Meeting the Kentucky Basketball Players

After I got back into the swing of things after the loss in the Final Four I came up with the idea to take the kids to meet all the players who are departing for the NBA. This was going to be quite an undertaking, but I knew that it was something that I needed to do for myself and it would be something cool that the kids could look back on one day. I decided to take this as a time to say my personal goodbyes and thanks to this great group of young men. As we all know, the BBN is pretty crazy when it comes to basketball, but I had no idea just how difficult it would be to meet all these players. The first player that we had the opportunity to meet was Willie Cauley-Stein. We attended the opening day baseball game of the legends where Willie was throwing out the first pitch. Since this was my first time waiting in a long line with the kids, I was highly unprepared. Thankfully I had a friend that stood in line with me. Between the two of us we were able to wrangle the kids for the 2 hours that we waited in line to meet Willie.

I think Willie got a kick out of Landon's outfit. He wore a headband and was carrying around a little basketball.

I was a little upset that they said we couldn't come behind the table and get a good picture with Willie. The kids were too distracted and wouldn't look at the camera.

Willie has been one of my favorite Kentucky players in the Calipari Era. He has been a fun guy to watch and I thanked him for the past three years and also mentioned that I was a nurse at UK Children's Hospital and I was thankful for the time he spent to come and visit the kids.

Landon still wasn't interested in the camera, but at least Brinley was looking this time.

I had originally told Jennifer that I was only going to get Willie's autograph. However, I thought about it all day Friday and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to meet them all. So, I packed the kids in the car and we started out on an adventure to Hazard. We had to make this 2 hour trip, because I had missed a few of the players when they did their signings close to Lexington. At the time they had not scheduled any additional dates close to us that I could attend due to my weekend work schedule. The kids slept the whole way down to Hazard and after getting lost trying to find the Wildcat Wearhouse they were excited to get out of the car. Since yesterday's adventure had been crazy trying to corral the kids, I decided to bring the wagon along for the kids to stay in. I packed up enough stuff for an army and we headed to the back of the line to wait for a chance to meet Karl Anthony Towns and Devin Booker.

It was one of the hottest days of the year and it just so happened that the line wrapped around the building and when we got to the end it was in direct sunlight. Thankfully I had the umbrella to shield the kids from getting burnt. Both kids enjoyed many snacks and Brinley really enjoyed eating her Olaf sucker.

These two did amazingly well considering everything that I was asking them to do. Many of the people around us complimented them on how well behaved they were. They spent a lot of time munching on snacks and playing on the iPad and my iPhone. They were really content for almost the entire 3 hours that we waited in line. It wasn't until we were a few people from meeting the guys that Landon started to have a little meltdown. Thankfully he calmed down to meet the guys.

Karl signing while Devin and I talk. I told them I was a season ticket holder and that I went to the Final Four. I told them it was a lot of fun watching them play and that I wished them both good luck in the NBA. They were both really nice and it made me glad that I showed up to meet them both. 

Devin signing our basketball.

Brinley gave both of them high fives too! She was so proud of herself too! I think this will be something better to tell people later in life instead of something silly like licking Devin's car.

Karl and Devin with us! These guys were great and I wish them nothing but success in any of their future endeavors. I just wish that they could have stuck around longer because they are both really special players.

The kids with our signed basketball. Brinley is pointing out Devin's autograph.

 After this signing was the weekend and I had to go to work so I wasn't able to get anything then, but I had a few more players that we needed to meet. Next on the list were the Harrison twins. They were going to be in Simpsonville at the outlet mall, which is right outside of Louisville. They had actually been in Lexington on Friday, but we missed them because we were in Hazard meeting Karl and Devin. This was the first trip that Jennifer was able to make with us because she didn't have to work. She didn't care to meet them or be in the picture, so she was our photographer. Jennifer dropped me off so that I could get in line and she took the kids to go get something to eat. I waited about and hour and half in line before they came to join me. Those 30-45 minutes waiting in line with the kids was very difficult. There was a playground right next to the line that we were in and both kids wanted to play in it. Thankfully we were able to distract them enough so that we could keep our spot in line.

Brinley excited to meet the twins. Here Andrew is signing our ball. The downfall of this meeting was that it was moved to inside the food court because it was too cold outside. They weren't prepared with a back drop, so all the pictures have random people in the food court.

They were both really nice and I wished them both luck in the NBA and told them it was a lot of fun to watch them the past 2 years. Brinley gave them both a high five and then they both also gave Landon a high five too! Our photographer (Jennifer) had already put the camera up and missed both kids giving high fives. She had not heard me talking to Brinley about giving the guys high fives so she didn't know that it was going to happen. 

Brinley was so happy to meet them. We still have to work on Landon's photo skills. He doesn't always look at the camera. He will eventually figure it because we get a lot of practice in this household.

That left only 2 more guys for us to meet to have met all the 7 guys that were leaving for the NBA. Thankfully they were going around together to sign autographs. I called the store early in the day to find out how things were going to be working and if there was a line forming already. They informed me that you could actually purchase your autographs online and they would just assign you a number when you got to the store. This made things great because I wouldn't have to wait in line and the kids would not have to either. However, when we arrived it still took a little time to get inside the store. However, only having to wait around 30 minutes was much better than it could have been.

Brinley giving the guys high five. She was so excited about it. 

Landon getting in some high fives too!

They were both very nice and I wished them both good luck in the NBA.  I even told Dakari that I saw his little brother at the Final Four and that I couldn't wait to see him at UK in a few years.

This marks the end of our Wildcat to NBA autograph tour. 

I had debated whether or not I was going to try and do this little adventure with the kids, but after completing it I am so glad that I did. The kids and I will have a lifetime of memories from the time we traveled around meeting all these young men. I was so fortunate to have season tickets at RUPP Arena for what was truly an amazing year of Kentucky Basketball. I am sad to see all seven of these guys leave, but I can't be any more proud of them and wish them well in their future NBA careers.

Here is a view of all the guys we met in the past week. Here is the true final breakdown of what the ball is actually worth and what it took to make it all happen.

Autographs - $145

Hours waiting in line - 8

Driving time to event - 6

Meeting 7 great UK players with my kids - PRICELESS

Meeting all these guys has definitely helped some of the heartbreak of losing in the Final Four, but it has actually just got me more pumped for next years basketball season. Thanks for reading and God bless!