He’s training on a consistent, daily basis for track where he’ll compete in the 100- and 200-meter dashes during outdoor season along with the 4x100 relay after making his debut last weekend in the Texas Relays.
However, don’t doubt that freshman Jordan Anthony also considers himself a football player who plans to be catching passes for the Wildcats
“I am just concentrating on track now. Each sport has its own season. Right now it is track,” said Anthony. “Coach (Mark) Stoops knows I am still in the playbook. Me and (North Carolina State transfer quarterback) Devin Leary have a good connection. He’s a cool guy. In my opinion, he will be even better than Will Levis.”
Anthony was one of the nation’s elite high school sprinters who had an exceptional indoor season for Kentucky. He went under 6.60 seconds five times in the 60-meter dash, including a 6.55 in the NCAA Indoor Championships where he finished second. He had a personal best of 6.54 in the preliminary round to tie the UK record set by Olympian Tim Harden in 1995.
Even though he’s now racing against “grown men,” Anthony was not surprised by his success. He won the under-20 200-meter dash in 20.34 seconds last summer at the USA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore. That qualified him for the U20 World Championships in Colombia before he turned down the opportunity to compete in preseason football practice.
“I chose football then because I wanted to learn the offense and work with Will Levis,” Anthony said.
Now track coach Lonnie Green and sprint coach Tim Hall are “fine tuning what is already in my bag and adding more to it” to make him even faster.
“I expected coach Hall to be great just like my high school coach (Myron Martin). Coach Hall pushes me and if you are not being pushed, something is wrong,” Anthony said. “(Former world champion) Christian Coleman trains with him. He’s working on little technique things. I have good form. He’s working on getting some small things corrected and pushing me to the max.”
Anthony is not worried about falling behind in football.
Some of his teammates and coaches came to his first indoor meet and he expects them at more outdoor meets.
“They know I am fast. It was exciting to be able to show them I am who I say I am,” Anthony said.
He called his freshman football season a “decent learning year” that enabled him to get a feel of college football.
“I still feel like I am just as good as anybody. But I was trying to do everything and almost felt like a robot. I was nervous. I was under pressure,” he said. “This year I should be freer and looser.”
Anthony has raised his weight to about 170 pounds and doesn’t want to add many more pounds.
“So far it has just been God-given ability and the strength of my body along with the training the track coaches have me doing (that has driven his success),” Anthony said. “I still feel I can do better (time-wise).”
What about football?
“In my opinion I should be able to play this season,” Anthony said. “We’ll see how that goes. If not, I don’t know what will be holding me back.”
That’s the confidence star athletes possess that allows them to chase big dreams like Anthony is.
“I still want to be the first person to win an Olympic gold medal and the Super Bowl,” the UK freshman said. “I don’t dream. I make things happen. Everybody at home is excited and can’t wait to see that the future holds as I keep working and improving with my eye on the 2024 Olympics.”
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Kentucky Mr. Basketball Reed Sheppard of North Laurel was thrilled when he was named a McDonald’s All-American, a rare honor for any Kentucky high school player. However, he got a special treat at last week’s all-star game in Houston when he got to wear No. 15 — the same number his father, Jeff, wore during his illustrious career at Kentucky with him being the most outstanding player in the 1998 Final Four.
Sheppard put No. 3 — his high school number — as his first jersey number preference on his McDonald’s form but No. 15 was his second choice.
“It was cool because I didn’t think I’d get No. 3. Being able to wear No. 15 is really cool . Dad wore it. It’s really cool to be able to continue his number and it says Sheppard on the back?” the UK signee said on Media Day at the McDonald’s All-American Game. “When they sent it, it meant a lot to me because I’ve always looked up to Dad. He’s always worked me out. So to be able to finally get his number on my back was a pretty cool moment.”
Jeff Sheppard was on UK’s 1996 and 1998 national championship teams and averaged 13.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals per his senior season. He had 27 points against Stanford and 16 against Utah in the Final Four despite coming off an ankle injury earlier in postseason play.
“If we played right now, I’m saying 11-2 (against his Dad). I’d say he would get one bucket, he might get lucky and throw one up. But nah, I definitely think I could take him on now,” Reed laughed and said. “He’s getting a little old — he doesn’t play too much anymore. I think I could take him now.”
His mother, Stacy Reed Sheppard, was also a former UK star who still ranks in UK’s top career lists for made 3-pointers (175), assists (442), steals (309), field-goal attempts (1,318) and games started (110).
Reed Sheppard watched the McDonald’s roster announcement on TV with his mom.
“As soon as they announced the teams and I saw my name on the TV screen, it was a surreal moment,” Sheppard said during the all-star game Media Day. “I looked over and she had tears in her eyes. She talked about how proud she was of me, seeing all the hard work finally pay off, seeing my dreams come true. It was a really special moment with my mom.
“We had a game that night, so I couldn’t do much (after the announcement). After the game, coming back home and having my mom and dad to talk to about it was cool.”
