Inside Access: Field of 68 Brings Kentucky Basketball Practice to Fans Like Never Before
If you’ve been itching for Kentucky Basketball content, today was a treat. The crew from The Field of 68 Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster rolled into Lexington for the final stop of their preseason practice tour, and this time, it was all about the Wildcats.
After visiting Indiana, Purdue, and Louisville earlier in the week, the duo settled in at the Joe Craft Center to watch Mark Pope’s team work out. But instead of keeping their observations behind closed doors, they turned the cameras on and streamed live for nearly two hours, offering BBN a front-row seat to September basketball.
Of course, Goodman and Dauster didn’t come to town quietly. They started the day at KSBar and Grille with Ryan Lemond and Jack Pilgrim before hitting the practice floor. Later tonight, fans will also catch them on the Sources Say podcast, wrapping up their Lexington stop with even more insight.
A Full Dose of Practice Unfiltered
For years, Kentucky fans have had to live off 30- or 60-second edited practice clips. Today? They got the real thing. The Field of 68 cameras rolled for over 20 minutes, showing rotations, shooting drills, dunks, and defensive sets in raw form. It was as close as fans have come to sitting courtside at a September practice.
Standout Moments and Player Updates
Plenty of storylines surfaced during the show:
- Otega Oweh sidelined but upbeat
The SEC Preseason Player of the Year confirmed he’s been dealing with turf toe, keeping him out for about four weeks. The good news? He’s just “two weeks away” from being back at full strength. Oweh insisted that if Kentucky had a game today, he’d “100 percent” be on the floor. - Depth so strong, think ‘Platoon’
Oweh also dropped the P-word: “We’re super deep. We could platoon if we wanted to.” It’s been years since Kentucky had the roster balance to even consider that, but Oweh believes the hunger across the roster makes it possible. - Kam Williams goes nuclear
Collin Chandler revealed that freshman Kam Williams hit ten threes in a row during Monday’s practice. Contested, open, didn’t matter ten straight shots went down. “Probably 30 points in a row,” Chandler laughed. - Jasper Johnson bulks up
The prized freshman said he’s now up to 190 pounds, adding 10–15 pounds since his run with Team USA this summer. Coach Pope has been pushing him to eat more meals and build strength, and the progress is already showing. - Fatherhood brings joy to Brandon Garrison
The big man lit up when talking about his young son, Akarii, who turns two next month. His favorite moment so far? Hearing “Dada” for the first time. Garrison even joked that he’s a diaper-changing expert now. - Jaland Lowe shouts out Denzel Aberdeen
Lowe pointed to Aberdeen as one of the quiet breakout stars of practice, praising his talent and energy after transferring from Florida. “He’s playing at a level right now that’s incredible to see,” Lowe said.
Mark Pope: Personality Front and Center
Coach Pope had his share of memorable moments too. When asked about past coaching rumors, he confirmed he was interested in the Arizona job in 2021 before Tommy Lloyd landed it. Kentucky fans, of course, are grateful things worked out the way they did.
Later, during a lighthearted segment, Pope was asked to play the board game Operation. The twist? The game wasn’t even turned on. That mishap led to a much more serious story: Pope revealed that his daughter recently underwent an emergency appendectomy while on a mission trip in El Salvador. The family FaceTimed the surgeon throughout the procedure. Thankfully, she’s recovering well now.
A New Era, A Different Energy
One of the most telling comments of the day came from Collin Chandler, who described the vibe around the facility this year compared to last:
“Last season, everybody was new. We were figuring things out, players and coaches. Now? Everyone’s locked in. We know what we want to do, and it’s been really smooth.”
It’s a message that should resonate with fans — Pope’s first year was about transition. Year two? It’s about identity.
What’s Next
The Field of 68 wrapped their live show after nearly two hours of practice access and interviews, but they aren’t done. Their sit-down with Sources Say will air tonight at 8 p.m. ET on the KSR YouTube channel.
For now, Big Blue Nation can take comfort in what today revealed: Kentucky has depth, confidence, and momentum building under Mark Pope. September basketball usually leaves fans starving for scraps but this time, they got a full meal.
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