Sunday Morning Sports Talk - May 18, 2025 - Hour 2

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the home of the Wildcats.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Six thirty WLAP Welcome Back, Stockyards Bank, Sunday Morning Sports
Talk on Anthony White along with Jack Pilgrim and Larry Vault,
coming to you from Clark's Main Street Market Studios in
downtown Lexington, Kentucky. Return, Refreshed, refew. We are talking about
a lot of things. We're talking about all UK sports.
We are keeping our thoughts in prayers with those in

(00:26):
Laurel County, and some of the devastation has occurred late
this past week weekend. But the most recent thing we
have been discussing, and I find it interesting a little
bit just because of the coaching changes we've had at
the university in our basketball programs, and just the landscape

(00:46):
of sports at University of Kentucky in general, and our
fan base versus our sports, our athletic programs. If you'd
like to join the show eight five nine to eight
zero two to eighty seven eight five nine to eight
zero Cats, Jack Pilgrim, Hey, Anthony, Yes.

Speaker 3 (01:02):
Sir, sorry'rup you have bow go ahead and give Josh
Basei a call out while you're talking with Jack there.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
Both get on that. Thank you. Uh okay, but Jack
I did want to kind of it kind of. Once
we had a coaching change in basketball, there were local
rumblings that there are people with the money are willing
to pony up now for our athletic programs, and I

(01:30):
did just stay and and Larry was right before we
went to break it's probably gonna be about seventy percent
of that money is going to go toward football. So
we still have to keep our basketball program happy, which
we'll leave the basketball program would probably read a four million. Uh, well,

(01:51):
we have Josh. So we'll discuss that later because we're
going to see with Josh. Good morning, mister Maxie. How
are you doing this morning?

Speaker 4 (02:01):
Good morning, Fels, how are you?

Speaker 2 (02:03):
Wow, we're doing good man. We're praying for praying for
you all down there, and you know, appreciating the efforts
you guys are putting forward to try to restore things
or or bring smiles to people's faces.

Speaker 5 (02:14):
Yeah, that's that's just the Kentucky unsaw, you know weven's
that's just.

Speaker 4 (02:19):
Who we are.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
Uh So, uh, how where do we start with this
whole thing? I know that Larry Vaught discussed that you
want to read Shepherd or putting for efforts just to
but whatever, how no, no matter how small or how
big it is, you guys are just trying to you know,
bring some hope back to the community.

Speaker 5 (02:38):
Yeah, it's just it's just so overwhelming right now. It's
it's so hard to even I mean, you just look
at these people and you just you don't really know.
You just think, where do we even start. It's just
so overwhelming, you don't really know where to start. So
I mean at this point, I mean, just just moving
through the rubble and you know, helping them, you know,

(03:01):
the personal belongings, wallets, pursues, you know, vital records, just
just things that you know that are very important. I
mean surely you know going forward, you know, personal belonging,
as wedding bands, just so many things that are sentimental,
and you know, it's just it's so overwhelming, you don't
really know where to start. Just you know, you just
try to be a ear to listen and a shoulder

(03:22):
to you know, to cry on right now, and you know,
any physical labor you know to help is you know,
that's just really about all you can do right now.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
And I didn't think about that, but you give it
a realistic Can you give me a realistic view, guy,
But I didn't think about documents that you've had, like
you said, birth certificates, a social security just things that
just normal things that you have and and the necessary
for you to continue on life like you have to.
A lot of people just have to start life completely over.
What are some other aspects that people didn't think about

(03:53):
because I didn't think about the documentation records and things
that are probably destroyed that it's going to be hard
to cover.

Speaker 4 (04:01):
You know, I mean a lot of people.

Speaker 5 (04:03):
Just one thing in particular, there's a family who's a
very well known family here in London. They literally the
only thing left is a like the it's a weird thing.
The flooring is left of the house. And the kill
was a really really good, good high school football player.
He's a college football player. Now his father took a

(04:25):
really I mean apparently the kid jumped on top of
the family kind of saved him as the house just
blew away. That the grandparents lived right the side of them,
and the granddad's in you know, pretty bad shape, and
a lot of just personal you know, like accomplishments, achievements,
you know, we were just as we were, you know,
in particular, me and reading. A couple of his buddies

(04:47):
was there, and you know, we were just looking found
a lot of his trophies and home run balls from
when he was a little kid. You know, his mom
just sitting there just she's the only one who's not
in the hospital right now, and just she would just
each time we would find something, you know, some type
of memorabilia, they would just her tears would just keep shedding,
and just I mean she would just recollect through life,

(05:09):
and you know, you could tell that her mind was
going back to him being a little boy, you know,
and just seeing all this stuff just scattered throughout the
entire neighborhood.

Speaker 3 (05:19):
Josh, how did you Read and his friends get hooked
up history to go out and do this?

