Jordan Burks reacts to quick change to college basketball

For much of the offseason, Kentucky saw many of its own players drop like flies off the roster while John Calipari made very few additions to the team… until the month of June. Over the last 30 days or so, Calipari added a pair of freshmen in Joey Hart and Jordan Burks, as well as a transfer in Tre Mitchell while also returning Antonio Reeves. Yay, crisis avoided!

For guys like Burks and Hart, the transition to Kentucky was an immediate heel-turn from their previous plans. Burks was previously committed to Ole Miss but decided to de-commit after the recent coaching change. Now, he feels like he found his spot at UK.

“It was honestly just — it’s like it’s made. Like, I want to do it. I was ready for it, like, I embraced it,” Burks told reporters on Thursday. “Like, it’s basketball. That’s all I want to do is play basketball,” he added. Burks also commented that he’s ready and willing to learn from the experience early on.

“For me, also be a good student. I do my work too, but obviously, like, I’m ready to see — like Coach Cal say — fail fast, so we can see, like, what we need to work on when we get back. So I’m just ready for it.”

As for his role on the team, Jordan Burks might as well be play dough, since he’s ready to be molded into whichever position the team needs him to play.

“However Cal wants to use me to help win, I’m with it,” said Burks. “Whatever I got to do. If I got to play the five to be on the court, I’m gonna play the five. If he wants me to play the one I’m gonna play the one. Don’t matter.”

Burks then layed out all of the various skills he’ll bring to the team in 2023-24, including a selfless and whatever-it-takes-to-win attitude.

“Rebounding, blocking shots, being vocal, being a leader. I’m vocal, I want to win,” shared the rookie. “Great defense, it’s not even about scoring, it’s about all of us getting creative and getting somebody else open for them to score because I’d rather make someone else — I’d rather make two people happy than one person happy. That’s what Coach Cal say.“

That is definitely a classic Calipari quote. But no matter how corny, it’s nice to see some of the freshmen already buying into his coaching style.