God and community, not money, the driver for UK’s Travis Perry
University of Kentucky freshman Travis Perry has yet to play a college game at Rupp Arena or even a minute of hoops for the Big Blue.
But Mr. Kentucky Basketball, who led Lyon County High School last year to its first-ever state championship, is taking advantage of the Name, Image and Likeness deals afforded to collegiate athletes in 2024. He admitted that attending community events to sign balls, posters, clothing, photos and magazines is partially motivated by the NIL opportunity.
“I mean, kind of a little bit, but it's more just about getting out in the community,” Perry said. “Getting to partner obviously with our NIL collective, but just a great experience to get to come see the support from the fans, to have conversations, take pictures. It's just so fun.”
Though Perry, or the NIL collective, was charging $25 per signature at an event in Elizabethtown, he comes across as a genuine dude. You know, front and “centered,” ducks aligned, basically Travis squared. Sometimes, with talented young athletes, you’ll constantly hear the “Yes sirs” and “I appreciate you, sirs.” But then walk by them when they’re interacting with peers, and you’ll experience a completely different dialogue. However, Perry seems like one who reserves earthy, or dare I say, salty comments for the appropriate time, not during mindless, idle banter.
“I’m gonna be honest, I don't know much about it (NIL),” he said. “It’s just kind of a new thing. And for everyone on our team, that's not a focus at all. It's like I keep saying, it's more about getting to interact with the fans, getting to understand what the opportunity we have is to go out and represent a state, represent something that's bigger than us, bigger than basketball.”
Perry said he relishes the chance to visit additional communities throughout the state.
“That's something that is really exciting to me, getting to go to different places. It's a big state. So kind of getting to go around to different parts of it and to talk with different people…see what they're thinking, see just the kind of the support from that area, because I think everybody in the state loves Kentucky basketball.”
He said head coach Mark Pope preaches the sum of UK Hoops is greater than its parts and that wearing the “blue” is a privilege not to be taken for granted, including allocating time for fans in towns across the Commonwealth.
“I think that starts from the top all the way down to the bottom. Coach Pope does a good job of putting that in our minds that we're super blessed to be here,” Perry said. “That if you're anywhere else, you wish you were at Kentucky. So that's the main thing. Just getting to take advantage of the opportunity to be a Kentucky basketball player and go out and hopefully do good things in the community through it.”
Perry, a Kentucky Golf Coaches Association Second Team All-Region golfer at Lyon County, draws inspiration from a variety of sources, beginning with his parents and God.
“A lot of it comes from from my parents, from my dad especially. He’s pushed me for so long to be the best player I can be, but also to be a great person as well. And that's always been the most important thing that he's taught me, is just being a good person is much more important than what you do on the basketball court.”
Perry said the modeling his father provided had impacted him, explaining the time his dad put in with him growing up, whether on the court or imparting wisdom, developed an appreciation for life that he carried with him to Lexington. But it’s the CEO on the top floor, the celestial Coach, that has illuminated Perry’s path and provided a blueprint for daily life.
“Also, my faith. Every day, God allows me to wake up. So you got to go out and take advantage of the day. Tomorrow's not promised. So, do as much as you can today and enjoy the opportunities you have. Build good relationships and just do whatever you can to get better.”
And just to emphasize the importance of this life philosophy, Perry’s high school strength coach brought the defining perspective to that blueprint.
“He always just said, whatever I do, I'm doing it for God,” the all-time leading scorer in Kentucky high school basketball history said. “Because you are. If you're thinking about doing it for yourself, you might cut a couple of reps short, or you might slack off or something. But his motto was just always, ‘Do every day like you're doing it for God.’ And that's something that when you're holding yourself to that high of a standard, it really, really makes you a lot better.”
There is honesty in Perry’s words, exuding purity and a kind of self-aware, simple-mindedness. Perhaps that personifies the UK freshman and what draws Kentuckians to him. It can be heard in his reflection on winning a state basketball title.
“There's a lot of things in sports that they can take away from you. But a state championship is something they can't take away from you. It's just something that's so great, so rewarding for our team, our coaching staff, on how much work we put into it, but also for our community, the support we had to be able to go out and win a state championship for them was so fun.”
Are thoughts of the NBA swirling around in his mind? Mr. Kentucky Basketball 2023 Reed Sheppard spent one year at UK and then became the third pick in last spring’s NBA draft. I remember covering a Reed Sheppard signing event this past December in Elizabethtown. Talking with his parents, it sounded like Sheppard was down for Big Blue for four years. But he was Calipari’s guy, I suppose. And when the longtime Kentucky coach departed, so did Sheppard. Perry’s intentions and commitment to Pope and the program ring true, not just the obligatory party line. It might sound like lip service. but it comes across as genuine, at least for the time being.
“That's something I'm not really thinking about right now. Just trying to take it a day at a time. Do whatever I can each day to get better. The main goal right now is just to get better every day. Our team really tries to focus on winning the games that are coming in November, December. Do whatever we can to come together as a team, come together as a unit, and just put on the best representation of the state of Kentucky and Big Blue Nation that we can.”