Kentucky basketball players defended the Wildcats program when asked about the FBI investigation into college basketball recruiting on Thursday.

Some, but not all, even expressed sympathy for in state rival Louisville Wenyen Gabriel Jersey, the program that placed coach Rick Pitino on administrative leave for its involvement.

“We don t have nothing to worry about, Kentucky freshman guard Quade Green said at UK media day Thursday. None of us are in it. We did everything the right way, and that was that. And we came here because of the right things.”

The FBI has not contacted Kentucky, the school told the Courier Journal last week. The NCAA has not reached out, either https://www.kentuckywildcatscenter.com/sacha-killeyajones-jersey-c-2.html, coach John Calipari said Thursday.

Kentucky players said they didn t need illegal recruiting tactics to choose the Wildcats. Sophomore forward Sacha Killeya Jones pointed to pictures of current NBA players there were 25 former Wildcats on NBA rosters last season and three were selected in the first round of the NBA draft in June and the eight championship banners hanging in Kentucky s practice gym as proof.

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All those dudes right there https://www.kentuckywildcatscenter.com/deaaron-fox-jersey-c-1.html, those banners over there and 25,000 people expected for Big Blue Madness on Friday is why we came here, Killeya Jones said. There s nothing like it in the country.

Kentucky freshman guard Hamidou Diallo said https://www.kentuckywildcatscenter.com/edrice-adebayo-jersey-c-3.html, we don t have to worry about any of that stuff. We re just worried about playing basketball and being on the floor and bringing it every day and trying to play until that last game in March.

That s good for the Wildcats, who will attempt to reach a fifth Final Four in Calipari s ninth season. That s a goal many predicted Louisville could achieve heading into what was supposed to be Rick Pitino s 17th season.

The University of Louisville Athletic Association moved to fire the Hall of Fame coach the day after a 28 page criminal complaint filed by the FBI alleged that Adidas’ global marketing executive, James Gatto, and other defendants conspired with coaches at a university later identified as the University of Louisville to attempt to funnel 100,000 to the family of a player to secure his commitment to the university.

Louisville men s basketball assistant coach David Padgett was elevated to interim head coach last week.