Bill Boyd ball

 Bill Boyd Ball

Basketball was pretty much my passion from 1965 on when we lived in Kentucky near Lexington.My Uncles Billy and William took me to see the Wildcats play Mississippi State in Memorial Coliseum,my first collegiate game in 1966. We went down to the State locker room following to meet Chuck Wade of Forest, Mississippi, who led the Dawgs over the Wildcats.

When we moved to Williston, though I played on the high school team as a point guard, my real love was playing with Bill Boyd, the local meat cutter and ice plant owner, who taught me much about how basketball should be played. We would play week nights when the gym was open with young and old guys, the team picked among whoever showed up and as long as your team won, you played. I always wanted to play on Bills team for he wasn’t like basketball today, run and gun ball hogs, he was pick and roll, screen, defense, pass and work to the open man. Being from Kentucky, he knew how the Wildcats under Rupp won so often against taller opponents. 

Kentucky for the longest always recruited a Kentucky boy who had a head and heart knowledge and not just McDonalds all-American talent and a looking toward the NBA after one year.

Last year I was encouraged to see such a player on Kentuckys team, the son of former player Jeff Sheppard, Reed. He’s like Kyle Macy, Louie Dampier,Cameron Mills and so many who played and the fans loved. I know Bill Boyd would recognize in Reed what I too see and would immediately pick him for his team.

Unfortunately Reed declared too for the NBA after a year. But good news, this year Kentucky has a new coach, Mark Pope, who played for Kentucky under Rick Pitino when the won the NCAA championship. He knows the UK tradition and things are looking promising.