Reed Sheppard had his own historic prep career with 3,727 career points, third best in state history. He also had a state-best 653 steals and 1,214 assists, second best in state history. He was also the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior.
“I’m from Kentucky. Growing up, I’ve always been a little boy that’s wanted to play at the University of Kentucky and to have that opportunity, it means a lot and it’s super special to me to be able to stay in my hometown and be able to try and put my city on the map,” Reed said. “I want to do it for them, really. So this means a lot.”
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Obviously how high Kentucky quarterback Will Levis will be picked in the NFL Draft later this month has created a huge buzz around UK football. However, associate coach Vince Marrow also sees a buzz coming with quarterback Devin Leary, a North Carolina State transfer expected to take over for Levis next season.
“He’s ahead of schedule. I don’t want to get ahead of myself but this guy really has what it takes,” Marrow said. “I am excited to see more in fall camp from him. I think we got a pretty good one there.”
Marrow said Leary went about his business much the same way Levis did after he transferred from Penn State to UK.
“Will came in and knew he wanted to be that guy but he also had to earn it,” Marrow said. “Devin is in the same boat. He can really spin that ball, but I am also really impressed with our other quarterbacks too. He has taken those guys to another level.
“It’s just the way Leary goes about his business. He’s not saying I am the guy but when he is in there he looks pretty damn good. I love his demeanor. He is a more laid back guy (than Will) but you can tell he is a leader.”
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He might not have been a starter on Kentucky’s 38-1 team that lost in the 2015 Final Four to Wisconsin, but UK coach John Calipari said on Sirius XM NBA Radio that he knew Booker could be special in the NBA.
“When he was here he was one of the youngest freshmen in college, yet I’m gonna tell you the dude had a chip on his shoulder now. He was tough as nails, he’s another guy that’s a dog. His belief in himself, kind of like Jamal Murray, off the charts. those dudes, you can’t convince them they’re not better than everybody,” Calipari said.
Booker is having another fabulous season and continuing to add to his NBA legacy. He is averaging a career-best 28 points per game along with almost five rebounds and six assists. He’s shooting right at 50 percent overfall from the field and 37 percent from 3. Always a superb free throw shooter, he’s at 85 percent at the line this season.
Calipari said on Sirius XM Radio it was easy to tell Booker’s basketball knowledge was elite.
“We didn’t have him in much pick and roll because we had two other point guards here,” Calipari said. “But what he showed in pick and rolls is one, I’m big enough to see the court and know who I’m throwing to, and the other is you got to play me or I’m scoring.”
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Kentucky senior Jensen Castle made the cut at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, a prestigious tournament limited to the best amateurs, for the second straight year despite playing with a painful rib injury just like she did when she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. She wound up 26th in the 72-player international field.
Castle is an intense competitor but also enjoys herself on the golf course and understood why she was asked at the tourney why the women seem to “have so much more fun than men” during tournaments.
“Maybe girls realize this isn't life or death. Maybe the ego isn't as involved, respectfully. But I think girls -- it's just fun. We go out there and it's like we realize that this is not our identity,” Castle said.
“I know the friendships that I have established through golf are so much more important than the game itself. Like it's great that we can play the game together, but like Amari Avery lives in freaking California. I've been there once. That, let alone of all the other places that I have friends, is just crazy. I think just cherish the little time with them, too.”
Castle said not to confuse fun-loving with not being competitive.
“Don't get me wrong, like I'm competitive. I don't want to lose. But it's a good distraction,” she said. “Like you go out there and you bury yourself into winning all the time. Like big picture, that's not going to get you real far. Instead of going out there and maybe you do win and you have the best six hours of your life with this girl in California. That's just an example in my opinion.
“I still want to play well and obviously walk away with a trophy, but big picture it's like, okay, there's bigger things. This girl (I am playing with) could be in my wedding. Know what I mean?”
Castle and her teammates will next compete at the Southeastern Conference Championship at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Hoover, Ala., starting April 12.
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Quote of the Week: "Whenever you get thrown in the water, or thrown on the bike with no training wheels, you're going to learn or fall. I've fallen a few times and I've learned from those and just keep getting better. That's all you can really do,” sophomore Jager Burton on his move from guard to center during spring practice.
Quote of the Week 2: “I’d say Reed. He does a lot. He makes open shots and crisp passes. We recently played against them, too in high school. I can tell you it’s hard to guard him,” UK signee Justin Edwards on UK signee Reed Sheppard impressing him at the McDonald’s All-American Game more than any other player.
Quote of the Week 3: "Having a guy who is that accurate is completely different, like day and night and day, from the guy we had last year. He's the same type of leader. He wants to see everyone get better. I swear I see his car here all day, every day when I drive by here, but it's been fun. He's a good guy,” UK senior receiver Tayvion Robinson on North Carolina State transfer quarterback Devin Leary.
