Adebola Adeyeye is leaving a lasting impact on Kyra Elzy
Many players would lie, cheat and steal to transfer from a small, lower-tier school to a top-tier, Power 5 program. However, Adebola Adeyeye isn’t similar to many players.
This Sunday, the Buffalo transfer will celebrate Senior Day as the Kentucky women’s basketball team faces off against Tennessee in Memorial Coliseum. Adeyeye only averages 4.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, but her impact is immeasurable.
“She has been an unbelievable addition to our program. Her energy is contagious.” UK head coach Kyra Elzy said during Friday’s press conference, “Ade is loyal. She’s going to work hard, she’s going to do the right thing. She’s a player that every coach wants to have.“
Adeyeye’s numbers may not speak for themselves, but she’ll do the talking. When you ask anybody on the team who the loudest Cat is, there’s only one answer: “Ade.” After four years of experience at Buffalo, Adeyeye learned how to talk on and off the court.
“She might be the loudest player I’ve ever coached, but I love it. Literally, we can be sitting in a film room, having a staff meeting and we can hear her talking in the locker room,” Elzy said.
Adeyeye’s loud voice isn’t limited to her in-game opponents.
“I was leaving practice the other day. I hear all this commotion and, of course, I hear Ade and she was like, ‘And-one!’ And I was like, ‘What’s happening?” I turn the corner and it’s Ade against Carter, one of our managers, who is literally beating her like crazy and she scored.“
Adeyeye’s self-inflicted extra practice has paid off. Prior to three games ago, the 6-foot-2 forward had not scored double figures in a Kentucky uniform. Now, Adeyeye has dropped double-digits two games in a row.
Adeyeye’s sudden surge is coming at the best time possible. UK’s starting center Nyah Leveretter went down with a torn ACL against Vanderbilt on Feb. 19. With their tallest player out, the Cats desperately needed a paint presence. Adeyeye is providing that.
The Ontario, Canada native will do anything to help the team, and she’s been that way before she even joined UK. During the offseason, Elzy felt like she had Adeyeye hooked, but could not reel her in. When Adeyeye finally committed to the Cats, she gave Elzy the reason why it took so long.
“She called me and she was fighting back the tears. She said, ‘I didn’t want to say yes to Kentucky because I was playing pick-up last week and I hurt my shoulder. I was waiting on the results, coach, because I wanted you to know exactly what you were getting and I understand if you don’t want to take me because I’m hurt and I only have one year left,” Elzy recalled.
The 44-year-old coach’s response was simple.
“I want to take you even more.”
Hopefully for Elzy, Adeyeye gives her one more performance to remember her by on Sunday.
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard