Kentucky roster is ready for the next generation of rivalry with Louisville

The beef between the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville is the kind of iconic, historic rivalry that can find a way to permeate everything. It's a lifelong pursuit for many fans and something that can persist for former players long after they leave the program. For example, earlier this week a game between Kentucky and Louisville alumni in The Basketball Tournament nearly boiled over into an all-out brawl.

And it doesn't take long for new players and fans to absorb the antagonism. Per KYInsider, numerous incoming Kentucky players were at the alumni matchup at The Basketball Tournament and instantly seemed to embrace this new rivalry.

Jaxon Robinson averaged 14.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game last season for the BYU Cougars but has transferred to Kentucky for a fifth year of eligibility, following new Wildcat head coach Mark Pope.

“It was crazy,” he said after the game, per KYInsider. “Having all those fans there, seeing how much it means to the state of Kentucky. Louisville vs. Kentucky. It makes me excited to play any game, to be honest with you.”

Koby Brea is another transfer, a sharpshooting guard who averaged 11.1 points per game and shot 49.8 percent from beyond the arc last season for Dayton.

"Just to be around that kind of environment and see how hectic and passionate our fans are in that rivalry — we’re competitors, and we want to be a part of that,” he said. “We know that any time we’re playing against competition like that, it’s gonna be a good game and that’s what we want to be a part of. I think me and the rest of the group are super pumped for that.”

Otega Oweh, a transfer from Oklahoma just put his feelings right on social media.

This kind of legacy and adoption of Kentucky pride could be a big factor in the success of Pope as he takes over from John Calipari. Their 14-player roster includes nine transfers and three freshmen who will be new to the program — it's likely that their entire starting lineup will be made up of transfers.

In a way-too-early ranking for the 2024-25 season, ESPN slotted this new-look Kentucky team at No. 23, highlighting the changes: "Mark Pope's first roster in Lexington will look drastically different from most of his predecessor's teams. Out are the five-star freshmen, in are a slew of prolific 3-point shooters to stretch defenses."

While their is some uncertainty about how this season will play out for Kentucky they and their fans can take some comfort in the fact that Louisville is nowhere to be found in that preseason top-25.