Freshman D.J. Wagner was a “pleasure to be around” for young UK fan Lennon Everett and her mother Emily Hensley Tuesday night in Nashville. (Emily Hensley Photo)
Freshman D.J. Wagner did not play against Vanderbilt Tuesday night because of an ankle injury but he had a huge assist in the game’s final minutes.
Wagner pointed out to freshman teammates Reed Sheppard that 9-year-old UK fan Lennon Everett of Nashville had a special sign about him. Everett and her mother, Emily Hensley, were sitting seven rows behind the UK bench and when Wagner showed Sheppard, he waved and smiled to the young UK fan.
Her sign said, “My Mom Loved Jeff. Now I Love Reed,” and also had, “Please Shake My Hand” written on it.
“She kept trying to get Reed’s attention during the game and I just told her to be patient,” her mother said. “D.J. kept looking and when he showed Reed and then Reed pointed and waved she lost her mind. She is a point guard and for Reed Sheppard to wave to her was just great.”
Lennon and her mom got to the game early and when the Kentucky players were warming up she went over to where the players would enter and leave the court.
“D.J. was the last player to come out and he was signing autographs,” Emily Hensley said. “She asked if she could get a picture with him and had her sign with her. He asked what was on the sign and she showed him and he started laughing.
“D.J. a class act. He was so kind to her. He is a great kid. He was just a pleasure to be around. He was signing autographs for everybody. He was amazing and for him to point out to Reed where Lennon was just made her day. Other players saw her but none pointed her out to Reed except D.J.”
During halftime Sheppard’s mother, Stacey, was taking pictures with fans when she saw the sign.
“She gave Lennon a thumbs up and waved which was great, too,” Emily said.
Lennon was still disappointed she did not get to meet Reed Sheppard and shake his hand but hopes to try again when the Cats are back in Nashville for the SEC Tournament. However, photos that Emily sent to her brother, Chris Bartley, of Lennon with Wagner and with her sign got a lot of attention after he posted them on social media.
“He’s a UK grad and die-hard UK fan who moved from Lexington to Washington, D.C., about 1 1/2 years ago because of his job. I sent the photos in a group family text and he posted them,” Emily said. “I have been a die-hard UK fan since the (coach) Eddie Sutton days. I am a huge Rick Pitino fan. Rex Chapman, Travis Ford and Jeff Sheppard were my guys.
“Lennon’s first player to love was Sahvir Wheeler and then Oscar (Tshiebwe). She got to meet Oscar last year. Now her big thing is to meet Reed and coach Cal.”
Lennon is an accomplished player herself who pays in a “very competitive league” in Nashville. She got a private training session with Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler last summer.
“He (Butler) is big in music and was in Nashville meeting with Luke Bryan,” Emily said.
Emily has a friend who works for LeBron James who helped arrange for Lennon to meet Butler. He invited her to watch him train and once he finished he spent a n hour coaching her. He also helped make arrangements to find a qualified personal trainer to work with Lennon, something her mother had been having trouble doing.
“He asked Lennon who her favorite player was on the Heat and she said, ‘You are but it is really (former UK player) Tyler Herro.’ Later she got a pair of autographed Tyler Herro shoes,” Emily said.
Now if she can just get a handshake from Reed Sheppard at the SEC Tournament.
3 Responses
What a lovely story. Thanks Larry.
Love sharing stories like that
It’s more than about basketball , this what make the world go around.