It was just so different, you know, Like I said, I've never received a FaceTime call from a coach for the first time, and to get the call, but then also, like she'd always talked about how like my reactions to seeing him and like hearing like the University of Kentucky, like it was different than hearing all the other schools, you know, and that's kind of like when I first like I had always known that, you know, I was waiting for that phone call I wanted to hear from
from this university, but to actually like have it happen and experienced.
That moment, like it was, it was unbelievable and it was different.
Is that I don't know, get you guys more excited that they're like embracing that, and you guys kind of have fun and it's almost like you have these inside jokes. Yeah, but then they get put on social media and everybody can kind of have.
Fun with you.
It's definitely fun because like like you get to look at them and what they're doing on social media and it's like, man, they're just like us, you know, like they're just they're super excited to be here, you know, they want to take everybody in.
They want to see what BBN is about.
How does it feel knowing that you know, your pictures this team will be next to pictures of those teams around this facility someday.
Honestly, it's crazy.
I haven't even thought about that, but just the thought of it now, like it's really it's unreal, you know, because when when I first came from my visit, like that's one of the first things you see and you're just like wow, like this is like you're really here.
You know, it's the historic place that you've.
Always dreamt about being at and you see all that in its motivation. But then, like you said, like one day we'll be up there too, So that's crazy to think about.
Welcome into another episode of Behind Kentucky Basketball. I'm your host Michelle Knezevic joined with Kobe Bret Kobe, Welcome.
To the pod.
Thank you, thank you, pleasure. It's pleasure to be here a.
Little early this morning. You have your coffee yet.
Ready to get I'm not a coffee guy.
I'm not a coffee guy.
I'm gonna go with some water. Just wake up, take a shower, and get my day going.
I don't need coffee, Okay.
Better than me and probably must have society. Not a comp person doesn't even need caffeine. Well, first off, Kobe coming off Big Blue mannis, I've been asking everybody about this. What was it like entering Reparina for the first time. I think it's incredible that you brought the Dominican Republic flag out.
Why did you choose to do that? And what was that moment like for you?
Man?
It was honestly, it was unreal Like I think there was a lot of nerves going into it, just because you kind of don't really know what to expect, you know, you never really put in that stage, and then to finally be in it, it was just, man, it was a great experience, unbelievable. Definitely had to bring on my flag, like you said, just to show a little bit of my culture where I come from, represent my country and my family.
So that was big for me.
That was huge for me, and it was fun to see that a lot of people actually liked it and enjoyed it, So it was really fun.
What was it like maybe getting prepared for that moment with your other teammates.
Lamon comes out rapping.
Everybody had their own song, Curz dancing, to Single.
Ladies, which is like probably going to be a meme forever.
How fun was that creating a unique entrance for each one of you?
It was just fun because like everybody got to see, like what happened when we all came out and everything. But I feel like it was so much fun just behind the scenes in the locker room, you know, everybody playing their song a little bit, dancing, trying to like see what they're gonna do for their entrants and stuff, and so we all got to get a little glimpse of Kurr in this song and everything before it actually happens.
So it was just fun, you know, just to see everybody come out of their show and just beat themselves.
And then Jackson, you know, you have Jackson vlogging on the on the camera, lamont rapping, Kurr dancing to single Ladies, you bringing out the flag.
Everybody their own unique thing.
How fun is it to show all your personalities? I mean, you have a head coach personality is larger than life but also enhances you all to be yourself.
Man, It's I love it, I really do it.
It's fun, like for myself, but also to see, like the other guys just like you said, and that's something that Coach Pope like he emphasized es He's like, man like, be yourself, like show a part of you that you want to share with BBN well like like they're gonna love it. And so that's kind of what opened my eyes to be like, let me, let me try this, you know, let them see where I'm from and kind
of like what we do out there. And then you know, Jack's, like you said, with his camera, you know, coming out of his shows too, just showing what he likes to do. And Kurb being Kerr because I think everybody knows that that's exactly who he is.
He doesn't hide it.
But you know, just a bunch of the other guys too, Like they all did their own thing and they had fun with it, and we all enjoy seeing each other.