Speaker 5 (05:27):
Well, I mean, I've I've been really close with Read
his entire life. You know, we've I've known you know,
Jeff and Stacey and just we just been friends for
a long time and he just happened to be in town.
And you know, it's it's Larry. I wish I could
explain it to you. I wish everybody could just get
to get to spend a day with Read, because when

(05:49):
we think of these high profile athletes and the money
they've made and and the things they've seen and done.
You know, you just you kind of put them on
a different at a mindset is that they're different.

Speaker 4 (06:00):
Reads not like that he is. He's not different.

Speaker 5 (06:03):
He's just I mean, he's he could be just on
his phone call this with us.

Speaker 4 (06:06):
And I mean he called me.

Speaker 5 (06:08):
Yesterday and he's like, you know, everybody calls me Max,
you know, coach Max.

Speaker 4 (06:11):
And he's just like, Max, what can I do? Man?
What you know?

Speaker 5 (06:15):
Is there anything I can do? And I was like, read, Man,
it's it's so overwhelming. At this point, I was like,
you know, I own a landscaping company, so I had
some equipment and I said, man, I'm just trying to help,
you know, just move stuff around here. And he said, well,
I want to go and if there's anything I can do,
I said, Read. You know, there's a lot of little
kids running around, you know, lost, you know, don't I mean,

(06:36):
just just don't know where to even can't fathom what
they just went through. And I you know, I just thought,
you know, if they can just see you just for
a minute, read it, would you know, put their minds
somewhere else. And that just it reads like, well, that's fine,
but when we got there, I mean, that was never
his intention. His intention was to go. He was in work, boots,
work pays him and his buddies. You don't we met

(06:58):
him here in town, him up and just I mean
he fell in. I mean just elderly people just crying
and when they seen him, they would just hug him.
And are you read Shepherd And Reid was never but
he was never. He was never the basketball player read Shepherd,
just they read Shepherd was.

Speaker 4 (07:14):
The human, the console to soothe.

Speaker 5 (07:19):
It was just, man, I mean, I want to get
emotional just thinking about the way that he can just
handle himself in those situations.

Speaker 3 (07:28):
And I know, Josh, I enjoyed your post when you
just kind of shared what Reid was done. And I
think I think, if I remember right, kind of at
the end of it, you kind of put, He's gonna
kill me because he never want to anybody even know
he was out doing all this. But I think it
was really important, like what you said to share and
what he was out there doing and why. And I
can only imagine the joy that he brought to some

(07:49):
people just for the fact he was being out there
willing even to do some of the things you were
just talking.

Speaker 5 (07:54):
About, Larry, anybody listening or anybody this posts. I mean
I never I never imagine just to go viral or
anything like that. I mean, I was just showing, you know,
some people in London. You know, I figured a few
of my buddies would see it. And you know that
everybody here knows Reed. You know, if you if you notice,
there was never a picture while Reid was looking at
the camera.

Speaker 4 (08:14):
Never I would.

Speaker 5 (08:15):
I would actually a couple of times I would just
I would just snap something like basically hold my hand,
my phone in my hand, just to my side.

Speaker 4 (08:22):
And just take a picture.

Speaker 5 (08:23):
Because and then when we were done for them, and
I Saidgreed, listen, I said, if you don't care, I said,
I took some pictures over while we were out there,
and I said, I just want to, you know, post
them on on social media. I mean, never to. I
don't want to gain notoriety. I don't and Reid doesn't
need any kind of notoriety. You know, it's not Listen,
if if Reid wanted to, he could send one hundred
thousand dollars for relief.

Speaker 4 (08:43):
Ever, if that's what you know, But that's not what
it was about. To him.

Speaker 5 (08:46):
He wanted to help boots on the ground and reads like,
I don't you know, he don't read reads so normal.
He's just I mean, he don't need any kind of fame, fortune,
notoriety from this. I mean, he had no idea. And
if I mean just you could you if you went
to day and talked to those people. And I just
remember this old elder lady. She has to be ninety
years old. She was in an old, dirty Kentucky shirt

(09:09):
and when she walked out, she had no idea.

Speaker 4 (09:12):
She walks out in her yard.

Speaker 5 (09:13):
And we're sitting there picking up trash and stuff, and
she said, oh my gosh, are you read Shepherd? And
I mean she just broke down crying and thanking him.
You know how much she appreciate him helping, you know,
And it was just, you know, it's just something that
just it's just unbelievable.

Speaker 2 (09:29):
And Coach Max's, uh, this is something you said that
doesn't like money doesn't help. Like money's not going to
help you right now, people restarting their lives. It's just
I guess the sheer hope that you guys can provide
it just you know, just a motivation to keep going on.
What are these days like how I would assume had
this been Twinsburg Heights, I'm probably up at five o'clock

(09:52):
in the morning, go to bed whenever you know the
you know, the last lights are off. How long are
these days for you? How much? How much energy do
you as you though you and uh, you guys are
read have to keep trying to bring smiles?

