Friday's Top 10: Winter is coming

@MrsTylerKSR

Winter is coming on Sunday in the form of the “Game of Thrones” Season 7 premiere, and what better way to get ready than this picture of HafÃ¾Ã³r JÃºlÃus BjÃ¶rnsson, aka Gregor Clegane, aka “The Mountain,” throwing up three goggles with Michael, a diehard UK and KSR fan? For those who don’t watch the show, here’s what The Mountain looks like in costume:

Also, don’t worry; if you stop your life right now and start binge watching, you’ll be ready for Sunday night. Or, you can just catch up with Nick and TJ Walker’s Kentucky Thrones Radio podcast, a new episode of which you can expect later today, I hear.

In the meantime, here’s what’s going on in the world of UK sports….

1. Zion Williamson wants to decide before his senior season

John Calipari started his recruiting marathon by watching Zion Williamson at the adidas Gauntlet Finale in Spartanburg, and the five-star forward definitely put on a show, scoring 31 points to lead SC Supreme to the comeback win:

Williamson told our own Jack Pilgrim that he’d like to make his college decision before the start of his senior season, and that his relationship with Calipari is “really good.”

“We have a really good relationship,” Williamson said. “He tells me if my dream is to go to the NBA, he can help me achieve that.”

Here’s hoping that really good relationship and NBA pitch is enough to get Zion out of the Carolinas. Read more of his comments here.

2. Cal finished the day watching Marvin Bagley and Bol Bol

How big is the hype around the No. 1 player in the 2018 class? Kevin Durant came to watch him play (and sat next to Kenny Payne) and Calipari fired up the private jet for the 115-mile trip between Spartanburg and North Augusta to see him in the night session, where he was joined by Malik Monk. The 6’11” power forward has lived up to the hype so far, averaging 25 points and 13 rebounds through three games. Here are his highlights from the early game:

Where does Kentucky stand in the race for what some are calling a once-in-a-generation type player? He’ll take an official visit to Duke following the Peach Jam, but said he plans to make it to Kentucky eventually.

3. Bol Bol says he has no hard feelings over being cut from Calipari’s U19 Team

The question on everyone’s mind after 7’3″ Bol Bol was cut from the U19 Team was what effect it would have on Kentucky’s chances in his recruitment. Bol told reporters yesterday that he has no hard feelings about the decision, which he knows wasn’t just Calipari’s.

“It wasn’t just his fault,” Bol said via Kyle Tucker. “It was a coaching staff and a USA Basketball staff, so I don’t really blame him for not putting me on the team, because he can’t, like, officially decide everyone who’s on the team.”

4. Romeo Langford re-aggravated his back injury

Langford battled back spasms throughout the FIBA World Cup, and yesterday, they flared up again during his first game at the adidas Gauntlet Finale. No word yet on if he’ll be able to go today. Despite a report from Evan Daniels that Kentucky is fading in the race for the New Albany native, that didn’t stop Calipari and Joel Justus from being front and center for his first game.

5. More good vibes from Immanuel Quickley

Quickley continues to give off vibes that he could be the first 2018 recruit to commit to Kentucky, telling Jack Pilgrim and other reporters that he was very impressed with Calipari during the FIBA World Cup.

“It was good. We wanted to win the gold but obviously came up a little short. It was a good experience overall on and off the floor. (Calipari) is a great coach on and off the floor. I think it was really cool to get to learn from him. When you spend time for three or four weeks, almost a month with one person you get to know them pretty well.”

Well enough to want to spend a whole year with him? We’ll see soon.

6. Today’s schedule

Peach Jam

9:00 AM: Nike Phamily (Marvin Bagley) vs. Howard Pulley
10:30 AM: Cal Supreme (Bol Bol) vs. Oakland Soldiers
6:00 PM: New York Lightning vs. Nike Phamily (Marvin Bagley)
9:00 PM: Bradley Beal Elite vs. Cal Supreme (Bol Bol)

adidas Gauntlet Finale

10:20 AM: SC Supreme (Zion Williamson) vs. Garner Road
10:20 AM: Team BBC (Immanuel Quickley) vs. Gamepoint Pump N Run
1:00 PM: Rytes Warriors vs. Twenty Two Vision (Romeo Langford)
1:00 PM: Team Arsenal vs. Basketball University (Quentin Grimes)

Want to watch? Peach Jam games are being streamed on Facebook via FloHoops and adidas games via BallisLife.

7. All-SEC Preseason Teams will be announced today

Media Days is over, but this morning, the media’s choices for the All-SEC Preseason Teams and conference standings will be released. Did they pick Kentucky or South Carolina third in the East? Or, did old habits die hard and the Cats didn’t get any respect?

Speaking of football…

8. The 2017 Schedule posters are available at Kroger starting tomorrow

Starting tomorrow morning at 8 a.m., all seven posters will be available at Kroger stores statewide, so go get yours. And if you go to the Euclid one, say hi to John Short.

9. You all have a lot of french fry opinions

Yesterday was National French Fry Day — one of the least annoying of the “Why is this a holiday?” holidays — and to celebrate, I ran a Twitter poll asking people to pick their favorite fries between McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Arby’s, and Chick-fil-A. Naturally, McDonald’s won, but people went after me for not including Rally’s. In the interest of a fair and complete evaluation, I’m including Rally’s (or, as it is called in Tennessee, Checkers) in a new poll below: