Davion Mintz on UK: "It's the best team I've ever been with in my entire life"
Davion Mintz has never taken his time at Kentucky for granted. During his Senior Night moment on Tuesday, that’ll be especially true as he’ll play one final home game at Rupp Arena with his favorite team of all time.
During a pre-Ole Miss press conference on Monday morning, Mintz spoke to reporters as he reflected back on his last two years at Kentucky, and even his time prior to Lexington when he was with the Creighton Bluejays. He touched on what his emotions will be like as he goes through the true Senior Night festivities, what he’ll remember most about this team, and how the last few years have changed his outlook on life.
But in the midst of his 20-minute conversation with the media, Mintz said something that stuck out and might tug at your heartstrings a little bit.
“These guys, we’ve gotten really close to each other and this is the most brotherhood team that I’ve been around in my entire life. It’s the best team I’ve ever been with in my entire life,” he said.
From the outside looking in, the Big Blue Nation knows how exactly close of a group this team is on and off the court. The roster is loaded with fan favorites and a perfect balance of youth and veterans, plus some of the most unique personalities to ever come through the program. Also, Kentucky is really, really good. But it’s the cohesion that the players and coaches have formed over the last several months that has helped turn them from a good team into a great team.
“I think everybody’s personality just meshed and fell together,” Mintz added. “I don’t think it was one specific thing. I think everyone came together and sacrificed one thing. In order to make something special, everyone has to put in a sacrifice and whatever way that is, then that’s what it is and everyone has to. But I think that everyone did on this team, whether it’s on the court or off the court.”
Best decision of his life
Mintz has said before how coming to Kentucky was the best decision of his life, and he reiterated that sentiment on Monday. It hasn’t always been an easy ride, but it was necessary for his own personal growth. He wants to be remembered by the fans as a winner and a fighter, which shouldn’t be much of an issue. No one would have blamed him if he didn’t want to return to UK after what he was forced into experiencing a year ago.
But he wanted a taste of the real Kentucky and has since accepted a new role off the bench where he’s thrived. That decision to come back put him in a position to do something special, which is certainly not lost on him.
“The way that we go out there and fight, even through the ups and downs, the uncertainties, everyone rallies behind each other and even when guys are hurt, they’re still out there cheering,” Mintz said of his teammates. “Even when we’re losing at a certain time, guys are still motivated, still clapping. 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 in any relationship, anything where 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 and looking forward, and that’s when you really see growth. That’s really what makes this team special to me.”
It’s not often that a team comes together perfectly in the locker room, but that appears to be the case for this year’s Kentucky squad.
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