Back when Virginia Tech graduate transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr. initially announced he would explore his options, there were mixed reports on Kentucky’s potential involvement. While multiple outlets, including KSR, reported that the UK coaching staff had been in contact with and visited the 6-foot-11 big man and his family in Orlando, Florida, Blackshear’s father refuted reports on two separate occasions before finally admitting the events did, in fact, happen.
At the time, it was unclear as to why there was so much secrecy when it came to Kentucky’s interest in the highly-coveted graduate transfer. One theory was that the UK coaching staff didn’t want EJ Montgomery and Nick Richards, who were both testing the NBA Draft waters at the time, to feel that they were being forced out of Lexington.