LEXINGTON, Ky. — The celebration and show of appreciation for former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith extended beyond UK's 92-48 victory over his High Point team Friday.
When he arrived at a postgame Zoom teleconference, UK freshman TyTy Washington wore a T-shirt bearing the words "in the rafters" under a likeness of Smith.
The reference was obvious. Before the game, Kentucky retired a jersey in Smith's honor in the Rupp Arena rafters.
Smith and the other honorees — which include former coaches Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall and Rick Pitino — "set a great standard for all of us," Washington said.
All the UK players found T-shirts marking the occasion at their lockers after the game. Washington wasted no time wearing his.
"You've always got to pay respect when respect is due," he said. "I'll be wearing the shirt loud and proud."
The announced crowd of 19,735 seemed primed and ready for the pregame salute to Smith.
Fans stood and applauded when he made his first entrance onto the court with about 16 minutes showing on the clock ticking down to the start of the game. As he waved to the fans, the volume of cheers increased. Then, he shook hands with those working at the scorer's table.
His wife, Donna, sons G.G., Saul and Brian, and other family members accompanied Smith to center court. During a break in the game, Donna returned to the floor and raised her arms for the ceremonial "Y" in the K-E-N-T-U-C-K-Y cheer.
"For her to have that opportunity is a special moment for her," Tubby Smith said, "because she's been part of this journey for (40-plus) years."
The jersey bearing the name Smith and his years as UK coach (1998-2007) was revealed in the corner of Rupp Arena near sections 234 and 233.
"What a tremendous honor," Smith told the crowd. "Something my family and I will cherish forever."
In a postgame Zoom teleconference, Smith again expressed his gratitude.
"I couldn't be more happy ...," he said.
UK's current coach, John Calipari, said he got "a little emotional" during the ceremony. So did Smith.
"As you get older ... you want to savor the opportunities you have," said Smith, who is 70. "But seeing how people responded, the ovation, that's one thing you can't duplicate."
Smith spoke of his Kentucky connection with pride. He spent two seasons as an assistant on Rick Pitino's staff (1989-90 and 1990-91), then returned as Pitino's successor in 1997.
"You treasure the moments that you have," he said before adding that a full appreciation can take time.
"When you're in the midst of it, when you're here, you're working so hard ...," he said. "What I tell folks, it's 24/7, 365 days of the year.
"And the season never really ends. But this is a special place. This city, Lexington, this state, Rupp Arena. ... This is the longest I've served anywhere."
Calipari hinted that Kentucky fans can be difficult to completely satisfy, so he said he wanted to create opportunities for former coaches to feel appreciated.
"You want guys who have had a huge impact on the program to ... know they're beloved," Calipari said.
Two of his former players, Jeff Sheppard and Cameron Mills, spoke to the High Point team before the game, Smith said.
Earlier in the week, Sheppard reflected on how Smith introduced himself to players in 1997 as the new Kentucky coach.
"Boys, if you can't beat them, you might as well join them, and here I am," Sheppard recalled Smith saying at the first team meeting. "It's that kind of humility that allows a leader to come in immediately and make an impact."
Smith used the word "serve" to describe his approach to coaching and life.
Calipari echoed that sentiment when recalling a recent conversation he had with Gonzaga coach Mark Few.
Few recalled being on a Nike-sponsored trip for coaches.
"I was a nobody," Calipari recalled Few saying. "And (Smith) took me golfing. He saw me at dinner."
The conclusion Calipari drew? "That's what Tubby is," he said. "He doesn't do stuff to get anything back. He just does it."
Smith spoke of Friday's ceremony as something of a homecoming. He said he lived in Lexington longer than anywhere else in his coaching career. His son, Saul, played for him at UK. Another son, Brian, was on a state championship team at Lexington Catholic High School.
"This is probably where my family calls home more than anywhere else," he said. "When it's home, you'll do anything you can to try to make it as great a place as you can."
As for the game, Kellan Grady led Kentucky with a game-high 23 points, while Washington (nine assists) and Oscar Tshiebwe (eight rebounds) added 15 points apiece.