Speaker 5 (10:06):
Yeah, just man, you just got it. You gotta I mean, listen,
we're all athletes. You gotta dig down, man, you got
It's it's the fourth quarterman, you know, it's everybody's tired.
Everybody's trying to win this game of life right now. Man,
we're just doing everything we can and and listen, it
takes a big team, and it's it's gonna take a
long time. And here's what here, here's the thing that
that we don't want to happen. And and this is

(10:28):
unfortunate happens a lot of times in situations, you know,
the last the first few days, you know, everybody's all
gun hole about helping, helping, But then you know, two
three weeks later, you know it kind of you know,
it kind of loses its steam. You know, we gotta
this is gonna be a long it's a long game
and it's a long time to get back.

Speaker 4 (10:46):
It's gonna take these people years.

Speaker 5 (10:48):
And we can't forget about them, you know, we gotta,
we gotta stay steady.

Speaker 4 (10:51):
I mean there's a lot of people.

Speaker 5 (10:52):
Man, there's still people that just you know, have no
idea what they're gonna do, you know, have no idea.
We can't we can't just be strong for the first
week and then kind of going about. You know, everybody
has to has to still live. But you know, we
can't forget about these people.

Speaker 3 (11:06):
And yeah, Josh, I know that. I know the Mercy
Chefs is coming to London to help provide meals and
h bou Our producer. Bo's sister was telling me yesterday
that they are still down in Ashville providing meals. From
what happened there has been almost a year ago. Now,
I mean there seems like it. There's still because of
the help and this is gonna be the same. Here
is such a great point that you've made there.

Speaker 5 (11:29):
Yeah, and I'll tell you something that's unique too. And
this just this just shows you, you know, there'll be
I mean, we can see, you know, you can see
the exact path of this hornat. I mean, there may
be a house twenty five yards from the other house.
It's completely nothing but a foundation left with the house
beside of it's just unscathed. Well, there's a lot of

(11:50):
times in that unscathed house that neighbor is sitting there
with their grill out in the parking, you know, out
in the driveway, cooking burgers, cooking hamburger, you know, hot dogs, whatever,
canda for the people that's providing relief and you know,
pepsi coal.

Speaker 4 (12:04):
They just stick out in my mind.

Speaker 5 (12:05):
They were just driving trucks around the entire neighborhood just
they handing out, you know, twenty four packs of water
and so just man, it's just it's a beautiful thing.
It's a shame that it takes such a travesy like
this to bring people together. But London's been you know, everybody,
everybody's aware of the London's been in the news here
lately and some negative lot and this truly shows you

(12:26):
that there's a lot of good people here and you know,
we're coming together.

Speaker 2 (12:31):
And the State Line Company is meeting at costcos around
they said ten thirty, ten forty five is to take
things to London and Costco in Lexington. So if you
know who state Line companies, you can look up on
Twitter and they are going to be there. If you
have some things you want to provide and I want
to have them send down to Laurel County, you can

(12:53):
meet those guys there.

Speaker 3 (12:55):
He and Anthony everybuddy Johnny Fowler with the w nineteen
seventy four collective who does a lot of things with
the Scott Kenny Humane Society. She's on her way to
Laurel Kenny right now with an suv full of dog food,
leashes and harnesses to help out, to add some tarps
and headed to the Heart Missionary Baptist Church and says
she sounds like she might be bringing some cats that

(13:18):
need a home back with her to the Scott County
Humane Society.

Speaker 2 (13:22):
See those are the coach Max. Those are things that
you really don't think about. I mean not to be insensitive,
but I've never thought about the animals still need to
be fed and they they are breathing, they are breathing people.
So I did want to ask where do where would
where could someone start? From? What you see and I
know is kind of a scramble right now, your head

(13:43):
is you didn't you don't plan for this, so you
don't have a plan. But if people want to help,
what do they start from your perspective?

Speaker 4 (13:50):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (13:51):
Is it money? Is it food? Clothes? What resources could
you would you start with?

Speaker 5 (13:59):
You know, I know that the at South Thorough High
School they've got a place they're taking donations and things
like that.

Speaker 4 (14:07):
I do.

Speaker 5 (14:07):
I mean, I'm sure that there'll be a monetary need
at some point, but as of right now, you know, guys,
I just feel like donations may be food, water, clothing
I would imagine would be a big necessity, and this thing.
But I do want to touch on one thing, man,
you hit home about something I just remember yesterday I

(14:28):
would have thought about this, I guess until you mess it.

Speaker 4 (14:30):
You said it. There's just so many like you can tell.

Speaker 5 (14:33):
They're like well kept, like dogs, cats just running around.
They were looking for their owners, looking wanted to go
inside the house, but the house. I mean, it's just
confusion with so many animals. Man, it's heartbreaking.

Speaker 4 (14:47):
Gosh them.

Speaker 5 (14:48):
I mean, the sweetest dogs just come up to you
while you're trying to pick up things, and like where
do I live? Where's my you know, if they can talk,
you know, that's what they're trying to ask you.

