Blue team beats White team in Alumni Charity Game
September 10, 2013
By Nick Gray | Sports editor
Rarely do you see a basketball game in Rupp Arena in September, but on Monday, UK head coach John Calipari put nine past and present NBA players and more than $1 million in donations together and asked fans to come watch.
A crowd of 19,255, including several recruits, saw the Blue team and guard John Wall defeat the White team, 111-95.
The Blue team was led by a triple-double from Wall, who began the game with a steal and a breakaway dunk. Wall finished with 40 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Other members included guards Ramon Harris and DeAndre Liggins, and forwards Josh Harrellson, Perry Stevenson, Jared Prickett and Patrick Patterson.
Guard Brandon Knight led the White team with 30 points, while forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
The White team sported Kidd-Gilchrist and forwards Anthony Davis and Terrence Jones, all three from the 2012 NCAA National Championship team. Forward Randolph Morris, who played all three years of his career at UK with ex-head coach Tubby Smith, rounded out the squad.
DeMarcus Cousins and guard Eric Bledsoe did not play in the game, due to “contract negotiations” with their NBA teams.
Wall and Knight, two point guards that played a single year under Calipari, battled throughout the game. Both were asked about the impact they thought the event had on recruits.
Wall said UK does it the right way and that Big Blue Madness is a huge thing for recruits. He thinks seeing alumni playing together and hanging out is good for potential players.
“They see what type of school this is and what they put together,” he said.
Knight said the scene would motivate him if he were a recruit today.
“I would know I had the opportunity to come here and be in (the Alumni’s) shoes at some point if I did the right thing,” Knight said. “There’s that many NBA players in the past couple years. So I would think about why so many guys are going here and make it to the next level, and make it to the next level and be successful as well.”
Calipari also addressed the fans.
“Here we are in September and all of you came to watch this. You’re crazy,” Calipari said. “I say that because you’re the best fans in the world.”
The next time Calipari will step onto the Rupp Arena floor will be Oct. 18, the night of Big Blue Madness.
Calipari had a short message for the crowd about next year’s team.
“(The alumni) all don’t want to go through another season like we just did last year,” he said.
At the end of the first quarter, Calipari also announced more than $1 million in donations were given to 16 organizations. Last year, $350,000 was raised and given to seven organizations.
