BJ Boston (UK Athletics Photo)
Kentucky freshman BJ Boston said when he was in the eighth grade he first understood he was really good at basketball. He started getting “locked in on myself” and training harder daily to get better. However, he also got a big boost a few years earlier from his dad that he still puts to use.
“I feel like that was the year (eighth grade) for me that I just knew, you’ve got to put the hard work in in order to be the best,” Boston said. “My dad used to wake me up in sixth grade.
“My dad would wake me up because we had school at 8. He would wake me up at 7 and we would go shoot at the YMCA at 7:30 and I would walk to the new school, which was three minutes away. I would walk there and start school. We’ve been doing that ever since, getting up earlier than everybody else.”
Kentucky coach John Calipari obviously locked in on Boston early, too, because Boston made his first unofficial visit to UK his freshman year.
“I just came and watched some practice and it was just awesome. I loved it ever since,” Boston said.
That helped lead him to commit to UK early and now he’s being counted on to be a catalyst for this year’s team. Those expectations are fine with Boston, a consensus top five player in the 2020 recruiting class.
“I feel like I’m going to bring confidence, the scoring, the playmaking, helping my team win,” Boston said. “I’m just going to play winning basketball and play on both sides of the court. Uplift my team. Just do everything I can to come out with a W at the end of the game.
“I really wouldn’t put expectations on me. I would just tell them (fans) to come and watch the game. I’ll put on a show every game.”
Several former Kentucky players put on a “show” in the NBA bubble and Calipari has used NBA players to motivate Boston.
“He always stresses to me about moving, flying off screens like Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson (of the Miami Heat), just getting straight to the basket like Jimmy Butler was doing,” Boston said. “Just the movement of our offense. It’s not really different. It’s some of the same things I feel like. Me watching it and me playing it, it makes it easier.”
Kentucky coaches are working with Boston on getting straight to the basket, having a quicker release on his shot as well as a higher release point.
“Just going out there and playing my game honestly,” the Kentucky freshman said.
Boston transfer to prep power Sierra Canyon (Calif.) for his senior season and games not only were televised but also drew capacity crowds. He’s also played in major AAU competitions and mores.
“I feel like playing in those big games in big arenas with all of those people, I feel like it’s helped me tremendously,” Boston said. “At the college level, there’s going to be arenas just like that. I feel like that’s just helped me prepare and act like I’ve been there before the next time that I play.”
Several high profile freshmen players Boston has played against will be on other Southeastern Conference rosters this year. It’s a challenge Boston is already excited about.
“It’s just going to be fun because of all the past years, all the hard work we put in and now we’re here playing on the DI level,” he said. “It’s just going to be fun and we’re going to compete.”
