< PreviousKENTUCKY BASKETBALL 32 @KentuckyMBB32 @KentuckyMBB High School An explosive scorer at Overtime Elite and led the league with 27.1 points per game in 2022-23 … Also contributed 7.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game … Scored 20 or more points in all but one game and had a season-high of 42 against OTE com- petition … Suited up for Hillcrest Prep with Overtime Elite and connected on 46.7% of his field-goal attempts, 26.7% from 3-point range and 67% from the charity stripe … Be- gan his high school career at Heritage Chris- tian in his hometown and also suited up for Southern California Academy (California) be- fore his move to OTE … A consensus three- star prospect. Personal Born Aug. 11 … Mother is Vicki Burks … Lists his most memorable moment as a basketball player as scoring 40 or more in three straight games … His most prized possession is his Bible … His mom is his life’s greatest influ- ence … Favorite food is wings (flats) … Favor- ite TV show is Ghost … Has to listen to music before he plays … Dunked for the first time in eighth grade … Anthony Davis is his favorite former Wildcat … Chose Kentucky over Ole Miss, Oregon State and Georgia Tech. Follow JORDAN on Social Media n @jordanburks123 on Twitter/X n @jbxrks on Instagram JORDAN BURKS 6-9 n 190 n Fr. n Decatur, Ala. #23 n G Click Here for More Information on JordanKENTUCKY BASKETBALL 34 @KentuckyMBB34 @KentuckyMBB 2022-23 Senior: Played in five games, making his first-career start on Senior Day against Vander- bilt … Drained his first-career 3-pointer in win over South Carolina State … Hauled in a re- bound in two minutes of action against How- ard … Put on scholarship in January. 2021-22 Junior: Inducted into the Frank G. Ham Soci- ety of Character which honors student-athletes who have shown an extraordinary commit- ment to academic excellence, athletic partici- pation, personal development, career prepara- tion and serving as a role model … Appeared in nine games … Scored his first career points against Central Michigan at home, also adding a rebound … Also had a bucket against West- ern Kentucky and High Point … Registered a block in the home win over Tennessee … Named to the Southeastern Conference Win- ter Academic Honor Roll. 2020-21 Sophomore: Southeastern Conference Winter Academic Honor Roll member … Appeared in two games in 2020-21 … Logged two minutes and recorded his first career steal in the win vs. South Carolina … Played a minute in the season-opening win vs. Morehead State. 2019-20 Freshman: Appeared in four games during his freshman campaign … Made his collegiate de- but in the win over Eastern Kentucky. High School One of the best prospects from the state of Kentucky … Capped his career at George Rog- ers Clark with 1,371 points and 776 rebounds … Two-year captain … Named an All-10th Region First Team selection following a senior season where he averaged 15.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game … Averaged double-dig- it scoring over his final three seasons of high school basketball … Logged 13 double-dou- bles his senior season … A three-time All-Dis- trict Team selection and a three-time All-Dis- trict Tournament Team pick … Team claimed two District 40 titles. Personal Born July 15 in Lexington, Kentucky … Par- ents are Lynn and Melissa Canada … Major is communication … 4.0 student in high school … Member of the National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes … Also participated in Big Brothers, Big Sisters … Fa- ther has been his biggest influence … Chose No. 14 because it’s always been his favorite number … His definition of a true hero is someone who you can rely on and follow. Follow BRENNAN on Social Media n @brennanc14 on Twitter/X n @brennanc14 on Instagram BRENNAN CANADA 6-5 n 205 n Gr. n Mount Sterling, Ky. #14 n F Click Here for More Information on BrennanKENTUCKY BASKETBALL 36 @KentuckyMBB36 @KentuckyMBB 2022-23 Freshman: Did not appear in any games in his first season at UK … Dealt with a right leg injury, but was active late in the season … Named to First-Year SEC Honor Roll. High School Served as a captain for Sycamore as a se- nior and helped lead the team to the Greater Miami Conference championship … Team amassed a 20-3 record, which was the best in school history this past season … Were also district runners-up after getting off to a 9-0 start, the best in school history … Shot 43% from 3-point range as a junior and had 14 points and six boards against Middleton on Senior Night … Also participated in soccer and baseball for Sycamore … Was a summa cum laude graduate and was also a National Merit Scholar Commended … Four-time All Conference Academic Team member … Was a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish National Honor Society, a Student Ambassador and a member of the Sycamore Athletic Leadership Team … An Honor Roll student. Personal Born April 15 in Florence, Kentucky … Par- ents are Dana and Gregg Darbyshire … Has five