Speaker 3 (14:58):
Yeah, I know that can refer to Bo's sister, but
she went and came to London yesterday to help and
her friend Kat is missing, and it never been out
of the house. It's never been out of the house.
And the lady is just devastated because she can't founder Kat,
who's never been out of the house. So what you
folks are doing in their josh is terrific and hopefully
keep us posted on anything that we can do to

(15:19):
pay us information on or provide any help at all.
And I really appreciate your sharing the storied information about
read which doesn't surprise me, but I still think it's
just nice to let people.

Speaker 2 (15:28):
Hear that and really cool.

Speaker 4 (15:31):
Go ahead, no, no, go ahead, go ahead no.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
I was just saying really quickly, if you could give people,
if if your social media handles or anyhow any way
that people can get in contact with you. Like I said,
you've just boots on the ground, but you seem like
you have a following. Everybody's paying attention to you. Now
where can they reach you or send information?

Speaker 5 (15:53):
Yeah, you know, it's Joshua maxim Ax Why Joshua mxy
Maxie on Facebook and coach Maxie on Twitter, And listen, guys,
I will I will do everything I can to put
things in the right place where it needs to be.
I'll coordinate anything that we can do to help. And
I mean, if not that, I will put you in

(16:13):
in direction of the right people to get you where
things need to go. And just you know, we just
asked for prayers, and there's a lot of people hurting.
Feels there's a lot of good people hurting. You know,
it's just you know, we're no more special than anybody else.
But I can tell you this, there's some dang good
people just lost everything they've ever worked for and just
just don't know where to go right now. And you know,
I know, you know it starts with prayers, and that's

(16:36):
what you can never get.

Speaker 4 (16:37):
Enough of those.

Speaker 5 (16:38):
And and you, you guys have no idea how much
I appreciate you reaching out and with your platform and
and maybe if it can just help one family that
was that's worth everything.

Speaker 2 (16:47):
Well, Coach Max and we appreciate you keep hoping and
keep keep fighting a good fight.

Speaker 4 (16:52):
I appreciate you, guys. Thank you so much having goodness.

Speaker 2 (16:54):
Okay, all right, thank you. We will be back after this.
You are listening to Stockyards Banks, So then with a
sports talk on news radio six thirty WLAP.

Speaker 1 (17:02):
This is the home of the Wildcats, six thirty WLAP.

Speaker 2 (17:09):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday morning sports Talk. I'm Anthony White,
along with Jack Pilgrim and Larry Vaught. Stockyards Bank is
your trusted partner since nineteen o four. Head on over
to syb dot com for all your banking and financial needs.
Prayers out to Laurel County, the City of London, Kentucky.

(17:32):
We I've got some really good friends out there, and
I'm meant to ask maxin. And I do need to
check on the Griers, who are really close friends of mine,
actually like my second family. I'm kind of a honorary Grier.
So I do need to elmo in them. If you
guys are cool, send me a text message, send me

(17:52):
a thumbs up on Twitter, Facebook, And when I get
off the air, I will check on you all, Larry
or Jack Pilgrim. It's no touching stuff. And it sounded
like a coach. Max was getting a little a little
motion and I don't see how it can. But and
I hate these situations because the more you uncovered, the

(18:13):
more you realize, like that the documents is something that
I never thought about because I know how much of
a headache I have whenever I have to find a
document to get something done, like we purchased a house
or you know, changing careers. You need all these documents
that you just had around for years. You got to
dig and wear some find them. So there's just certain
things that you just don't know. And then the Larry
and Josh talking about, you know, the animals, like they

(18:36):
don't have a home, they don't know anything other than it.
I mean, it's just the more we uncover, the devastation,
it's it's I don't know, I don't I don't even
know where to start. Jack Pilgar, No, it was it's
the worst. It's it's abso the worst.

Speaker 6 (18:51):
And you know, I know Josh and you know, talk
talk to him every once in a while, so I
know he is as good of a human being as
you will find. And you know when he's pleading with
just the just the state and just the community and
just you know, we need help. We're you know, we're desperate,
like you know, listen to him, he's uh, you know

(19:13):
pictures and the videos and all that stuff, just don't
do don't do it justice what that community needs right now.
And yeah, like you said, it's it's not just limited
to money like read Shepherd, you know could just throw
you know, throw money at that that direction and just
and not think anything of it. But it's not about that.
It's about you know, the exposure and the help and

(19:33):
just have I think as many hands involved as possible
to to you know, get to the bottom of it,
because it's just this it's it's just this never ending
you know supply of of of just everything. It's you know,
rubble and and just it's it's yeah, it's it's just
really sad and you know you just can't help tear up,

(19:54):
you know, hearing about it and you know, talking about it.
So you know, I really appreciate coach coach Max coming
on and talking with us and just you know, sharing
sharing his story a little bit.

Speaker 2 (20:03):
Yeah, I said, we still Larry vaugh really quickly because
we got to get to break. Then we'll come back
with Reese Potter. But they're just we still have Eastern
Kentucky Western Kentucky. We're still recovering from the last few disasters,
and now you know there's a whole nother and and
as as coach Max said, it's never anyone. It doesn't
stop tomorrow, is not going to stop on Tuesday, Wednesday,

(20:25):
not going to stop in June July. Like it's gonna
be years before this is even a dent put in, uh,
some of the recovery efforts.