So the fan base and all of us are, you know, counting down the days until we get to see this team.
Live and action in reperena.
But to see all of those personalities and the confidence right right showing your personality, you gotta have a lot of confidence, you know. How has that translated for you all on the court behind the scenes, and maybe is it? Is it different than any other group you've played before.
With Kobe, It's definitely different, just because I feel like I feel like every single player on our team is different. You know, like they're their own person their own personality, and it just like we joe very well together, you know, and you kind of see it on the court, like even after Big Blue Man, this is kind of like we know more about each other, you know what I mean. So when we get on the court, it's just a lot more fun, you know, like we play with each
other and stuff. But when it's time to you know, get serious and business is business as usual. So but you know, it's always fun to get to know your brother a little bit.
More business as usual.
Andrew Carr said, to watch you do shooting drills in practice is probably one of the coolest things because we all know that you're quite the sharp shooter. You know, almost fifty percent from three last year in all of college basketball. It is the highest market in NCAA in six seasons, just under fifty percent.
Did you know that I actually did not learning something new? Every day we love it we go.
So BBN is very excited to see you live in action. Andrew Carr said, like you see what somebody could do on the court, but then to watch him in practice focus, you know, drill after drill after drill.
To hear him say that, Like, does that get you hired?
Yeah? For sure?
That's pretty cool, you know because I'm like when I'm in that groove and I'm just working out, like I'm just so focused, you know, I'm not really worried about like what's going on on the outside, who's watching or what's going on. I'm just kind of you know, like like I said, just focused on what I'm doing. But you know, to hear somebody on my team say that's pretty cool, and I could say the same, Like it goes around for the whole team, like everybody's locked and when they do their thing.
But it's always good to receive a little comments. I appreciate that.
So how did you get into basketball, Kobe? I know you mentioned both your parents are from the Dominican Republic. We talked about baseball earlier this season. Obviously baseball is extremely popular there. Did you play baseball growing up? Was it always basketball? What was that?
Like?
I always say for me, it was always basketball, Like I always wanted to play ball. They definitely try to get me into baseball, which I'm a little surprised about because my dad himself played basketball. But I guess just everybody around him was like, man like he could be a really good pitcher.
I guess they just saw it in me. And I tried it.
I was pretty good at it, but I just didn't like it, didn't have the same love for it. So I just always went back to basketball.
You know.
I would watch my dad play all day every day, and I would just always have the ball with me, bouncing around everywhere I went, And like, I just always been in love with the game. And since then, you know, it's just carried on.
Was there a player that you remember watching as a little kid that helped you love it even more?
Definitely Kobe Bryant Kitting Yeah, definitely Kobe. And my dad was a really big like I mean, he still is a big Lakers fan, and so just to watch him watch the Lakers, and I wouldn't really pay too much sense of the Lakers. I'd just be watching Kobe just seeing everything he does. And then all the stories you hear about him, you know, like of other players and coaches and his mentality and all that kind of stuff. Like it just kind of made me grow my love for him even more.
So.
I think it's really interesting you say that because Kentucky's also one of the only schools that is the official Mama Seita School where Vanessa Bryant, right, and her daughter Gigi and the shoes and the Mama Sita Foundation, Kentucky being one of those schools, So having that be a factor, and then obviously meeting Coach Pope and Kentucky basketball, having maybe all three of those pillars collide and to have you here.
Facts it's crazy really, Like it's like you said, like the more like I looked into Kentucky, it was just more like like, Wow, this is really the place for me, even in ways that like like yeah, it's not that important really, but it's still like just another plus for me, you know, like, Wow, I'm around, like Kobe Bryant has always been my idol and stuff, and he chose Kentucky as one of the schools that he wanted to represent stuff like that, and so you know, it's it's it's
a blessing to be here and everything that comes with it, and I'm just really excited for.
This opportunity and I know that Kobe fours, are your favorite.
Ones playing or no?
No, honestly, just I love all Kobe's a pretty long list. I do like the fourst but I'm probably more of a five or six guy for sure. I love five or sixes. I hate that they haven't really came out with some blue color ways for sixes.
But you know you're listening.