siblings, Bryce, Lola, Cash, Jeff and Cove … Major is finance … Most memorable basketball moment was winning the GMC league title while playing with his younger brother, Bryce … Father played basketball at Kent State and Miami (OH), grandfather, Lynn played football and competed in track at Flor- ida State and Miami (OH) … Favorite food is chicken and waffles … Lists Karl-Anthony Towns as his favorite basketball player … Off the court he likes to play pickleball and can also speak Spanish … Favorite movie is Hap- py Gilmore and favorite TV show is Family Guy … Lists his dad as the most influential person in his life … Chose Kentucky over Kansas, Cincinnati, College of Charleston, Xavier, Indiana and Miami (OH). Follow GRANT on Social Media n @grantdarbyshire on Twitter/X n @grant_d_13 on Instagram GRANT DARBYSHIRE 6-2 n 190 n So. n Cincinnati #13 n G Click Here for More Information on Grant“THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY WILL ALWAYS HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART. I AM HAPPY TO GIVE BACK TO THE INSTITUTION THAT HELPED BUILD ME AND HONORED TO BE PART OF THE WILDCAT FAMILY.” -Jack “Goose” Givens ’78, UK Alumni Association Active Member FAMILY IS EVERYTHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, TRADITION RUNS DEEP. AND Family watches out for family. When you become a Life or Active Member of the UK Alumni Association, you help open doors of opportunity to transform the lives of students, serve alumni and improve the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond! www.ukalumni.net/membership Jack “Goose” Givens was part of the Kentucky Men’s Basketball 1978 championship team and went on to be a first-round pick in the ’78 NBA draft. He has a long history of giving back to UK and was awarded the UK Alumni Association Alumni Service Award in 2023. KENTUCKY BASKETBALL 38 @KentuckyMBB38 @KentuckyMBB High School Ranked as high as No. 13 overall by 247Sports … Appeared in the 2023 Iverson Classic and was the Iverson Classic Crossover Award winner … Averaged 14.7 points and 4.9 as- sists per game at Overtime Elite … Joined Overtime Elite for final high school season … Charlotte Observer High School Basket- ball Player of the Year in 2020-21 … 2021 FIBA Americas U16 Championship MVP, av- eraging 15.7 points and 6.2 assists in more than 20 minutes per game … Averaged 21.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game as a sophomore at Combine Academy, lead- ing the team to a 29-3 record and a non-asso- ciation state title. Personal Born Jan. 4 in Hickory, North Carolina … Parents are Valaaulia Tailele and Donald Dil- lingham … Has two siblings, Pai Tailele and Denzel Dillingham … First car he drove was a Tesla … Dunked for the first time during the summer of his ninth-grade year in Rock Hill, South Carolina … Superpower he most wishes he had is tuberculation … Lists Kobe Bryant as his favorite player and Malik Monk as his favorite former Wildcat … His brother has influenced his life the most … Favorite food is Japanese … The Matrix is his favorite movie … Chose Kentucky over North Caroli- na, UCLA, Southern Cal, Memphis and Lou- isville. Follow ROB on Social Media n @robwitdashifts on Instagram ROB DILLINGHAM 6-2 n 160 n Fr. n Hickory, N.C. #0 n G Click Here for More Information on RobKENTUCKY BASKETBALL 40 @KentuckyMBB40 @KentuckyMBB High School Ranked as high as No. 3 overall by all three major recruiting services … MaxPreps Penn- sylvania High School Player of the Year … 2023 McDonald’s All-American … USA Men’s Nike Hoop Summit Team member … Co-MVP of the Iverson Classic … Averaged 17.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for nationally ranked Imhotep Charter … High school team won consecutive state titles … Scored 19 points and had seven boards in the championship game … Led Imhotep Charter to the Class 5A state title as a junior, averag- ing 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game … Helped Team Final advance to Peach Jam quarterfinals after shooting 39.5% from deep while averaging 15.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Personal Born Dec. 16 … Mother is Ebony Twiggs … Mother played college basketball at Cheyney University and had a pro career in Portugal … Mother was also named the MVP of the Philadelphia Public League championship game 23 years before her son was tabbed the MVP of the boys event … Has two siblings, Akira and Tymir … Lists his mother as his life’s greatest influence … Favorite food is mac and cheese … Favorite movie is Love and Basket- ball … A superpower he wishes he had is the ability to read minds … Lists Kevin Durant as his favorite player and Devin Booker as his fa- vorite former Wildcat … Lists singing as an off the court talent … Chose Kentucky because it was his dream school. Follow JUSTIN on Social Media n @jedwards3_ on Twitter/X n @jedwards3_ on Instagram JUSTIN EDWARDS 6-8 n 190 n Fr. n Philadelphia #1 n G Click Here for More Information on JustinNext >