Speaker 3 (20:31):
Larry, Yeah, it was very, very very sayd I mean
listening to it, I was like Jack, I mean, I've
sat near wipe a few tears wife just coming over Saltie.
But and they stop at those other disasters, but you
know they really weren't right here. London and Somerset, those
are places I go to or through a lot. I

(20:53):
mean that. I mean that maybe could have been Danvil
or something. So I mean, it's just it's just gut wrenching.
I mean, you want to help, and there's some ways
you can help it in other ways. Have a second.
You know what if I went to bed or got
a Friday morning here at my house and then Saturday
morning there wasn't a house after being here for fifty years,
I don't even know what I would do. I just

(21:14):
don't know. I guess I've come live with you, Anthony.

Speaker 2 (21:17):
Come on down or my mom will always take you in.

Speaker 4 (21:20):
She loves you.

Speaker 2 (21:20):
But we gotta change gears. When we come back, we
have UK basketball signe Reeche Potter. When we return. You
are listening to Stockyards Bank Sunday one in Sports Talk
on news Radio six thirty WLAP.

Speaker 1 (21:32):
This is the home of the Wildcats, six thirty WLAP.

Speaker 2 (21:37):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk on Anthony
White along with Larry Vaught. This hour Sunday Morning Sports
Talk is brought to you by Country Boy Brewing Larry Vaught.
We spent a good portion of this show discussing what's
going on in Laurel County. I was, uh, we do well,

(22:02):
we're trying to get Reeese Potter on seven to one
Center transfer from Miami or Miami Miami, Ohio. But Larry Vall,
we were talking about some of the efforts in Laurel
County and I want I wanted to ask coach Maxie
and maybe you may know.

Speaker 4 (22:21):
I know that.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
Financially, I'm not certain that that's the thing right now.
I know a lot of wealthy people in Laurel County,
but also know that there's people can just send money
there that doesn't help what they need now.

Speaker 4 (22:35):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
I think is it possible that maybe the bigger need
right now effort is not things, but people to help
recover uh lost things or help remove debris. I know
last time, the last couple of disasters we had, that
is what took a long time, like even you know, uh,

(22:57):
transportation and getting things out of the street so emergency
vehicles can get through. Is that maybe the biggest need
boots on the ground.

Speaker 3 (23:06):
I think probably so what he was said, just like
with Reid and his Buddi's helping trying to find different
personal items. I don't keep talking about both sister Lacy
because I know she was there yesterday and shared some
things with her. This She went and was and her
friend that lost their home and when they went back
they were just three alled. They were able to find
the ladies bill Foe and found the laptop and a

(23:28):
couple other personal items like that. So I think, yeah,
it's anything that you can do, to just do something
like that would be greatly appreciated by very very many And.

Speaker 2 (23:38):
Larry vaugh we now are proud to be joined by
Reese Potter seven to one center transfer back home. Welcome
back home, Reese Potter, Reese, welcome back. Are you We're
doing good?

Speaker 3 (23:57):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (23:57):
Like I said, back home in the in the state,
actually in the city you you played basketball in as
a high school kid.

Speaker 1 (24:05):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (24:05):
Talk about that, that journey and the decision come back
to Lexington.

Speaker 7 (24:10):
Oh, yes, sir, So you know growing up the Lexington
you know, I've always kind of known what it means,
you know, from the where in the Kentucky and just
like how much Big New Nation loves their loves their
players and you know, brings them in that kind of family.
So originally, you know, I never was recruited by Kentucky
and you know now that I am, I'm extremely grateful
and extremely glasses for sure.

Speaker 2 (24:29):
And to be playing for a coach like Mark Popa,
a national champion coach, is that is that any different?
Or is it just the fact that you just want
to wear the blue again like you did in high school?

Speaker 4 (24:42):
No, I mean it definitely means a lot.

Speaker 7 (24:43):
You know, Coach Pope has already won a national championship.
He's done at the highest level, you know, so he
was able to play in the NBA, So I mean
it definitely means a lot coming from him. You know,
he was able to have a lot of success in
the NBA in college, so I mean, he knows what
the what the people want here. So I'm looking forward to.

Speaker 2 (24:59):
And I don't really know what the transfer portal is.
H I played played sports many many years go, well
before the transfer portal was a real thing. Is what
was the process like?

Speaker 3 (25:10):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (25:10):
And you know how did that come come to me?
You just wanted to come to Kentucky, Mark, I know
we needed some size you and size you definitely had that.

Speaker 4 (25:19):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (25:19):
How did the whole process take place with you getting
in contact with Kentucky?

Speaker 7 (25:24):
You know, it was a very interesting process. So you
know my name in the portal, I guess the first
couple of weeks the portal opened, and you know, I
was kind of looking forward to some you know, bigger
and better things, and then you know, just once once
coach Cody messaged me, it was just it was a
done deal from that, so, you know, I just had
a that's other schools that were contacting me. Wasn't specifically
entering the portal to come to Kentucky, but so they
let me know they were interested.

