I remember when Darius Miller lead Mason County to the 2008 Sweet 16 Championship. It was right after Mason County star Chris Lofton set the world on fire at Tennessee. Not recruiting Lofton was probably the last nail in Tubby Smith’s coffin as Kentucky’s coach. I remember thinking how skinny Miller was, and that Kentucky was only recruiting him because they didn’t want to make the same Mason County mistake twice.

Darius has proven me, and any other doubter of his ability, wrong over the past four years. Darius Miller will go down in history as one of only a handful of Kentucky kids to win a Sweet 16 Championship and a National Championship. And he is the only Kentucky kid to be named Mr. Basketball, while winning the other two championships. What Darius did in the state of Kentucky is the stuff that backyard dreams are made of.

Elisha Justice, another Eastern Kentucky kid also has a chance at that feat, with Louisville. But for now, hats off to Kentucky’s Graybeard, who survived the Billy Gillispie era, and gave Cal the much-needed leadership of a senior.

“Hey Kid! Do you like to run? Wanna come play for me at Kentucky?