Behind Kentucky Basketball: Brandon Garrison

To be able to come back for year two and have those relationships. How much do you think that maybe influenced your decision to come back here.

Yeah, just him showing me that he really cares just a little face times me's a lot. You know, he really like just wants to feel like you're talking face to face, not just over the phone. It just coach Pope overall, you know, his vibe, He's real about what he says and just all that. Just in a pot I feel like, just help me choose Kentucky and play for a coach like him.

Welcome back to another episode of Behind Kentucky Basketball, presented by UK Federal Credit Union. Michelle Knezvik joined with Brandon Garrison. Very exciting because you just announced that you're coming back for year two at Kentucky.

How does it feel, Oh, yeah, it feels great, you know, just coming back for the year, just playing at Kentucky. It was a great year last year, and just excited for next year.

What do you think it'll be like to have a true off season here, to be able to you know, talk to the coaches over the summer and really be able to know what to expect maybe coming into the fall.

Yeah, so just before the season ended, me and Coach Pope was just talking about next season. I just got to have a big offseason. He been preching to me, hitting the weight room and just taking that leader role, you know, a Mari had, you know, because I was just like a little brother to him, but just taking that role. And you know, me and Coach Pope just been talking a lot.

You mentioned the little brother role with Amari. What do you think he taught you this year? Being able to play with him and learn from him.

Uh.

Yeah, he taught me a lot, just him being in college for the five years he was in, teaching me new things, you know, were hanging out outside of the court. It was just a good brotherhood between us two.

I say, you had a lot of upperclassmen on the team. You just mentioned Andrew Carr cleaning out his locker which is next year and Jackson is next to yours. To have all those guys leave and maybe handing of the torch to you being an upperclassman next year, what's that like? And where do you want to see maybe your leadership qualities grow like that?

Bright Brandon, Yeah, it was sad. You know, I made a little Instagram fosts of them to leave him. But you know, me and Jackson we known each other before. It is just because we're both from Oklahoma, so just growing up around each other. Andrew, I feel like he was a team dad, so you know, just always I could count on them, you know, like if I needed a ride or he's teaching us things and keeping us

You mentioned Oklahoma. What was what was it like growing up in Oklahoma? And when did you start playing basketball? And yeah, just tell us kind of what it was like growing up there for you.

Yeah, you know, that's my home state, so I feel like it was. Oklahoma is a chill spot. Its like not much to do. I'll say, you know, people don't really visit it. They say is born, but I feel like it's enough to do. You know, It's not like a big city, but just growing up there good.

Uh.

I know a lot of people, they show a lot of love. And every time I'll go back and.

Yeah, what is maybe in Oklahoma, whether it be food or something that you miss that is not here in Kentucky.

Uh, let me think it's not really like food spots.

Kentucky barbecue, Like is it big for barbecue? Right?

Yeah, I'll say it's a lot of barbecue places that Kentucky don't have that, but just a special restaurant.

I'll say, I eat the same food out here.

Yeah, yeah, Okay, then go to favorite meal.

Favorite meal. I'll say, you don't have.

To eat healthy. We can be healthy like a burger never disappoints.

Never.

So talking a little bit about Oklahoma, will you you get to go back there this summer and maybe see family and do you have any fun summer plans?

I guess yeah.

So these past few weekends, you know, I work out during the week and then Coach Pope let me go home like Thursday or Friday.

So last week I went.

This week, I just got back today actually, so just going out there and spending time with my fam, my son.

Coach Pope just allowed me to do that.

So I know you're a big Thunder fans, So you got to be in attendance for a playoff game. What is it like rooting on not only the Thunder, which we knew you're from Oklahoma, they like them, but Cason Wallace and obviously shake yel just Alexander. Pretty cool to see some former Wildcats.

Yeah, you know, when I have the chance, if I'm in town the game, you know, I'll try to catch them.

May Casey.

You know we I wouldn't say like we grew up together, but you know, just through basketball we know each other. He'd be giving me tickets to the game when I asked.

I love so true friend, true fun right there.

Yeah, you know, just Shay and Shaye. I don't know him, but you know one of my favorite players. I love his game and everybody knows should be the MP this year.

I like that. I like that. So you mentioned your son being able to go back to Oklahoma and see him. Not a couple of games this year. I think there's a press conference that he got to be up there with you, or seeing him walk on the court post game. Now that he's at this age for maybe he's a little bit more interactive. Has it been cool for you to bring him to the games and see him and have him be a part of your one a Kentucky and then your two.

Yeah, I'll say it's just amazing just seeing him growing up. By the day, I can tell he's learning a lot of new stuff. You know, he's getting bigger. It's just special, you know, good times for me. You know, Coach Pope allow me just to have him around the locker room bringing them practice. You know, mini coaches probably don't let that happen. But I thank him for letting me do that, and I'm just grateful to have a someon.

He doesn't realize how cool it is that he gets to be in the Kentucky ballastball locker.

I don't realize right now, but when he gets older and look bad, people like.

D does he have a little tykes hoop, like one of those little basketball hoops you got?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.

You know he got a playroom back in Oklahoma and he got one in there he'd be playing with.

