Davion Mintz will cherish second Senior Night at Kentucky

Tomorrow night will be Davion Mintz‘s second Senior Night at Rupp Arena, but in many ways, it will feel like his first. Mintz was injured his senior season at Creighton and redshirted to save his eligibility. He watched his friends go through Senior Night ceremonies at CHI Health Center from the bench in a walking boot. A month later, in April 2020, he decided to transfer to Kentucky as a graduate student for a fresh start. Because of the pandemic, the program altered its traditional Senior Night ceremony last year and Mintz’s family couldn’t join him on the court. Tomorrow, they’ll be on the floor with him, the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice.

“That’s going to mean a lot to me,” Mintz said today. “Just to see how far we’ve come as a family. Sometimes even in the middle of the games, I’ll just be thinking, ‘Man, I really go to Kentucky. I’m really here right now.’ It’s still crazy to me.” 

Mintz, who speaks openly about his mental health, said the past two years have been a whirlwind of emotions. The uncertainty of his final days at Creighton and the isolation of his first year in Lexington will make tomorrow’s ceremony especially sweet.

“My family wasn’t able to come my Senior Night at Creighton — even though it wasn’t my Senior Night. So they didn’t get to show up, but just knowing the guys that were my freshman roommates and then we get to this special night and we’re all supposed to be walking together and I’ve got a boot on my ankle. I’m sitting here thinking, I don’t even know what’s next for me. And then next year, I come to Kentucky and I didn’t even expect that and I have a Senior Night and my parents can’t even come on the floor. So then this time, it’s like, okay, this is for real. I really get to see it and feel it.

“It’s just like a lot, it’s a lot to think about. It’s a lot of emotions that go into it because my journey has been crazy. I know my family is so proud of me. They don’t get to tell me all the time but I’m just thinking of the things my mom is thinking and my dad is thinking. Like, man, this kid has really been through a lot to get to this point. So, it’s going to be special for us.”

“It was the greatest thing that ever happened to me because I really found myself”

Mintz was Kentucky’s leading scorer last season. By the end of the year, he had essentially taken over as point guard. He decided to return to Kentucky for a final season of eligibility even though the new roster had plenty of options in the backcourt. With his support dog Ghost by his side, Mintz was ready to embrace the real Kentucky Basketball experience, even if it meant accepting a new role. As Kentucky’s sixth man, Mintz averages 8.7 points in 24.8 minutes per game compared to 11.5 points in 30.7 minutes last year. In the 2020-21 season, he started 20 of Kentucky’s 25 games; this year, he’s only started five, stepping in as lead point guard when Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington were out with injuries.

“I learned a lot and I found myself in it too,” Mintz said of this season. “You go on this life journey and sometimes you get so caught up and you think everything is about you. And then there comes a point in your life when you learn that when you can do stuff to impact other people, then you’ll be impacted more. That’s kind of what I learned this year. No matter what is thrown at me or no matter what I have to do, just understand that you’re going to be blessed regardless if you stay consistent with your morals, your faith, and your work ethic.

“For me, it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me because I really found myself this year and I started to fall in love with my role. And you really start to see who’s with you and who’s not when you go through something like this. Your real support system starts to step up and people who really care and value you start to show face and people who don’t do as well and that’s the best thing that can happen. You start to lose the cancers around you. The team is doing really well and I’m doing really well so I’ve learned a lot through this process.”

“I’ve just seen what the heart of this place is, really”

Mintz’s favorite game at Rupp might surprise you: the win over South Carolina on March 6, 2021. It was the final victory of the 2020-21 team’s 9-16 season. Mintz counts it as his Senior Night even though the actual event took place the week prior vs. Florida. He hit a career-high six threes and dished seven assists in the 92-64 win over the Gamecocks, a rare highlight from an otherwise depressing campaign.

