Brandon Garrison silences critics with a Thanksgiving gesture that truly matters

In the pressure cooker of Kentucky basketball, players are often judged solely by their box score. Did you score? Did you rebound? Did you win? And if you don't do well in those areas, fans are ready to see you pulled from the court. There were chants of get him out when Garrison was struggling early against Tennessee Tech.

Brandon Garrison has felt that heat all this year, and sometimes deservedly so. After deciding to return for a second year under Mark Pope, fans were expecting Garrison to take a big jump. But that has not materialized at all. BBN clamored for Malachi Moreno to start over him. And eventually he has dont just that. His numbers (5.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG) haven't jumped off the page, and improvement is hard to find.

But while the message boards were debating his rotation minutes, Garrison was busy doing something far more important.

A Thanksgiving assist

This Sunday, Garrison and his mother partnered with God’s Pantry to donate 30 turkeys to families in need.

But he didn't just write a check and leave. He stayed. He helped package the meals. He prepared Thanksgiving dinners for families facing hardship. It was hands-on, genuine, and impactful.

Character counts

We get caught up in "efficiency ratings" and "per 40" stats, but we sometimes forget these are young men representing the University, the state, and the fans.

Garrison’s on-court game is still evolving. He is a solid defender and rebounder, and there is plenty of time for his offense to catch up. But his character? That is already elite.

Kentucky needs contributions on the floor, absolutely. But they also need ambassadors off it. On Sunday, Brandon Garrison showed exactly the kind of person he is. That deserves a standing ovation, regardless of how many points he scores next week. Keep that in mind as he takes the floor. Micah 7:7.