If prospect Austin Colbert has a motto, it’s Be Like Mike. That’s Mike Gilchrist, one of the highly-regarded freshman to be at Kentucky this coming season.
Colbert, a 6-9 junior-to-be, played with Gilchrist at St. Patrick’s High School in New Jersey last season. To hear him at the LeBron James Skills Academy Friday, Colbert considers Gilchrist an example to follow.
“He’s somebody I really look up to,” Colbert said. “He’s like a big brother.
“He’s taught me a lot. Like how to be a leader. Always keep your head up no matter what. Don’t let anybody see you down.”
Gilchrist also led by example, by simply playing hard, Colbert said.
The two stay in touch. It helps that Gilchrist is at the Skills Academy as a counselor.
When asked what Gilchrist says about the UK experience so far, Colbert said, “He says he loves it. How everybody is so warm and welcoming on campus.”
So far, Colbert’s recruitment does not include Kentucky. “Not yet,” he said. A 3.0 student, he said he’d heard from schools in the Big East, ACC, Big 10, Ivy League and SEC (Florida).
Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald- Leader has covered Kentucky basketball since the 1981-82 season. That time includes five coaches, five Final Fours, four athletic directors, two interim athletic directors and many memories. Before coming to Lexington, Tipton worked eight years for the Huntington (W.Va.) Herald-Dispatch. He covered Marshall’s basketball team for two seasons before coming to the Herald-Leader.
