March 29, 1997, is a date that still brings up incredibly complicated emotions for any of you 80's babies out there.
Kentucky basketball was making a run to a second straight NCAA Championship game. After tearing his ACL in January, Derek Anderson did all he could to rush back to try and help Kentucky get a 2nd straight title. In the Final Four matchup against Minnesota, Pitino subbed him in for 2 free throws to let him get on the scoreboard.
"It was a piece of cake," Anderson said at the time.
But when the ball tipped for the ultimate prize against the Arizona Wildcats, Rick Pitino decided his best player should remain sitting. Almost 30 years later, both men had a little something to say about it.
Derek Anderson's reply may have changed Kentucky basketball forever
During a recent appearance on Governor Andy Beshear's podcast, Pitino finally gave his side of the story regarding the fateful decision to bench his star player.
According to the Hall of Fame coach, Anderson looked phenomenal in practice leading up to the title game. But a small response from Derek changed everything.
"I said, 'DA, awesome practice. That was great... Are you ready?'" Pitino recalled to Beshear. "And his response to me was, 'Whatever you think, Coach.' And that really bothered me. I know he's going to be a lottery pick. He's coming off an ACL, record-breaking time coming back... His response wasn't, 'I'm ready to go.'"
That kind of response put just enough doubt in Pitino's mind, and Rick made a business decision. He wanted to protect his player's NBA future, and he also admitted his ego got in the way.
"At that point, I said, you know what, we're gonna beat Arizona without him," Pitino admitted. "I wanted to protect his career, and I decided not to play him. I honestly believed we would beat Arizona without him."
Derek Anderson fires back on social media
That confidence from Pitino proved to be wildly misplaced, and Anderson seems to be like many of us.
Following the podcast episode, and someone positing the Minnesota game online, Anderson took to X (formerly Twitter) to send a little playful jab at his old coach.
"Grateful to have been a part of a legendary run with a legendary Coach at the GREATEST College in the World! #WeR-UK," Anderson posted. "…. And Coach you still should have put me in against Arizona for a 3Peat."
The Miles Simon matchup that ruined a dynasty
Anderson is entirely correct. Pitino should have put him in the game, because it cost Kentucky a chance at a back-to-back; it may have changed Pitino's mind about coming back.
Without Anderson on the floor, Arizona guard Miles Simon absolutely torched the Wildcats for 30. Simon was having a great tournament, but he was facing a Kentucky backcourt that was missing a big part of their defensive rotation.
If Pitino had allowed Anderson to play, Simon would have been staring down an athletic, 6-foot-6 freak of nature for 40 minutes. You cannot convince anyone in the Big Blue Nation that Simon drops 30 points with a healthy Derek Anderson in his jersey.
Pitino underestimated Arizona, overthought that brief trainer's room conversation, and cost the program a banner.
It is a bitter pill to swallow, but it is incredibly refreshing to see Anderson finally say what every single Kentucky fan has been screaming at their televisions since 1997. My papaw, before he passed, always talked about this specific game as a turning point.
Had they won, maybe Pitino stays, and if Rick stays in Lexington, college basketball might not look the same today.”