“My game vs. South Carolina. I think it was our last game in Rupp. That’s kind of what I credit as my Senior Night because we lost the Senior Night but just seeing everyone get to play. We got to clear the whole bench, the walk-ons, and everybody got to get in so that was really our Senior Night and we won the game and I was just playing out of my mind. I really got into that zone and I started hitting so that felt good.”

Playing in a packed Rupp Arena is one of the reasons Mintz returned to Kentucky. He said the crowds at the last two home games have been extra special.

“Just seeing it was so loud and it was a 9 p.m. game, it was Alabama and LSU. [Big Blue Nation] got crazy in there when we got on those runs. I really don’t think we would have made the runs that we did or even won the game without BBN, honestly, because it was loud. I could see the other players in there, their eyes got big and one of the guys specifically told me, he was like, ‘Bro, it’s crazy in here right now.’ And I was like, ‘Welcome.’”

The power of the BBN extends beyond Rupp Arena. After the win over Kansas in Lawrence, Mintz met his No. 1 fan, 16-year-old Makenna Lunsford. The two bonded over injuries and mental toughness, which inspired Mintz to score a career-high 21 points the next game out. Moments like that showed Mintz that being a Kentucky Basketball player is about so much more than just a sport.

“I’ve certainly gotten that this year,” he said today of the Kentucky Basketball experience. “It’s been a great season. Just looking back from last year all the way to this year, we’ve come a long way and I’ve just seen what the heart of this place is, really. Even though everyone was still super encouraging last year, this year’s just completely different. Seeing this place filled up, it’s been great. That’s really all I can say about it. It’s been the best decision of my life, once again.” 

“I want to be known as that guy who tried to give his all no matter what happened”

When the dust (hopefully, confetti) settles on the 2021-22 season, how will we remember Davion Mintz? Assistant coach Chin Coleman has only known him for a year but is already a huge fan.

“Character,” Coleman said of what stands out about Mintz. “First and foremost is character. He’s obviously been through some triumphs and obviously some hardships. That’s just how college basketball goes and I think that the kid is unbelievable and his character always shines through. So, for us, he’s been consistent in who he is. He comes to the gym and he’s what I call an Everyday Guy. He’s going to definitely be missed but we’ve got so much left to do and he’s going to be a big part of it of what all we have left to do.”

“I want to be known as that guy who tried to give his all no matter what happened, honestly,” Mintz said. “That guy that you knew was always going to go out there and fight. A guy that will sacrifice everything for his team and then leave as a winner. When you see my name and put it beside Kentucky, I want people to say, this guy won and he fought every night and he tried and he represented this place the way we wanted it to be represented.”

“This is the most brotherhood of a team I’ve ever been around”

Of course, the fact that Kentucky is doing so well makes Mintz’s final run in Lexington all the more memorable. Creighton went to the NCAA Tournament his freshman and sophomore seasons but lost in the first round. Last year’s Kentucky team lost in the first round of the SEC Tournament and did not make the NCAA Tournament. Mintz can’t wait to see what this group does in March.

“I’ve never won a game in March Madness so I’m looking forward to getting there,” Mintz said. “These guys, we’ve gotten really close to each other. This is the most brotherhood of a team I’ve ever been around in my entire life and it’s the best team I’ve been on in my entire life so that says something about it.”

Listening to Mintz describe what makes this team special is almost like listening to someone describe him.

“Honestly, just the way we go out there and fight. Even through the ups and downs, the uncertainties, everything, everyone rallies behind each other. Even when guys are hurt on the floor, they’re still out there cheering. And even when we’re losing, guys are still motivated, still clapping and that’s really what makes people special.

“The one thing I can say is we don’t turn our backs on each other when it gets rough. That’s the most important thing of any relationship, anything when you’re trying to build, you can’t turn your back when it gets rough. That’s really been the most special part. And then just the way we’re able to turn around. Like, okay, this happened. We’re turning around, we’re looking forward, and that’s when you really see growth. That’s really what makes this team special to me.”