Speaker 4 (25:45):
It was done.

Speaker 3 (25:48):
Recent. I want to be careful because I don't want
to insult branded salesman and have you a man at
me or you or both of us, or a thing
like that. But it seems like if there would be
a perfect coach for you to play for, it's Mark
Pope with the skill level that you had going all
the way back to high school. With the things that
you did. But as you said at seven seven foot aschool,
there will keep you in the pain any coaches. But

(26:09):
if your overall skill set, it seems like there could
not be a better coach that runs a system that
suits you better than what Mark Pope does.

Speaker 7 (26:18):
I mean no, I mean you're completely right there definitely
isn't you know. He was able to, you know, do
it in the NBA, So that's definitely being able to
you know, when he contacts you. It's easy to listen
and follow somebody. Not only that he is a great coach,
but you know, you know he can he can tell
from experience, he's been through, you know, similar stuff that
I want to go through, and so it's gonna be
easy to you know, follow in his lead hopefully, And for.

Speaker 3 (26:40):
Folks who watched you play a lot when you're at
Lexa Catholic that maybe haven't seen you play as much
as the last two years. Is there going to be
a big difference in the Reese Potter they see next
season from what they saw when your last couple of
years at Lexa Catholic.

Speaker 7 (26:55):
I want to say there's a huge difference, you know, definitely,
cause Shore a lot more. Three is you know that
high too kind of just bigger and you know, taller
than everybody in high school. So there's a little bit
of a difference, you know. I used to coach Alison
used to get mad at me. He's like, I know,
you can shoot threes, but like, you know, like you're
just bigger than everybody here, So like just just go
down there and then once the once the game kind
of gets gets going, you can start bombing them. But

(27:15):
you know, that's definitely something I do more down in college,
for sure.

Speaker 2 (27:19):
And do you feel any pressure as far as coming
back and playing for Kentucky and being a hometown kid?

Speaker 4 (27:26):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (27:27):
You know, when you go out of state, you're kind
of just a new face. Like you said, is a
little maybe a little different. It's do you feel any
added pressure you know, being a hometown kid and having
your your home base cheering for you.

Speaker 7 (27:39):
I mean no, not really. I mean everybody's been extremely
you know, loving to me. You know, I'm extremely best.
So I mean all my friends kind of joke with me,
and they kind of put a little pressure on me,
like you can't you can't mess it up.

Speaker 4 (27:50):
For your home state. But other than that, you know, I'm.

Speaker 7 (27:52):
Really looking forward to it, you know, I mean, I'm
not really you know, I've played college ball for a
couple of years now, so I kind of know what
it like. You know, I'm gonna be asked, so not
a lot of added pressure for sure.

Speaker 3 (28:03):
So Reese, could you initiate the offense like a Mari
Williams did last year? Did you get a chance to
watch Kentucky Lenz and see what Amri did? I mean,
can you if you needed to? Could you do those
kind of things?

Speaker 7 (28:16):
I mean, yeah, I mean we ran a I ran
a similar offense last year at my other school, you know,
I mean definitely, definitely. That's something that I'm looking looking
to do again and continue. You know, it's something I
like doing. Being able to put the ball on the
floor and you know, being able to pass and get
everybody open, being able to make passes you know, you know,
some people aren't going to be able to make because
you know, Hamri and me, we're taller people. We can
reach around people and be able to swing it anywhere.

(28:38):
So that's definitely something I'm looking forward to do. And
that's kind of, you know, another reason that I came
to Kentucky, just the way you know, Mari Williams was
able to succeed in this offense. You know, that's something
I'm looking forward to being able to grow in my
game and do next the next couple of years.

Speaker 3 (28:52):
And a couple of younger guys it'll be coming in.
I don't know how much you played against them in
different settings, but our Mala Camarino and asked for Johnson,
did you do you know a lot? Do you already
know a lot about them from high school days here
in Kentucky or or not?

Speaker 4 (29:08):
H Yeah, I know a lot of them, a lot
about them.

Speaker 7 (29:10):
So I played Malachi, you know, every year in high
school a bunch of times, so we were always you know,
getting compared to each other and just always like the
same type of sayings with each other. And then you know,
Jasper played for. We played for similar A teams and
we were always at like ninety events together. So you know,
I've always you know, been really cool with them and
being to know the Johnson family and you know, being
able to know them right now. So I mean, yeah,

(29:31):
I know a decent amount of them about them for sure,
And uh.

Speaker 2 (29:36):
What did uh reach? What did uh Mark coach Poe
talk to you about about your role? I do know?

Speaker 4 (29:41):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (29:42):
And the one thing I do love about him as
far as a coach, he seems to be upfront. He
seems to be uh transparent. What did what do you
hear about your role on this squad? I was just
being as a big and that and that was a
need we had.

Speaker 4 (29:56):
Oh you know, that's.

