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The checkerboard has been the hottest debate around Kentucky Basketball over the last few years.
Introduced in basketball uniforms in 2008 as an tribute to the silks of Triple Crown winner Secretariat, the checkerboard pattern has been used throughout UK Athletics more and more over the years.
However, there’s been an outcry from fans and even players that this was a bad design for the basketball team.
New UK basketball jerseys
— Devin Booker (@DevinBook) September 15, 2016
“I’m not gonna lie to you, I don’t really like the new uniforms,” said current Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox during his one season at Kentucky.
There was some hope this offseason that the outpour of negativity toward the design would lead to new uniforms. However, Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart addressed this and made it clear that he and the staff liked the checkerboard designs.
“He (Secretariat) was one of the greatest that ever ran. So we’ve aligned ourselves with some silks that are sort of cool. Our players love it, our athletes like it and they like it on their uniforms,” Barnhart told KSR back in 2016.
One current player who supports this is senior forward Reid Travis. He actually believes the design is a great representation of Kentucky:
Reid Travis says he LOVES the uniform, loves the checkerboards and when he sees checkerboard he thinks of Kentucky. It’s part of the tradition he says.
— T.J. Walker (@TJWalkerKSR) October 17, 2018
Assuming the checkerboards are staying for the foreseeable future, it is good to hear there’s at least one player who embraces them.
Travis also shared some great thoughts on Kentucky, the fanbase, and what he’s been doing to become the best version of himself:
Reid Travis.
— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) October 17, 2018
<swoon> pic.twitter.com/G9SKmemtQx
Reid Travis on why @KentuckyMBB and how he got so lean: @SEC @marchmadness pic.twitter.com/EpVO4PaaX8
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) October 17, 2018
Trying to get our hands on this at the end of the season. #SECTipoff #DreamBIG pic.twitter.com/sPNLbNHF3U
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) October 17, 2018
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