Willie Cauley-Stein (Vicky Graff Photo)
Not everyone will remember what a prominent role Willie Cauley-Stein’s grandmother, Wilma Stein, had during his basketball career before her passing about two years with cancer.
The former University of Kentucky star lived with her and his grandfather in Spearville, a small town in Kansas, because of his mother’s work schedule. His grandmother loved seeing him play at Kentucky and totally understood why he didn’t turn pro after the 2013-14 sophomore season when UK lost in the national title game. The next season he was the national defensive player of the year and became the sixth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
“It’s still hard. She did get to see my daughter when she was first born. I think my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer right before her first birthday and started chemo, so she didn’t get to come to our party and stuff like that,” Cauley-Stein said Monday. “The last time that she got to hold her was probably a couple of months before that.
“But what her and my grandfather instilled in me, that’s what I want to instill in my kids and really try to keep that country lifestyle they had. Being outdoors, that’s something that they definitely instilled in me. It’s a dying breed, so definitely putting that in my kids.
Cauley-Stein admitted his grandmother could never really get mad at him or get on him about anything he did. He loved his life with them and while many future college and NBA stars were traveling in the summer to play in big-time tournaments, he was happy going to the small-town grocery story and community swimming pool.
But now he’s back in Lexington to play in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) at Rupp Arena with La Familia, UK’s alumni team that includes former teammates Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison and James Young.
Cauley-Stein said he enjoyed seeing “how everybody’s grown up” and taking a trip down memory lane as they shared stories preparing for their first game Friday night at 8 hoping to win the $1 million championship prize.
La Familia had its media day in the Craft Center Monday where former UK coach John Calipari put Cauley-Stein through plenty of wind sprints and hard practices.
“When we were coming down the steps (to the practice facility), I’m like, ‘Man, I don’t miss this,’” Cauley-Stein said.
However, he did miss the fan love he got during his three years in Lexington. It was never the same when he was playing in the NBA or overseas.
“That feels like the exact same thing as it was here before. Go out and people want to take pictures. I go to Texas without even getting looked at. It’s, ‘Like did you play basketball?’ Life overseas was cool but I don’t think I would do it again.”
Cauley-Stein said if he has a chance to share any message with new coach Mark Pope’s players it would mean to enjoy every day in the Bluegrass.
“Once you leave here, it’s not the same. You don’t get the same love. You get treated special here and then once you leave the state line of Kentucky, you’re no longer special. So you know, enjoy it why you got it,” the former UK 7-footer said.
He called himself an “open book” for current UK players.
“I got a lot (of advice). I’m an open book. If they’re willing to learn and ask questions, I’ll tell them anything,” Cauley-Stein said.
Cauley-Stein joined La Familia when Calipari was still coaching at UK before he opted to leave for Arkansas.
“I decided to come and see all the guys and then like a week later, boom, he’s in Arkansas and I’m like, ‘Damn.’ I’m excited to see him, but it is what it is. I think it’s a good opportunity for both sides to grow and do something different,” Cauley-Stein said.
Cauley-Stein would like to play a few more seasons of professional basketball, one reason he’s playing in this event to showcase his skills. However, he openly talked Monday about eventually living in Lexington.
Cayley-Stein has not been in Lexington for maybe a decade but knows there are “opportunities for guys like me” in Lexington and college town where “you can actually make a living” doing different things.
“I was talking to my wife like, ‘Oh, it feels like home here.’ I feel like we can move here and the kids would be great,” Cauley-Stein said. “It’s a good community for kids to grow up and it’s obviously like a very sports driven city. Obviously we want that for our kids and I think there’s a lot of opportunity to have fun here obviously.”
He expects his children to play possibly golf and tennis and hopefully basketball.
“They’re going to be big. I can already tell they are athletes. My daughter loves golf and swinging the club,” Cauley-Stein said.
He had a charity golf event Sunday and admits he’s consumed with golf. He told me he can easily break 80 after picking up golf mainly because he moved into a neighborhood a few years ago where neighbors asked him to play. He hit a few balls and went to driving ranges during his time in Lexington. He had golf clubs but had never really concentrated on the sport until a few years ago after his neighbors “kicked my ass” and he didn’t like it.
“I put everything I did into basketball into golf. Now I see why people love it and it is a full-on disease. I play every day, sometimes twice a day,” Cauley-Stein said. “I turned my tennis court into a chipping and putting green. I’m invested.
“What I like about golf is the never ending pursuit of greatness. You can never get good. You can never master (golf). You can do better but the pursuit of doing it is great.”
La Familia Practice
Photos by Vicky Graff
6 Responses
WCS is one of my favorite players of all time. I always liked the college athlete more. My favorite player as a teen was Erik Daniels. The 4 year guy who scores 1,000 points and is the ultimate team player.
Willie and Erik, two of the very best
Let me ask you this Larry do the players recognize you and remember you? I know they see 1,000s of people but you have been a great journalist for all these years is their certain players that see you and be like hey buddy how have you been??
There are many that way and it always makes me smile when they remember, including Pope
Awesome buddy. You’ve always been the go to journalist for me for a long time. I’m 41 and I’ve known I’ve been reading your work for 20 years? Maybe even longer. Well since the Internet age. Us Louisville residents aren’t local. We only get to see the Cardinals lol. You would be surprised the number of Kentucky fans in Louisville. When I was a kid it was probably 75% Louisville 25% Kentucky. In 2024 I’d say it’s 50/50 and if it’s not 50/50 it’s close to. I used to get in arguments all day at school because ive been a Kentucky fan my whole life my dad is a Kentucky fan but my grandpa was a die hard Louisville fan. He hated Kentucky. That’s how it is here I have cousins Louisville fans and also Kentucky fans. So when that game comes around we’re going for blood while the game is on.
Sounds like a fun game day for sure TJ