Speaker 7 (29:57):
Definitely something I really enjoyed talking to him. He was
very up run Yeah. I mean, he wasn't gonna like
just try to sell me the dream like a lot
of people do in the transfit portal. So that was
really important to me when he was just kind of
just tell me what he was looking for, what he
expected out of me in the next couple of years.
You know, I'm just coming here to grow my game,
you know, do whatever he tells me. To do to
help win. I mean that's the goal. I mean, nobody's
happy when you lose. So it doesn't matter if you

(30:18):
get twenty. If you lose, nobody nobody's nobody's in good
good spirits for sure. So just whatever it takes that's
on the court, off the court, just whatever it needs
to win.

Speaker 8 (30:28):
Enough.

Speaker 3 (30:30):
What's this move been like for your parents? I know
his parents. We always say we want our kids to
go do what they want to. We want to be
happy and make their own choice. But are they just
busting out now that you're back in Lexington?

Speaker 7 (30:41):
Oh for sure, you know. So I'm the youngest, so
they're looking. They're they're happy that one of their one
of their sons is back home and close to them.

Speaker 4 (30:48):
You know.

Speaker 7 (30:48):
I mean it's a dream comes true for me, and
I mean it's a dream comes.

Speaker 4 (30:51):
True for them.

Speaker 7 (30:51):
I mean they were able to, you know, raise the sun, that'sy,
able to put on the blue and white, and I
mean that's I feel like that's every parent's dream for sure.
I mean, if their kid plays basketball, need sports, to
be honest with you'll be able to play for their
home state and not only not their home state. I
mean it's it's Kentucky. So I mean it's huge, and
you know they're extremely excited, just as I am.

Speaker 2 (31:10):
And I'm a little bit curious. Larry said a little
while ago Murray Williams was a distributory about may have
been sinking on the team in the cyst most most
of the season. Is that something that Mark Pope requires
out of as big man? Or was was that something
that you know he's going to require out of you
Malachi and those guys. Or was Amari just an anomaly

(31:32):
where he's just really unique at being tall and passing
the ball.

Speaker 7 (31:38):
I mean that for sure. I mean Amari Williams is
a very special player. He was able to do it
and you know, initiate it and he had a lot
of success. But I mean that's definitely something touched Bob's
gonna ask of, you know, all the all the bigs
coming in next year. I mean, that's kind of what
the NBA is coming to. And if you watch like
the Nuggets, that's kind of, you know, the typical best
offense between them and the Warriors. Being able to have
the big you know, relieve pressure from the guards and

(31:59):
you know, makes and make some things happen. So that's
definitely something's gonna be asking. You know, that's you know,
they had a lot of success last year and you know,
Churchtop's had a lot of success with his bigs being
able to be you know, more skilled and not more
you know, just just bangers down load being able to
you know, facilitate.

Speaker 2 (32:15):
And my last, my last question is when you come
to Lexton, when we get you on campus, just tell
the fan base whether they're getting when you get a
Reese Potter in the blue and white, what are they going?
What are they gonna be getting.

Speaker 7 (32:29):
They're going to be getting the kid that knows what
knows what it means to you know, rep the state,
you know, for sure, I mean they you know, they
love their they love their players, but they expect winning.
And then you know that's kind of I always know that,
you know, we're not none of us are coming here
to you know, not try to hang a banner, for sure.
So I'm just looking looking forward to meeting them all
really excited and you know, really looking forward to.

Speaker 3 (32:49):
And reach My life thing would be you're you're coming
in with a pretty nice sas transfer place, but none
of those other guys, I mean I think they probably
believe they know what Kentucky basketball is going to be like,
you for sure know what it's going to be like.
Do you think there's just little tidbits of type things
you can share with those guys that will help them.

(33:09):
Even though you're new to the program, you're certainly not
new to Kentucky basketball.

Speaker 7 (33:14):
I mean, for sure. I mean I think I know
somewhat what it means to you know, what it means
to play for Kentucky. But you know, I don't think
any of us truly know what it means until we,
you know, put on that jersey and come out to
repearena for the first time and you know, realize how
crazy their fan the fan base is and how much
they love us, you know. I mean Coach Cope is
probably a great example too. I mean, he was able to,
you know, play here for a couple of years, and

(33:35):
so he's gonna be able to share his information things
he knows. And then you know, a couple of players
have played here the last couple of years. So I mean,
I feel like I'm going to be able to do
a decent job being on the somehow how much they're
you know, fans of love their players, but you know,
I don't think any of us truly can grasp how
how much they love us.

Speaker 2 (33:51):
Well, Reese, we appreciate you join us a sum this
morning and discussing h your future here and ELEXTA.

Speaker 4 (33:59):
Yes, sir, sure you having me on?

Speaker 2 (34:01):
All right, have a good day. We will be back
after this. You are listening to Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning
Sports Talk on news radio six thirty WLAP.

Speaker 1 (34:09):
This is the home of the Wildcats six thirty WLAP.

