Kerr Kriisa send strong message to Cooper Flagg as they gear up for that big game against Duke

Kerr Kriisa with a legendary quote before the marquee matchup of Kentucky vs. Duke

Kerr Kriisa might just be the most exciting player on the Kentucky Wildcats! His performance on the court is something to watch, but it’s his energy and passion that really steal the show. He plays with a fiery, animated style, always looking to hype up his teammates. Plus, he’s got a reputation for a bit of trash-talking—though his coach, Mark Pope, prefers to call it “competitive talking.”

In a recent game against Bucknell, Kriisa drew a warning from the referees for his lively antics. He was clapping and smiling while playing defense, which prompted the ref to tell him to tone it down a bit. There was a fun moment when he shared a smile with Coach Pope, who seemed to agree that maybe he could dial it back just a notch!

That got Big Blue Nation talking, but what really went viral were his post-game comments about Duke. Kriisa, communicating that he’s not worried about Duke, “It’s just another game,” took a shot at Cooper Flagg.

“The whole world is talking about Cooper Flagg. Excited to play against the No. 1 overall draft pick. Congrats to him on getting that already.” -Kerr Kriisa

The humor he used to say this was his clear way of saying – ‘they don’t worry us. It’s just another game, and we will approach it as such.’ He wants Flagg and Duke to know, they are ready. His full comments were, “It’s going to be exciting, probably more exciting for fans. The fans like a Duke / Kentucky matchup, but for us, it’s just another game.” Here’s the clip:

Watch here

While Mark Pope wouldn’t go as far as the Flagg comments, Kriisa is echoing Kentucky’s approach to this season. There are no big games; each game is the big game. Each game matters the most. He’s been preaching that the game in front of them is the most important. For this week, though, the game in front of them is Duke.

You can watch that game on ESPN on Tuesday, November 12th, at approximately 9 p.m. It will air after the Michigan State vs. Kansas game, which takes place on the same court as Kentucky vs. Duke.