KSR Today: A mixed bag entering (another) hot summer weekend

I’m sure you know this by now, but it’s blistering hot outside. Scorching. Brutal. Where I sit currently in beautiful Shelbyville, KY, it’s 80 degrees with a high of 93 peaking in the early afternoon. And it’s like that just about everywhere, coming off the official first day of summer on Thursday, June 20 — the longest day of the year.

We’re entering the dog days of summer, folks, where recruiting and offseason practices take over with Kentucky football and basketball seasons three and four months away, baseball sadly in the rearview mirror.

Today is a good example of that, a mixed bag of what’s to come in the world of UK Athletics. Let’s get rolling as we prepare for another hot one, shall we?

NCAA Scholastic Live Period begins

Be prepared for updates on the whereabouts of Mark Pope and his coaching staff this weekend as the first June Scholastic Live Period is set for June 21-23, coaches allowed to attend from noon Friday to 6 p.m. Sunday. It’s not an AAU weekend, but rather players suiting up with their respective high school squads for summer tournaments across the country.

Among the events approved by the NCAA, opening the door for a Kentucky staff member or two to attend?

I realized about halfway down this list that it was going to be obnoxiously long, but felt I was already too committed to turn back. The whole point was to include a note on the KABC Titans Shootout in Shelbyville, a surprise roster update that should pique the interest of Big Blue Nation.

Five-star guard Jasper Johnson will suit up for Woodford County this afternoon for the first time since his move to Link Academy for his junior season. He’ll be with the Yellowjackets for their head-to-head battle vs. Fern Creek at 3 PM ET at Collins High School before his official visit schedule continues with Illinois (June 22-23) followed by Alabama (June 24-25).

In-state standouts Malachi Moreno (Great Crossing), Tay Kinney (Newport) and Jayden Johnson (Trinity) will also be taking the floor in Shelbyville throughout the weekend with Kentucky coaches scheduled to be in attendance — among many stops.

Be prepared for a hectic recruiting weekend for the Wildcats.

Malik Monk gets paid

While you were sleeping (or winding down for the night, at minimum), former Kentucky star Malik Monk got paid. And it’ll continue to be where he created magic as the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year runner-up alongside his fellow backcourtmate in Lexington, De’Aaron Fox, with the Sacramento Kings.

After averaging career-highs in points (15 PPG) and assists (5 APG), the Kings re-signed the former Wildcat to a lucrative four-year, $78 million extension to keep the dynamic guard duo together in Sacramento.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news late last night, adding that his agents began negotiations shortly after the NBA Finals and reached the deal to avoid free agency, the maximum contract the Kings were allowed to pay Monk.

“Huge offseason priority for Sacramento,” Woj said.

Time to get those dice ready?

Kentucky football recruiting is on fire right now under Mark Stoops and Vince Marrow, a third straight monster official visitor weekend ready to roll in Lexington. The last two have resulted in commitments, starting with OT Darrin Strey and followed by WR Ja’Kayden Ferguson and CB Andrew Purcell. Who is up next?

Under-the-radar EDGE prospect Nicholas Smith is scheduled to make an announcement at some point this weekend with the Wildcats sitting pretty there — that could be the first. Elsewhere, the likes of Dejerrian “DJ” Miller, Kamare Williams, Kalen Edwards, Cedric Works, Jaiden Braker, Jason Ekperuoh and Jermiel Atkins will all be on campus, as well.

Can the Wildcats keep those dice rolling in the coming days? Odds are pretty good.

Cameron Mills says Kentucky hit ‘A LOT’ of threes in practice

Summer practice is underway for Mark Pope and his first batch of Wildcats in Lexington, the first being this past Monday. He’s talked about throwing a lot at his team early knowing they’d make mistakes, but growing from them and enjoying the long-term process. A point of emphasis? Defense and transition offense, catch-and-shoot threes something Pope will take “every possession all game.”

“I love you attacking, I love you punching, and I love you skipping,” he told the squad. “I love all those things.”

How about our first behind-the-scenes update about how things are going inside the Joe Craft Center? Cameron Mills, who played at Kentucky from 1994-98, was a special guest at practice on Thursday. Coming from someone who hit 81 3-pointers in four seasons for the Cats during his time in Lexington, it means something when he says this group lets it fly and hits at a wild rate.

“Loved being there! And loved watching the hardest working teammate I ever had, working his new team out, hard,” Mills said on social media. “This was after practice this morning. Weight room was next. (By the way), A LOT of 3’s made today. A LOT!”

Music to Big Blue Nation’s ears.

Stay cool out there, folks. Go Cats.

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