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Published Monday, July 13, 2009 | 11:21 p.m.
Updated Monday, July 13, 2009 | 11:33 p.m.
More on Jasper
- 2008-09 season is Jasper’s time to heal (1-23-09)
- Jasper warming up to Vegas (7-17-08)
- Jasper officially becomes a Rebel (7-14-08)
- Ex-Kentucky guard Jasper excited to play hoops at UNLV (6-16-08)
Derrick Jasper made an appearance in the tunnel of the Thomas & Mack Center on Monday night before watching good friend and former Kentucky roommate/teammate Jodie Meeks play for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA summer league.
The only way you'd recognize the UK transfer, however, is if you know his face.
Jasper, who redshirted last season per NCAA transfer rules, also used the time allowing his once-surgically repaired left knee time to fully heal.
He's back on the court at full strength this summer, playing pick-up ball all week with his UNLV teammates, and looks better than ever.
The slimmed down 6-foot-6 point guard said he cut several of his favorite foods out of his diet -- mostly trips to Buffalo Wild Wings, he admits -- and currently weighs a slender 212 pounds. This is down from the 227 pounds he said he weighed at the end of last season, when he was just getting back to playing form following another round of rehab.
When asked to describe how summer ball with his teammates had felt, he couldn't wipe the smile from his face.
"It's been so long," he said. "I feel 10 times better than I did my last year at Kentucky. Basically, I'm just working real hard, bringing leadership and making everyone play hard, too.
"I'm so excited, I'm ready."
He said Rebels fans can expect to see a team with solid communication skills on the defensive end this season, as he said the chatter is at high volume during pick-up ball.
Jasper, who averaged 4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in two seasons at Kentucky, had microfracture surgery performed on his left knee following the 2006-07 season, but admittedly played during the 2007-08 season on a left leg that wasn't quite at full strength.
The Paso Robles, Calif., native transferred following the 07-08 campaign, and is expected to compete for a starting spot with Lon Kruger's club this season.
Can't wait!
November can't come soon enough. I am looking foward to three incredible ath-uh-letes with the ball in their hands. Jasper, Stanbeck and T'Wil? Oscar getting his minutes? Kendall wide open in the corner? It should be fun to wacth if the team communicates well and our bigs have improved. Krueger has done well in the past, so we'll see what happens.
Only 119 days until our exhibition game. I'll start the paper chain.
I wish he had stayed at UK. Best of luck Derrick
Derrick we miss you at UK. But we understand that you had to do what was best for you. Good luck and have a super season.
Derrick----one of my very favorite players at UK.
You may be a Running Rebel now, but will always remembered as a Wildcat!!!! Probably(IS) a GREAT move for you, but even with all the recruits-----Our PAST "CATS" are special!!! Wish you the best of everything and hope not to meet you in the NCAA tourney. God Bless and have a wonderful year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good to see the Cat fans on here showing appreciation for Derrick. We're more than happy to have him and thanks for being gracious to him.
It would be nice to see the rebs get the support from the community win or lose but it seems that they only come out when there all win win.This is the same reason a pro team will never make it here! The community will only come out if there winning!
the "cats" fans are being nice and supportive now... but before a certain sketchy and unfair NIT game earlier this year they invaded the sun and made fools of themselves. UK and all teams that wear blue can keep their comments on our message boards to themselves as far as i'm concerned.
U are a real class act unlvrunrebs!!!!!! Cat fans are bein sincere in there well wishes for Derrick- I wish him and the rebs nothing but the best. Hes a great kid who didnt deserve to be treated the way BCG treated him. I hope he has two great years at UNLV and somehow gets his chance in the league- it couldnt happen to a better kid and he deserves it
ill cut and paste some of your fellow hill billy posts... and you can judge for yourself.
Let it go runrebs.
Takin it a bit too far I think.
Thanks for supporting DJ Cats fans!
Maybe we will see you again this year ;)