Chris Livingston having twin brother Cordell nearby is a helpful mental boost

Kentucky men’s basketball freshman Chris Livingston was blessed with an NBA-ready frame by the time he was 16 years old. Dubbed the “best Akron-born player since LeBron James”, there’s always been plenty of pressure surrounding the humble yet talkative 6-foot-7 wing. He left his hometown in Ohio for Oak Hill Academy (VA) to play out his final year of high school, and is once again in unfamiliar territory as he adjusts to his new life in Lexington.

But realistically, Livingston isn’t going to be far away from home at all.

His twin brother, Cordell Livingston, is set to begin his freshman season of college basketball in the Bluegrass State this fall, albeit at a different level of competition. Cordell committed to play basketball for Kentucky State, a Divison II school located roughly 30 minutes outside of the UK campus in Frankfort. He wasn’t blessed with the same physical genes as his twin brother — checking in at a clean 6-feet, 175 pounds — but he’s a talented hooper in his own right.

“I mean, that’s my twin brother, so we’re close,” Chris Livingston told the media on Friday. “Being at the same school with each other ever since we were growing up, playing basketball with each other, we’re as close as twins as you could imagine to be.”

When Chris transferred to Oak Hill ahead of the 2021-22 season, so did Cordell. They were teammates at Akron’s Buchtel High School for years prior to that. This summer will be the first time the two have ever been apart for an extended period of time. Cordell doesn’t arrive at Kentucky State’s campus on July 1.

That being said, living right down the road from each other expects to be beneficial for both.

“Very important,” Livingston said about staying near Cordell. “It’s something that you’ve got to get used to, growing up with somebody that you played basketball with, that you went to school with every day, you obviously gotta get used to it. It takes time but I think we’ll be fine.”

The brothers have always been able to rely on each other when the challenges of life present themselves. They won’t be living in the same house anymore, but staying close shouldn’t be much of a task.

“I guess mentally and emotionally, talking to each other on the phone every day since I’ve been gone,” Livingston added about how he and Cordell lean on each other. “We’re used to not being at home since we went to Oak Hill, so that helps a lot. Just staying in touch and in contact with each other.”

Chris is over 300 miles from home, but his support group will always be close by.