You're listening for sure for sure.
But like I said earlier, you know I'm definitely gonna be rocking Kobe's the whole year, so you know, the stay tuned.
I got some good stuff in the bag. So okay, so.
The Kobe Collection, Kobe's Kobe Collection, I mean round twenty ish home games, do you.
Think I think Yeah, Like I said earlier, I'm trying to do a different shooper game that might be a little harder, but I think I have the right amount for it.
I just gotta you know, we'll see, We'll see what happens.
Eyes eyes on the shoes, on the shoes. And also the three pointers.
So we talked about you know you're at Dayton, right, sharp shooter, you're ender the portal.
Andrew told us that he.
Just got a random FaceTime one day from a random number, How did you make the connection with coach Pope?
How did he reach out? And then how did this all come fruition?
It was the exact same thing, random FaceTime coach.
There you go.
Thanks, But it's just really funny because you know, going through the whole process like that was the first time and I think the only time that my first phone call from my head coach was through FaceTime, So it was just like it was really unique. On his behalf, I was a little confused. I saw it was a random number, and usually I went and pick up the random number through FaceTime, but around that time, obviously a lot of coaches were calling, so I was like, Okay,
maybe it's a coach or something. And I picked up and he just had a big smile on his face, like super energetic what he is every day. But that was my first time experiencing that, you know, seeing him and that and that that like just the way he is and all that, and it was a lot of fun.
We're gonna take a pause right here to make sure to tell everybody to subscribe to the Kentucky Basketball podcast, Right Kobe, everybody subscribe to Behind Kentucky Basketball Podcast, presented by UK Federal Credit Union.
Today it's avail.
It's available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and the official You Hey Athletics app. I think the fact that you know, you enter the transfer port, all you're getting all of these phone calls, right, you don't know which coach is going to call you, But then to have this one specifically stick out a FaceTime clearly, clearly it's a trend. I think a couple other players might have said that you FaceTime them too.
So personal.
Yeah, so personal to want to talk face to face. You're obviously in different cities, but to make that first I don't know, official introduction as as he's trying to get you to come here to Kentucky.
Where were you?
Were you home?
Were you at Dayton? Was family around?
Yeah?
I was Actually I was at Dayton and I was with my girlfriend at the time, and it was just like we talked about it a lot because it was just it was just so different, you know, Like I said, I've never received a FaceTime call from a coach for the first time, and to get the call, but then also like she'd always talked about how like my reactions to seeing him, and like hearing like the Universe Kentucky, Like it was different than hearing all the other schools.
You know, that's kind of like when I first like I had always known that, you know, I was waiting for that phone call. I wanted to hear from from this university, but to actually like have it happen and experienced that moment like it was, it was unbelievable and it was different.
When did you pull the like sit up fixed, you know, like you should be quiet, like you know, and like get all like professionally. I always think of like how zoom has become professional meetings nowadays post COVID, Like did you kind.
Of like freshen up the room or sit up when you entered the phone.
It was definitely before the phone call, I had to get everything situate. I was like, hold on, I don't know what's going on, but it could be something good. So and then once I picked up, I was ready to go, but I was just like I was surprised, honestly, you know, I never liked picking up a FaceTime call
with things going on. I had to pick around me, so I try to get everything settled down, and then once I saw it was him, I was like, oh damn, like it's really him, you know, it's really the University of Kentucky and from there the rest is history.
We talked about the personalities on this team, the FaceTime sort of coach, his personality, the fact that he had to build this whole roster the last couple of months. You know, you're finally heading into the season to be one of those pillars right on the roster, and to see all of these other names from around the college basketball world, you know a mont at San Diego State, Andrew Carr at Wake Forest, you know Mario Williams at Drexel. See all these names and guys that you've probably seen
in the college basketball space. To then come here, I'll be practicing on the same team. What was that like to watch on TV? I mean, Lamon shot right, the buzzer beater in the Final four.
Now you're playing with him.
Is honestly, like it's so crazy, just because, like, first of all, I feel like the coaches have to like a crazy, unbelievable job because like you said, they didn't have much time, but they got all the right pieces, you know, and it's like you with time you get to see how these pieces like really fit into what they're trying to do and what we're trying to do as a team.
