by Alan Smith
A number can mean a lot of meanings, especially for the Big Blue Nation: 43 SEC Championships; 13 Final Fours; 25 SEC Tournament Championships; 2,003 all-time wins; and 8, the number of National Championships both fans and players alike strive to win this season. There are some numbers that the fans take for granted, but the players take them to heart. Not only do they take pride in the name “Kentucky” on the front of their jerseys, but also the number that each player represents in each game.
John Wall went through many trials in his life early on before he became the star basketball player that he is now. In his junior year of high school, his game was flourishing and he was popular at Word of God Academy. After switching twice from No. 3 and No. 15, he decided to use 11 because it fit his name, Wall. “I liked how 11 went with my name, Wall,” the freshman guard said. “I saw that I could use the two 1’s as the L’s in my signature, and it just became my number,” said Wall, after speaking with Brett Dawson of the Louisville Courier-Journal.
DeAndre Liggins and Wall are alot alike in the way that Liggins over came adversity growing up to get to where he is today. He wears No. 34 in honor of his late brother, Maurice Davis. He was a standout basketball player and was recruited by high profile schools such as Kansas, until his death in 2002 when he was shot to death. Like any other person, his death had an impact on Liggins’ life, both before and after. Liggins looked at his older brother as a role model, and feels that his life was influenced by him and his death still affects him today. “I think if he was here, I don’t think I would have been through the bad times I’ve been through. He wouldn’t have let me. He would have talked me through all of it.” After sitting out the first nine games of the season, Liggins has stepped up recently and his work ethic makes Coach Calipari believe he can be a very important factor to this team.
Although Daniel Orton may not have cited the same reasons as the previous two players, he also believes his number is important to him, personally and spiritually. “When I was born, my mom was 33 years old, my dad was 33,” Orton said. “I checked my birth certificate and found out I was born at 12:33. I looked at it again and saw I was born in Room 533. And then when I really thought about it, I realized that Jesus Christ was 33 when he died on the cross.” He has worn the same number since third grade, and throughout high school and now into college. According to Orton, his number was very important to him, moreso that he menioned the importance of wearing it in college to every coach that recruited him.
There numbers also have a bit of history to them as well, history that is being written this season by these young men. Patrick Patterson’s No. 54 was also worn by Melvin Turpin in the early 1980’s, a player that has been compared to Patterson in the frountcourt. Along with Demarcus Cousins, these two men comprise the modern-day version of the “Twin Towers”, formerly Sam Bowie and Turpin. Liggins’ No. 34 was worn by many players who will forever live in Kentucky lore: Mike Casey, Kenny Walker, John Pelphrey, and Scott Padgett are just a few to mention. Daniel Orton’s No. 33 makes comparisons with former star freshmen who also wore No. 33, such as Randolph Morris and Ron Mercer. And John Wall, well- his game speaks for itself. He will probably be the most famous No. 11 in UK history, not to mention he has the capability to become a such a lgend that my children will still be talking about him in their time. The only number not mentioned is No. 1; it is the number evvery UK fan and player has on their minds every day, knowing that number represents their beloved program, draped in all its majesty,
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