Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart obviously liked what he heard from new coach Kenny Brooks Thursday. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Kenny Brooks made it clear Thursday he was not looking for a new job when Kentucky reached out to him about taking over the women’s basketball program.
He had built a consistent winner at Virginia Tech. The Hokies reached the 2023 Final Four and won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship last season — and might have made a Final Four run again if not for a season-ending injury to its All-American center.
“What we did at Virginia Tech was very, very special. What we did, created a buzz for women’s basketball that is much needed and much deserved. I was extremely proud about that,” Brooks said during his introductory press conference. “Our fight, you know through those years, we needed to win basketball games. But we needed to bring awareness to women’s basketball.’
Brooks said he was “looking forward” to the same challenge at UK despite UK’s abysmal record the last two seasons.
“I know Big Blue Nation is very passionate about their Wildcats. And I need each and every one of you and your efforts, your support, in many, many ways to make this happen here at Kentucky,” Brooks said.
Brooks was at ease sitting beside UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart during the press conference and not intimidated by the task ahead going against SEC powers South Carolina, LSU and others. Barnhart did point out that Brooks was 2-0 against Tennessee and 3-0 against Louisville the last two years.
“When I got to Virginia Tech, I felt like it was a sleeping giant. And as I continued to research everything about Kentucky, I know the academics here are wonderful. I know that the fan base is very passionate. I know that resources will allow you to get to a level where you can compete with anyone,” Brooks said.
“I know it is in the rich history of the SEC and the SEC’s leadership and where it’s going, you want to be aligned with that to try to create something very, very special. When I added all of that up, what I came up with is it’s going to be a sleeping giant that needs to be awakened. I am here and I’m going to come in here and we are going to work.”
Brooks was confident, but not cocky.
He’s taken teams to 10 NCAA Tournaments and the one Final Four. He’s had six WNBA draft picks since 2015 and seven overall. He’s won 20 or more games in 18 of his 22 seasons as a head coach, including 18 of the last 19 years. He’s had seven players named conference player of the year.
“We will have a winning attitude. And our expectations are to win. Obviously, I’m not going to disrespect the SEC and how powerful it is and we know that we have to do a lot of work to get to that point,” Brooks said.
“You can’t just sprinkle magic dust on it and say ‘Hey, we are going to win a national championship.’ A lot of work has to go into it and we are willing to do that. And so, I would not be here if I did not think it was a wonderful opportunity and this is an extremely wonderful opportunity not only for the program, but for me and my family.
“We are looking very forward to just being embraced by the community. I am a family man. It is very, very important to me that my family is good and my family is okay because that is what we are going to spread throughout the program is family. We are going to make sure and go out and we represent extremely well.”
One Response
It’s so refreshing to hear a basketball coach at the University of Kentucky talking about all the right things and showing the genuine intent to do the RIGHT THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS! Its an absolute travesty and disgrace that the men’s program was not allowed the same breath of fresh air and fresh start. This guy, within two years, is going to have the women’s basketball program back on the map and competitive, both in the SEC and NCAA. I can’t remember the last time I heard a UK basketball coach talking about "winning in the SEC", "winning for UK", hell, just "WINNING", period!!! And talking about getting it done through values like "hard work", "toughness", and "fight"—this guy represents all the right values and principles that you would want in a basketball coach. He is going to bring in and instill those values and principles in his teams right from the start, and those winning values are going to translate over to the court, and you will have a group of young ladies who are going to learn the right things, and who are going to be successful, both on and off the court. This coach is going to set goals, both for each player individually, and as a team, for everyone to reach for and play for, and THAT is the way you build team chemistry and team success. He is going to stress winning for UK first and foremost, but in doing so, each player can accomplish their goals and be successful both individually and as a team, and then the same for them off the court and after they leave UK as well. This coach is going to show that, in coaching basketball at KY, it IS POSSIBLE to win and be successful for the University of Kentucky, but also to "change lives and change players’ families lives" at the same time!!! But he is going to show that that can all be accomplished in the right way, through values like hard work and individual sacrifice for the benefit of TEAM SUCCESS, and NOT at the EXPENSE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY. Kenny Brooks, in time, is going to become the most popular coaching figure on campus, and is going to make the women’s bball program the new premier and new flagship bball program at the University of Kentucky. Anybody care to make a wager who wins an SEC or NCAA Tournament game first–Kenny Brooks or John Calipari?