Herro is a "dog," not just a "white kid who can shoot"

Tyler Herro was ice cold from the field against Kansas, but he did everything else to make up for a poor shooting performance. His head coach, John Calipari, said after the game, “Tyler didn’t make shots, but I thought played well because now he’s defending and rebounding. He doesn’t have to make shots every time." Assistant coach Kenny Payne echoed that comment on Monday, telling reporters Herro is doing it all. Payne said, “I think that what is happening for Tyler Herro, right in front of our eyes, is non-basketball people are looking at him saying he’s missing shots. Basketball people are looking at Tyler saying, ‘Man, his energy. Man, he can pass. Man, he’s defending. He does a little bit of everything. He can drive to the basket.’ So, there’s this people being so concerned with shooting that they’re forgetting and not noticing exactly what he’s bringing to the table.” Herro calls himself "a dog," Payne said, which should come as no surprise, given Herro's confidence. When asked what makes Herro a dog, Payne explained it as, “In my dictionary, it means an alpha. That I will fight you for everything you get. I’m not just a white kid that can shoot. I can play." Herro is trying to shake the white kid/shooter label that is often attached to guards who look like him. "If you don’t look at my skin color and we just go play basketball, you’re not going to say I’m a white kid that can just shoot,” he said. Payne also added that Herro takes pride in being a complete, all-around player, and he referred to Herro's attitude as, ‘I’m coming here to show people that I’m not just a shooter. I’m going after people. I can play. I can put it on the floor. I’ve got wiggles. I’ve got swag. You name it, I got it.’ ”