He will not have any family in Rupp Arena for today’s Senior Day game against Florida but Kentucky center Olivier Sarr still has plenty of memories and fun moments that will go through his mind during the ceremony.
“The first one that came to my mind was when I heard I would be eligible (after transferring from Wake Forest). We forget, but I’m just grateful to be able to play honestly. Not so long ago, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to wear the Kentucky jersey,” Sarr said. “That news was, I mean, when I heard about it, I told you guys that the reaction from the fan base and Coach (John Calipari) was incredible.
“But honestly, it’s a tough year, yes, but I’m grateful to be able to experience that at the University of Kentucky. It’s tough. It’s a lot of obstacles. But we’re learning so much from that. I think later in our lives we will be grateful for that moment even though at that time in the present it’s really hard to get through.
“But we feel the support. There are a lot of fans out there that support us and it’s incredible.”
Sarr said there was no one off-court experience that stood out to him more than any other this year. Instead, he liked just being with teammates.
“Just going with the guys when we have team dinner and stuff like that or just hanging out in the lodge. I don’t have a specific one in mind, but if I take time I know I’ll find a couple of them,” he said about off-court memories.
He transferred to UK from Wake Forest after his coach was fired and after the deadline for him to enter the NBA Draft. Most assume he’s headed to play professionally after this season even though he could also get another year at UK if he wanted it.
“We’re in the final homestretch of the season, so honestly my mind is on the end of the season and trying to be the best version of myself every night, every game,” he said. “I think that’s a good question (about his future). That’s a question that I think about. I don’t have the answer yet, but I’m just glad to be here and happy to finish the season.”
