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The current Kentucky MBB team has been La Familia's biggest supporter

Zack Geogheganby: Zack Geoghegan07/21/25ZGeogheganKSR
2025-26 Kentucky men's basketball players - Aaron Perkins, Kentucky Sports Radio
2025-26 Kentucky men's basketball players - Aaron Perkins, Kentucky Sports Radio

The Big Blue Nation has showed out at Memorial Coliseum for La Familia’s first two games in The Basketball Tournament.

Fans from all over the state have made the trip to Lexington to watch their favorite former Wildcats in action, some of those players over a decade removed from their college days. It’s a nostalgic event for a large group of Kentucky fans — cheering on a talented team that keeps on winning just makes it that much more fun.

But the majority of La Familia’s roster doesn’t hold a connection to the new era of Kentucky men’s basketball under head coach Mark Pope. Of the eight former Wildcats on the team, Ansley Almonor is the only one who didn’t suit up for former head coach John Calipari. But Pope has made it a point to embrace the past generation. His players have taken it upon themselves to do the same.

At both of La Familia’s TBT games, current Kentucky players have been front and center to catch the action. Otega Oweh has been a walking celebrity, fans asking for autographs and pictures the moment he steps into the building. Jaland Lowe, Jayden Quaintance, Malachi Moreno, Denzel Aberdeen, Braydon Hawthorne, Reece Potter, and Mo Dioubate have also shown up in support of the former ‘Cats and meet the fans.

But no moment was better when the current team joined in on the dog-pile celebration after Archie Goodwin scored the Elam Ending game-winner in a tight win over War Ready on Sunday afternoon. Court-stormings aren’t common in Lexington — this one was worth it, though.

Aaron Perkins, Kentucky Sports Radio
Aaron Perkins, Kentucky Sports Radio
Aaron Perkins, Kentucky Sports Radio

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2025-08-02