Reece Potter knew he would commit the second Kentucky called: “It’s a dream come true.”
Miami (OH) transfer Reece Potter didn’t know what to expect when he entered the portal in late March — but he certainly didn’t expect things to unfold the way they did in April, then early May. His phone wouldn’t stop ringing, hearing from programs and coaches he never would have imagined would be prioritizing him after two seasons in the MAC.
Among them? North Carolina, Washington, Louisville and UConn.
“It was really crazy. The phone was always ringing with different people talking to you, trying to give their pitch on why you should go to their school,” he told KSR. “It was crazy. It was really cool hearing from all these schools, the Hubert Davises and Dan Hurleys — I mean, it’s just wild. There were some people that I grew up watching and you watch on TV every day. It’s wild for those people — you get that call and it says ‘Maybe: Hubert Davis’ or however it was marked. It’s wild for sure, it was fun.”
Then the text messages and phone calls came in. At that point, it was over.
“Once Kentucky called me, it was like, ‘It’s time, I’m done talking to these people. Let’s get to the business,’” Potter said.
Miami (OH) transfer Reece Potter didn’t know what to expect when he entered the portal in late March — but he certainly didn’t expect things to unfold the way they did in April, then early May. His phone wouldn’t stop ringing, hearing from programs and coaches he never would have imagined would be prioritizing him after two seasons in the MAC.
Among them? North Carolina, Washington, Louisville and UConn.
“It was really crazy. The phone was always ringing with different people talking to you, trying to give their pitch on why you should go to their school,” he told KSR. “It was crazy. It was really cool hearing from all these schools, the Hubert Davises and Dan Hurleys — I mean, it’s just wild. There were some people that I grew up watching and you watch on TV every day. It’s wild for those people — you get that call and it says ‘Maybe: Hubert Davis’ or however it was marked. It’s wild for sure, it was fun.”
Then the text messages and phone calls came in. At that point, it was over.
“Once Kentucky called me, it was like, ‘It’s time, I’m done talking to these people. Let’s get to the business,’” Potter said.
As a Lexington, the opportunity to return home and play for the winningest tradition in college basketball history was too much to pass up. Sure, other schools offered more playing time (and maybe more cash), but Kentucky was selling something money can’t buy.
The process wasn’t immediate, though. He knew immediately he wanted to wear the blue and white, but his parents wanted him to take a deep breath and think through the decision, not committing out of emotion.
“When Kentucky called me, it was a dream come true, but I still had to make the best decision for myself,” he told KSR. “Always in the back of my mind it was like, ‘You’ve got to go there. You have to go there.’ But my parents were very supportive, they were like, ‘Just take your time, just kind of see what’s all out there.’
“Once they contacted me, I took a week to settle down a little bit. Right away, I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, I’m going there. I’m going there.’ My dad was like, ‘Relax, relax. I know that’s your dream school, but just take a week for yourself. Really understand what that would mean for you, if that’s the decision you want.’”
