Kellan Grady liked what he said was a "pro-style offense" at Kentucky. (Davidson Athletics Photo)
Convincing Davidson graduate transfer Kellan Grady to join the Kentucky basketball program apparently was not that hard of a sell for coach John Calipari. The 6-5 Grady, who will be 24 when the season starts, scored over 2,000 points in four years at Davidson and averaged over 17 points per game.
“Kentucky was my No. 1 choice throughout the process,” Grady said Wednesday during a Zoom call with UK media members. “But (Calipari) and I watched film over Zoom and he showed me a lot of actions where he envisioned me excelling in and pass actions. It’s just his emphasis on making plays and playing with freedom.”
And Grady does plan to be a one-and-done on his way to the NBA.
“His belief in me that I can be an NBA player and that he can truly help me get there was very convincing for me and that meant a lot,” Grady said about Calipari. “And it was very easy for me to see how genuine he was, how much he cares about his players.
“He instills confidence in his players and that, to me, is incredibly important. It was a combination of great factors that led to my decision.”
While Kentucky has been connected to a lot of players who put their names into the transfer portal, Calipari wasted no time offering and moving on Grady knowing how much UK was hurt by the lack of outside scoring during last year’s 9-16 season. Calipari’s presentation to Grady included showing him how Tyler Herro, Malik Monk, and Jamal Murray — all current NBA players — were used at UK.
Grady liked the “complete environment” he found at UK.
“It’s Coach Calipari’s track record of really developing players and getting them a really good shot at becoming NBA players and putting his players in position to be put in next-level type scenarios on the court. It’s a really contemporary, pro-style offense,” Grady said. “From what I’ve heard from other people who have gone through the Kentucky experience, Coach Cal really fights for you and advocates for you at the next level.
“It’s an opportunity to be on a really good team and be competitive nationally and play at the biggest stage. That’s something I think I need at this time. I’m excited to play in front of over 20,000 fans, hopefully, if the pandemic is in order by then. But overall it’s a great opportunity at the biggest stage that will challenge me to compete against the highest stage of college basketball on a daily basis. I think that’s what I need right now.”
Kentucky really needs a mature, shot-making guard with size also who can play either guard spot.
“His size, his skills, his scoring ability, and his playmaking ability speak volumes to the player that he is. He is a four-year starter whose toughness and the fight will add to our team. His game-to-game consistency — his scoring, his ability to share the ball, and his defense — is part of what makes him special,” Calipari said in a release from UK.