So been really cool to see that.
And then obviously, like you said too, like as you play college basketball, you're always watching other games and stuff and you're seeing other players and you never think like, oh, wow, like that dude's going to be my teammate. Yeah, and to like to see it happen now and to be on the core with them every day, and it's like it just feels normal, you know what I mean. But a couple of months ago, it was like, man, like
this is crazy. I've never played I've never even been in the same court as these people every day in my life.
And now I'll see them as my brothers and you know we're going to be going to wards together soon and all that. It's just a lot of fun.
And then another I guess trend. You know, you're seeing the coaches recruiting all the time, whether it be building this roster, but Alvin Brooks doing the nog room with defeat on the plane, does that like, I don't know, get you guys more excited that they're like embracing that, and you guys kind of have fun and it's almost like you have these inside jokes, but then they get put on social media and everybody can kind of have.
Fun with you.
It's definitely fun because like like you get to look at them and what they're doing on social media and it's like, man, they're just like us, you know, like they're just they're super excited to be here. You know, they want to take everybody in. They want to see what BBN is about, and like this is all new
for all of us. You know, we're going through all this for the first time together, and it's just fun like going looking around the room and seeing like everybody's going through the same journey, you know what I mean, and they're embracing it and having fun with it, and I think that's the right way to do it.
So you're all year one together, Kentucky. What are your you know, personal goals? I can imagine team goal number nine right. Everybody talks about it, sure, But for you personally this year, like how do you want to grow?
How have you talked to coach Pope about.
How you can grow personally in your game?
Yeah?
For me, I think like my goal I have a go every single day and that's just like to get the to become the best version of myself that I can every single day. You know, just keep like it's not going to happen today or tomorrow, but with time, hopefully, you know, I'm getting closer and closer. And the coaches, they do a great job of pushing every single one of us. So when I step on the court, like, I know for sure that they're going to push me
to be the best that I can that day. And for me, it's just like about trying to become a better leader Vocally. I feel like I've always been a pretty good leader by example, but doing it vocally is definitely different. So doing that and they're just becoming a better defender, you know, that's something that nowadays, well always you got to be able to play on both sides, and so that's something that I've definitely been taking and I'm just trying to get better at.
What about I mean you talked about earlier of the way of Kentucky. You talk about the pedigree in the basketball program here, having coach Pope play here and he can kind of tell you what it was like for him. Was there a team or a player Kentucky specific that you remember a tournament run and you remember a specific player that you loved watching.
Yeah, I always say Carl Towns, you know, just because we come from similar backgrounds. And then I always mentioned Devin Booker as well. He's my favorite player still, And they played on the same teams together, and they went on a crazy run and unfortunately it didn't end the way you know, we all wanted it to, but they still did something that was like never really seen before,
you know, during that time. And then they went thirty three and oh or thirty two and oh and then lost in the final four.
I mean one of the most yeah, insane college basketball.
I think it was thirty eight and one, thirty eight and one including that's crazy. That is crazy, including postseason.
Yeah, that's something that I feel like nowadays you'll never see again. You know, like it's really hard for teams to go a whole year without losing and then losing in the final four or something like that. But man, yeah, that was a crazy run.
That they had.
How does it feel knowing that, you know, your pictures this team will be next to pictures of those teams around this facility someday.
Honestly, it's crazy.
I haven't even thought about that, but just the thought of it now, like it's really it's unreal, you know because when I first came from my visit, like that's one of the first as you see and you're just like wow, like this is like you're really here.
You know.
It's a historic place that you've always dreamt about being at and you see all that in this motivation. But then, like you said, like one day we'll be up there too, So that's crazy to think about.
Well, the jerseys already and you're suiting up in just a couple of weeks. Get ready, Kobe, Well you survived your.
First episode Behind Kentucky Basketball.
Let's go, Coby did it awesome? Behind Kentucky Basketball podcast. Make sure a subscribe to Behind Kentucky Basketball podcast, presented by the UK Federal Credit Union today. It's available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and the official UK Athletics out