May 24, (p<9f
Senior Campaign Highlights Hardens Career
Former Wildcat Realistic About Pro Ball
Roger Harden keeps hoping he can wake up and find out he's only been dreaming that his college basketball career has ended.
But while Harden and the Kentucky Wildcats enjoyed a "dream" season, it did end. And chances are Harden's competitive career is also finished even though he does plan to try out with several National Basketball Association teams.
"Knowing that my UK career is over is almost like losing a loved one," says Harden, who is currently playing in a series of exhibition games across the state with senior teammates Kenny Walker and Leroy Byrd. "I'm sad that being a player for the University of Kentucky will no longer be a part of my life.''
Larry Vaught
Cats' Pause Columnist
He set a single season assists record with 232 this season and managed to always find a way to get the ball inside to All-American Kenny Walker. He also averaged 6.8 points per game.
But statistics can't measure Harden's worth to the Wildcats. He was a clutch performer and team leader. He hit game-winning shots at Alabama and LSU. And before preseason drills even started he predicted UK would win the national title. The Cats came close, too, and finished the season 32-4.
Harden savored every minute of the 1985-86 campaign. New Coach Eddie Sutton pumped confidence back into Harden and the 6- l;point guard responded with his best season at UK.
During his first three years at UK Harden often feuded with Coach Joe Hall. He even briefly left the team during his junior year. Harden, though, didn't have any problems with Sutton.
"My first two and one-half years here almost killed my enthusiasm for basketball," says Harden. "But then Coach Sutton came along and allowed me to play the way I've always played. He had faith in me and let me play up to my talent.
"Coach Sutton also did a great job educating the media and fans about the role of a point guard. He gave me credit and magnified the role I played on this team."
Maybe that's why trying to accept that his career is probably over is so hard. But Harden has no regrets about the sacrifices he made or that Kentucky didn't win a national title during his stay in Lexington.
"A couple of pro teams have looked at me and I'll certainly do everything in my power to make the NBA," says Harden. "But I've got to be realistic about my chances. The odds are I won't make it and that the only basketball I'll play from now on will be in a YMCA league, on the playground or in an exhibition series like the one I'm doing now.
"Since I was in the first or second grade I've made sacrifices for basketball. Players sacrifice girls, a social life, vacations in the summer and a lot of other things to dedicate themselves to a sport.
"But you have to have goals and dedication. It's like going to church. In high school I had to go. Now I go because I want to. It's the same with basketball. Growing up I had to play to make myself a good player. Now I enjoy playing and do so because I like it."
And despite his conflicts with Hall, Harden has no doubts about where the best place in the country is to play basketball.
"Coming to UK has probably been the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life other than my salvation," says Harden. "Never in my wildest imagination did I understand what Kentucky basketball was like. I knew it was big but not to the degree that it is.
"Kentucky basketball is what's happening. It will always be that way, too, because of the fans. It's not the people in Rupp Arena that make Kentucky basketball special. It's the kids playing in the backyard pretending they are a Wildcat. Or the grandmother sitting by her radio listening to every minute of every game. Those people are the ones who make UK basketball what it is."
If Harden's shot at the NBA falls short, he hopes to serve as a graduate assistant under Sutton next season to bring him closer to his goal of one day becoming a college coach.
"I don't think Coach Sutton would have asked me to serve if he didn't think I could help," says Harden. "Being able to coach at UK would be a great opportunity for me. The general public just couldn't comprehend what a chance it would be. And getting to stay involved with the program really excites me."
Harden Keeping Things In Perspective
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UK FANS all across the state turned out to watch the exhibition series featuring the seniors. But former Kentucky cagers enjoy the opportunity to renew friendships and play together again, too, during the series of games.
"Games like these are what helps keep the Kentucky tradition growing," says former Wildcat Jim Master. "These exhibition games add to the mystique of Kentucky basketball.
"As a former player it's nice to get to see people around the state again. And everyone likes to go back and hear the cheers one more time."
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EDDIE SUTTON made two excellent choices when he hired Dwane Casey as assistant coach and signed guard Derrick Miller.
However, the signing of junior college standout Harvey Grant may not have been a wise thing. Grant apparently has also signed with at least two other schools and no one seems to know exactly where he will go to school.
Sutton impressed me when he told seven-footer Tito Horford thanks, but no thanks when he wanted to attend UK after leaving LSU. Sutton just didn't need that type of problem.
Now he doesn't need Grant. Grant left Clemson to attend junior college and it's obvious he still doesn't know what he wants to do. With that it mind it just doesn't seem like Grant would be able to cope with the pressures put on a UK player.
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UK FOOTBALL Coach Jerry Claiborne wasn't pleased with the results of the annual Blue-White scrimmage that ended spring practice.
That should be a warning for the players. Kentucky struggled during the 1985 season and Claiborne expects a better attitude and results when the players report again in August.
This will be a critical season for Kentucky. UK must field a winner again to renew enthusiasm across the state.
Louisville is going to challenge Kentucky for the state's best players on an annual basis as long as Howard Schnellenberger is around. And if the Cards grab two, three or four in-state products per year it will hurt Kentucky.
And don't forget that the Southeastern Conference will go to seven league games in 1987, a move that will make it even more difficult for UK to sustain a winning program.
That's why Claiborne wants his players to work harder than ever this summer to put Kentucky back on the winning side of the ledger this fall.