Just now finding this out

Ukbrassowtipin

Heisman
Aug 12, 2011
82,214
90,139
113
Love Pitino but he ruined RR. I talked to RR roommate he told RR to let Mash shine and back off. RR was never the same. Remember when Dick Vitale said mash was the king and RR was the prince. I don’t get inside info a lot but this is absolutely true. I Still love Pitino.
What? Mash was only here 1 yr that Rhodes was. He got butt hurt when he was asked to redshirt, mainly for Mercer. And assumed he was being forced out bc he was a junior...however pitino did the same thing with Prickett then Sheppard
 

CATALCOHOLIC

Junior
Apr 13, 2018
184
299
52
What? Mash was only here 1 yr that Rhodes was. He got butt hurt when he was asked to redshirt, mainly for Mercer. And assumed he was being forced out bc he was a junior...however pitino did the same thing with Prickett then Sheppard
If you remember we went to NYC and RR looked great. His roommate told me Rick told him step back and let Mash shine. Maybe RR was weak but he never played the same. Maybe he had a mental block after being told to back off. His roommate told me this. Absolutely the truth!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cowtown Cat

Smeegs

All-Conference
Nov 19, 2025
495
1,352
93
Love Pitino but he ruined RR. I talked to RR roommate he told RR to let Mash shine and back off. RR was never the same. Remember when Dick Vitale said mash was the king and RR was the prince. I don’t get inside info a lot but this is absolutely true. I Still love Pitino.
And what’s wrong with that? Sounds to me like he told him exactly the right thing.

Mash was probably the best player in the country that season. RR was an erratic mistake-prone freshman. Seems pretty obvious which one should’ve been deferring to the other.
 

yoshukai

Heisman
Dec 21, 2002
29,640
41,875
102
If you remember we went to NYC and RR looked great. His roommate told me Rick told him step back and let Mash shine. Maybe RR was weak but he never played the same. Maybe he had a mental block after being told to back off. His roommate told me this. Absolutely the truth!!
I believe you. I also heard that Rhodes downfall began the day his brother moved to Lexington.
 

CATALCOHOLIC

Junior
Apr 13, 2018
184
299
52
And what’s wrong with that? Sounds to me like he told him exactly the right thing.

Mash was probably the best player in the country that season. RR was an erratic mistake-prone freshman. Seems pretty obvious which one should’ve been deferring to the other.
I loved Mash but it sure would have been nice to have them both shine. Like they did in NYC. Off the top of my head Mash got in foul trouble and RR carried the team. Just wish they both could has shined. I think Rick felt he owed Mash time for coming here. Wish they both could have shined. Wasn’t RR like the number 1 player coming out of high school?
 
  • Love
Reactions: Cowtown Cat

Smeegs

All-Conference
Nov 19, 2025
495
1,352
93
I loved Mash but it sure would have been nice to have them both shine. Like they did in NYC. Off the top of my head Mash got in foul trouble and RR carried the team. Just wish they both could has shined. I think Rick felt he owed Mash time for coming here. Wish they both could have shined. Wasn’t RR like the number 1 player coming out of high school?
I believe he was ranked number 2 behind Jason Kidd. But that doesn’t mean he should’ve been. Tons of players get overranked every year.

I think RR was just one of those overranked kids. That wasn’t Pitino or anyone else’s fault. And if he was supposedly somehow “ruined” by Pitino telling him as a freshman that he should defer to the returning All American Mashburn …well, then he was too weak-minded to begin with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MegaBlue05

CELTICAT

Heisman
May 21, 2002
19,199
18,648
113
When Pitino went to UL, there was this movement among some fans to rehabilitate Rod, and make him out to be some sort of victim. Around the same time, Saul Smith supplanted him as the most hated UK player by the fanbase.

Make no mistake though, Rod was seriously disliked by the fans and for good reason. He played big minutes for three seasons and basically had free reign during the 94 season. He was awful in March all three years. His three worst games came against Michigan, Marquette and UNC. Basically when the season was on the line, he wouldn’t simply disappear, he’d actively make UK lose. It wasn’t until the emergence of Antoine Walker that he could be benched.

Pitino didn’t offer to redshirt him, he gave his scholarship to Ron Mercer after Vandy declined to admit him, and told Rod to hit the bricks when he withdrew from the 95 draft.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smeegs

kyhankypanky

All-American
Mar 21, 2004
4,332
7,503
113
If you remember we went to NYC and RR looked great. His roommate told me Rick told him step back and let Mash shine. Maybe RR was weak but he never played the same. Maybe he had a mental block after being told to back off. His roommate told me this. Absolutely the truth!!
Or maybe RR was just never going to be that great in college…
 
  • Like
Reactions: Smeegs

Ash Williams

Heisman
Aug 3, 2022
8,040
26,045
113
And what’s wrong with that? Sounds to me like he told him exactly the right thing.

Mash was probably the best player in the country that season. RR was an erratic mistake-prone freshman. Seems pretty obvious which one should’ve been deferring to the other.
No, I remember, RR was dropping 25 in some games and there was a story circulating that Rick yanked RR's leash.This story from his roommate corroborates the rumor.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cowtown Cat

Cowtown Cat

Heisman
Aug 23, 2015
23,926
54,268
100
I loved Mash but it sure would have been nice to have them both shine. Like they did in NYC. Off the top of my head Mash got in foul trouble and RR carried the team. Just wish they both could has shined. I think Rick felt he owed Mash time for coming here. Wish they both could have shined. Wasn’t RR like the number 1 player coming out of high school?
He was ranked #1 in some rankings and Kidd was #1 in others.
 

Tim0808

All-Conference
Apr 4, 2013
677
1,097
93
Love Pitino but he ruined RR. I talked to RR roommate he told RR to let Mash shine and back off. RR was never the same. Remember when Dick Vitale said mash was the king and RR was the prince. I don’t get inside info a lot but this is absolutely true. I Still love Pitino.
I do not know what he did to RR, but I know he killed Kentucky basketball bringing Mark Pope to Lexington. This is absolutely true!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: *Fox2Monk*

kuhlkat

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2003
3,027
3,550
98
Rod Rhodes crying his eyes out on the bench against Arkansas during the SEC tournament championship in 95 after missing crucial free throws is burned into my brain. We won but he was so distraught he didn’t play in the OT.
Correct. That showed how mentally weak he was