Rajon Rondo joined the Cats at shootaround ahead of Kentucky vs. Louisville

Want to make a UofL fan mad in the hours leading up to tip-off between the Cats and Cards? Show them the photos of Lousville native Rajon Rondo joining Mark Pope at shootaround inside the KFC Yum! Center on Tuesday. He turned down his hometown program to play down the road at Kentucky back in the day, and now, he’s with the team in enemy territory ahead of the Battle of the Bluegrass.

Rondo talked with Pope on the scorer’s table as the Wildcats put in the final touches on pregame preparation before things tip off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Right where the UK legend belongs — although we’d prefer him actually on the bench as a coach, but we’ll get there one day.

Elsewhere, it was an eventful shootaround for the blue and white, no development more important than Otega Oweh being totally healthy amid incorrect speculation that his availability may be in question against the Cards.

The SEC Preseason Player of the Year was on the floor with his teammates, getting ready to show what he’s made of on the big stage — just as he did scoring 17 points in his rivalry debut last time around.

Some other looks from shootaround as we inch closer to tip-off:

And then perhaps the greatest shootaround hype video in the history of shootaround hype videos, showing off, again, Oweh preparing to play — along with Trent Noah, who missed the Valpo game with an ankle injury — plus plenty of made shots from the squad.

“It’s gonna be physical and salty and all of the things we love about the game of basketball,” Mark Pope told the team. “It’s what we live for, it’s why we do this. Let’s make sure we’re here and engaged in this thing, because it’s as good as it gets. Come on, let’s go.”

⏳😼🔵👀 pic.twitter.com/2Vi7a80aRy

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 11, 2025

It’s almost here, folks. Are you ready?