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PrintLEXINGTON, Ky. (KT) -- Nate Sestina is looking forward to returning to Rupp Arena.
"I wanted the opportunity to play in Rupp again, but I didn't know how it would happen," he said. "The fact that it's happening like this is -- is a dream come true."
Sestina and several other former Kentucky players, including Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Daniel Orton Doron Lamb, Eric Bledsoe, James Young, Kellan Grady, Marquis Teague, Reid Travis and Willie Cauley-Stein are returning to Lexington next week.
The former Wildcats are part of "Team Familia," one of 64 teams competing in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) that begins July 19. The single-elimination event will be held at eight regional sites, including Lexington and Louisville, with the finals set for Aug. 4 in Philadelphia. The winning team will receive a $1 million payout.
"This is going to be a lot of fun," said Sestina, who is playing professionally overseas. "I think the thing that really, for me, kind of sealed the deal was being able to play in Rupp again. I left Rupp on a sour note. It still bothers me. ... I'm really excited."
Sestina played on Kentucky's 2019-20 team that finished 25-6 and ranked No. 8 in the nation. The team's season was cut short by the pandemic. Sestina has always wondered what would would have happened if the postseason hadn't been canceled.
"That's always a topic of our conversation," Sestina said. "We were (so) close to something I think that was really special. I think it's something the fans wanted to see and, to this day, we could have won a national championship."
The Kentucky alumni squad will be coached by former Kentucky standout Tyler Ulis and Sestina is looking forward to playing for Ulis, who spent the past two seasons on John Calipari's staff at Kentucky.
"I think you you couldn't ask for a better guy," he said. "He's a junkyard dog. That's how he was as a player. I'm hoping he's the same way as a coach. The first image that pops in my head is when he got his eyes split and he's bleeding and he still played. He embraces and encompasses what it means to play basketball (at Kentucky).
"He understands what it meant for me to play at the University of Kentucky and, the opportunity to play with these guys and represent UK again, and then to get to play in Rupp and get involved in the community."
Since leaving Kentucky, Sestina said his game has improved and he's improved on the defensive end of the court.
"I promise I'm better on defense," I know everybody's worried about that. I promise I am. "
Sestina added "it feels like a lifetime" since he played at Rupp Arena, but likes the idea of playing with former players who played for the Wildcats.
"Basketball in Lexington is something that's really special." he said. "To have some of the the big-name guys that are coming onto this team and being headed by Tyler was head coach is just this is an awesome full circle moment for me. To do it in Rupp is what really sealed the deal for me."
Sestina and Team Familia is the No. 2 seed in the Lexington Regional and will play the No. 7 seed 305 Ballers at 8 p.m. on July 19 at Rupp Arena.
TBT Lexington Regional July 19-23
・No. 1 seed: Herd That (Marshall alumni)
・No. 2 seed: La Familia (Kentucky alumni)
・No. 3 seed: WoCo Showtime (Wofford alumni)
・No. 4 seed: War Ready (Auburn alumni)
・No. 5 seed: D2 Waymakers
・No. 6 seed: The Nawf
・No. 7 seed: 305 Ballers
・No. 8 seed: Jackson TN Boom
