Kentucky players wanted to make a statement "about what's going on in America" by kneeling during the national anthem at Florida. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Team leaders Keion Brooks, Olivier Sarr and Davion Mintz thought recent events merited Kentucky players kneeling during the national anthem before Saturday night’s game at Florida. Teammates agreed and Brooks, who had 12 points in the 76-58 win over Florida said the “message pretty much stands for itself” after the game.
Kentucky coach John Calipari said he learned what the players wanted to do on the way to the arena before the game.
“I called the three leaders in and said, ‘Talk to me.’ And they said, ‘We want to kneel.’ I said, ‘Tell me why.’ And they said, ‘This is why.’ I said, ‘Ok.’ They said, ‘Will you kneel with us?’ And I said, ‘Do you want me to?’ They said, ‘Yes. We do.’ And I said, ‘Ok. I’ll kneel with you,'” Calipari said.
“So, I think again, it’s something that speaks for itself. These kids are good kids. They care about this country and all of the other stuff. They’re trying to figure out life and making statements that they think they have to make.
“I want to listen to what they’re saying and then I’ll support them if they want me to be there. If they said that we’re good by ourselves, I probably wouldn’t have been out there.”
Calipari knows many will not understand or approve of the players and coaches kneeling during the anthem. The players understand that as well. I’m sure that’s why before the Florida game when Dontaie Allen was asked his reaction to recent events in Washington that he said he did not know enough to comment.
“A lot of people see what’s going on right now, and it kind of speaks for itself. That was just our statement of what’s going on in America at this time,” Mintz said.
“It’s a lot of stuff that goes on every day that we knelt for,” Brooks said. “The Capitol, that stuff had a part to play in it, but there are some other things we don’t see that go on every day that are unacceptable, that we want to take a stand against.”
Agree or disagree with the players and coaches kneeling. They all simply were doing what they felt was right.
Mintz said discussions that led to kneeling are part of what has helped bring the team closer together in recent weeks.
“Just talking, having those conversations. Any time you’re discussing things, it doesn’t matter if it’s basketball, if it’s personal stories, just getting together and hanging out, that’s building a bond for us and helping us to become more sensitive to each other and just understanding each other,” Mintz said.
“So definitely, I think those conversations help and we’re going to continue having them because it’s working.”
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