How would you rate his skills early on?

Still still got a lot of work to do, but you know.

Feeling he got an early start, which is great. You mentioned some of the work you want to do this summer and heading into year two, Brandon, what does that look like for you? You know from a training perspective, you mentioned your hitting the weight room, Like where do you want to see yourself maybe in the next three four months?

Yeah, you know, yeah, just first the weight room, you know, getting more muscle, I say, you know, being in the best condition I can be. And just on the court, you know, just my overall game. You know, I got a lot to improve on, you know, little things like ball handling, jump shots, just creating shots for myself. So just me and Michael have been working on at these this off season, I'll say, And yeah, we've been getting after it.

What's your relationship with Michael McLean.

Uh, you know, he's like he liked my mentor, I say, ever since I got here. He told me like me and you go be close, and you know, it's just it's just not about basketball with him, Like off the court, he's helped me with stuff, calling and facetimed me, checking on me, make sure my fam good.

But I'm thankful for Yeah, that's all I say.

All Right, listen, everybody, we need to take a brief moment to thank our podcast sponsored UK Federal Credit Union, as the official credit union of the University of Kentucky. UKFCU understands that students need support, and that's why they've created the Student Rewards Account, which offers them five percent cash back on all debit card purchases to students aged thirteenth to twenty five. Visit UKFCU dot org for stop by one of their seven local branches to open an account.

The first time coach actually called me, he started facetiming me, and I thought it was on accident, so I didn't answer our card and regular, and then he facetimed me again, and I was like, this is different because like I never had to coach FaceTime me, but he was like he liked to see his players face to face and stuff.

Come on.

So you mentioned the relationship with coach Pope, He was one of the first coaches who FaceTime you before he really ever, really knew you before you came to Kentucky. To be able to come back for year two and have those relationships, how much do you think that maybe influenced your decision to come back here.

Yeah, just him showing me that he really cares just a little face times means a lot. You know, he really like just wants to feel like you're talking face to face, not just over the phone. It just Coach Pope overall, you know, his his vibe, He's real about what he says, and just all that just in a pot I feel like, just help me choose Kentucky and play for a coach like him.

What does it like to kind of have your group know that you're all on the same page, Like right after the season ended, I think Coach Pope said that a bunch of you all in the team like got in one room and you just talked to like six o'clock in the morning, like this team from the outside looking in, like you could just tell how close you

Yeah, like you said after the game, it was all in one room, just talking and stuff. I just feel like that just shows like our connection that we have just off the court. You know, many teams will probably just want to go hang out in your own room and just suffered the loss. But you know, we all came in there, talked it out and just talking through like the year brought up a lot of things, coos

I'll say.

I think one of the cool things to watch from the outside is how much social media has been a thing as new players get added to the roster and you know, Coach Figer posting his boom memes or Coach Brooks posting these these funny videos. What is it like for you all seeing these posts and seeing the fan base like go crazy of who's next or when you announced you're coming back, or when Colin announced he's coming back, that they have this like fun game on social media.

Yeah, so I feel like Coach Brooks always did that and then it fed off on a yeah, Coach Figer, that fed off on them. But when I decided I was coming back, Coach Figer, he told me to pick up my boom. So I think it does that with all the players. I'll say, so, like that's interesting. And then the funny videos, I think Coach Brooks just come up with those and that's just the thing you do.

So it's just good times.

I'll say, did it take you a while to figure out what boom? Do you want it? Uh?

Conda, I was really deciding. I went on a little.

Jiff app Ordever's call and just picked one out, the coolest one I thought was cool.

And moon with that.

So what is what? Maybe are you excited for in year two?

Oh?

Yeah, just the new group of guys that's coming in playing for Coast Pote, seeing how our game would develop and what I can show Kentucky and just very excited.

Well, I know the fan base was really excited to hear you're coming back for year two and to follow you this summer as you get working and then I mean, how many days until Big Blue Madness will be here? Before you know it?

Yeah, just excited for a Big Blue Madness. No special last year. Never seen something like that, and just a sold out arena just for Big Blue Madness. I'll say it was just crazy and great vibes that night.

When you have some of these new players come in, how do you think you'll explain to them what Big Blue Nation is? H?

I mean, I can tell them, but it's just like I feel like they'll just like you just talking, or like I just they'll just have to see for themselves, because that's how I felt like Coach Pope was telling me, just different students and stuff. But then like when I first experience, I was like, dang, they wasn't lying, but you know, like when people were just talking, you just kind of one ear out the other.

But they just got the experience for theirself, experience for themselves. Okay.

And then last week we got a round out the Thunder. You know you're going into any more games as they make their postseason run.

Uh, I'm sure I'll be able to catch a few, you know, uh when I'm back home or whenever I get the chance to if I'm at home while they play. But I got the Thunder flight they will win it all Special Group and yeah, I'm sticking with the Thunder.

Hopefully Case and Cason can come through. Shay be Thunder root for them.

Oh yeah, yeah for sure, for sure.

Well, Brian, thank you so much. Had for year two. Another episode on Behind Kentucky Basketball, presented by UK Federal Credit Union

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