have never had Kentucky in their veins like a kid from Kentucky does and that matters. They came in here just glad to be here but they are both so much more confident now.”
Pope recently noted that Perry had three straight days where he went 100-for-100 at the foul line, something he’s never seen done before.
Pope said Noah had trouble hitting shots early in summer practices but has found his footing recently.
“He’s also got a physicality about him that is really impressive,” Pope said.
The Kentucky coach wants his players to understand every day is about getting better whether they are freshmen or fifth-year players.
“We’ll be tyrannical about that because that’s how you achieve the long-term goal of hanging (championship banner) number nine,” Pope said. “That’s why guys come here. They have dreams and goals but it all comes down to setting a daily goal every day and reaching that goal.”