Speaker 2 (34:14):
Welcome back Stockyards Bank Sunday Morning Sports Talk. I'm Anthony
Wide along with Larry Vault. This hour Sunday Morning Sports
Talk is bought you by country Boy Brewin. Thanks to
Rees Potter for joining us the UK's new at sign.
He's seven foot one center right here from Lestik, Kentucky.
We'll be coming back to lex k, Kentucky. Add some

(34:35):
depth and some stretch to our men's basketball team. If
you like to join the show, get on the big
Ass Fans hotline eight five nine to eight zero two
two eight seven. That is eight five nine to eight
zero Cats for those who don't know how to punch
in to too eight seven. Uh, let's get to the
big ass Fans Hotline. That's who Alvin has to say.

(34:55):
Good morning, Alvin, what do you got for us?

Speaker 4 (34:58):
Hey?

Speaker 8 (34:59):
Good morning guys. Hey doing just waking up thinking about
the folks that lost their life in the tornados that
Ravish style region. And I hope that they can recover
mentally and emotionally and spiritually.

Speaker 4 (35:16):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (35:17):
Those easy events are so devastating, not just the families
but to those that be the boy to hear about it.
I did want to throw that after I.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
Met you in London. You're not from London, though, are you?

Speaker 8 (35:30):
No? We talked on the phone. We had friends, mutual
friends up there.

Speaker 2 (35:34):
I thought I met you in their restaurant. I thought
you I met you in the restaurant one time. By chance,
we did meet in the restaurant.

Speaker 4 (35:40):
You did.

Speaker 8 (35:42):
Yeah we did? Uh huh uh huh. Yeah, I'm playing
on London, but yeah we did. I did have a
question about You know, the basketball legacy of Kentucky basketball
does run deep. We've had unbelievable players to come to
the program.

Speaker 4 (35:59):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (35:59):
They now, way back to Adolph Rupp when he had
you know, great players. He throught Tom Payne aboard, who
was a seventh footer. I think Joe Hall had a
couple of seven footeras in Samboy and Melvin Turkey, and
of course John Tyler Perry had maybe three or four.
So my question is what who has been the best

(36:22):
seventh footer ever to play for Kentucky. I hope Reese
Potter turned out to be such a cat, but out
of all the seventh footas that's played the UK, who
do you guys like to be the best to play
as a.

Speaker 2 (36:36):
Seventh foot Well, thank you for the call album. We'll
throw that around a tad bit. I'm going to have
to defer to both on that I'm not I'm more
of a guard, you know, Jamal Mashburn, those type, you know,
Kenny Skywalker, and I don't feel I don't feel that

(36:59):
I'm I'm uh, what's the word an expert, qualified, qualified,
definite I'm looking for. I don't feel I'm qualified to
answer That's what I was looking for. Go ahead, Larry Vaught.
Then we'll see what I Let's see what BO was.

Speaker 3 (37:13):
Let's see what BO was gonna say.

Speaker 9 (37:15):
Well, just to randomly throw a name out there to consider,
because I don't want to put one over the other
until I hear all arguments, Sam.

Speaker 3 (37:24):
Bowie, Yeah, I think that's one I was thinking. Of course,
he was hurt and that took away a lot from him.

Speaker 4 (37:32):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (37:32):
Do you go all the way back to a guy
like Bill Spivey who was pretty sensational, but probably very
few people listening this morning will know who Bill Spivey is,
or play to Kentucky Melvin Turpin and his own way
was pretty darn special. Uh, that's the one to jump out. Well,
I'll pick it back now, I take it right back.

(37:53):
Was Anthony Davis seven feet?

Speaker 2 (37:55):
Definitely? I was gonna say that was awful disrespect for you,
and I said, I'm not qualified, but you guys being
aful disrespectful but not even mentioning Anthony Davis.

Speaker 3 (38:03):
Yeah, I'm just wasn't. I'm not sure he reached his
seven foot but if Donnie's close enough. So I take
Anthony's number one on.

Speaker 2 (38:10):
My list me too, because because of his first name.

Speaker 3 (38:16):
So you as good as any?

Speaker 2 (38:18):
Hey, do you do you wanna do you want to
re reevaluate your your answer or.

Speaker 9 (38:24):
Well, Bill Spivey was seven food, So just to throw
that back out there, No, I'm not reevaluating. I'm still
going with Sam Booie.

Speaker 2 (38:31):
You I don't know how much along you're gonna be
on the show. Larry val this is the same guy.
This is the same guy that disrespected Messiah Russell, Larry
vaugh and now he's just gonna disrespect Anthony.

Speaker 3 (38:43):
Yeah, but he's also only gay that does have pushovels.

Speaker 9 (38:45):
But that's right, So don't make me angry, okay, as
long as he wants.

Speaker 2 (38:51):
When we come back, we'll have Holly Stacy uh to
talk about the LPGA l G p G A Hall
of Famer. We will talk about event she has going
on Inverse sales coming up soon. We'll be back after
this year. Listen is stock Yards Banks Sunday when the
Sports Talk on news Radio six thirty WLAP