Like I stated in an earlier post, I was really surprised to see Matt Pilgrim at Coach Cal’s father son camp working as a counselor, about two weeks ago UK announced that he would be transferring and leaving UK, and his father let it be known in interviews that he wasn’t happy with the situation at all, so everyone was wandering why Matt was still there and really still acting like a member of the team, signing autographs, and interacting with the coach’s.

Matt worked with our group and he was great with the kids and really outgoing and seemed to be having a great time. But whats going on with Matt ? Kevin Galloway left school right after the announcement, and Matt left for about a week, I didn’t get a straight out answer because I didn’t want to make him feel awkward by asking, but we had several conversations which Ill get to later.

First let me say that I often made fun of Marc Maggard and others who had anointed Matt as a BEAST and future pro after only seeing him in pickup games, but after seeing him play I understand. Now pickup games are not the same as structured D1 practices, but you can get a gage of a guys overall talent and athleticism, and a blind man can tell Pilgrims athletic ability is off the charts, besides Demarcus Cousins no one impressed me more than Matt Pilgrim, the guy gets his armpit over the rim, runs the floor very well, has a nice outside stroke, good handle’s, and he tries to rip the rim or someones arm off on every play, I mean the guy is a physical specimen, and next to guys like Perry Stevenson you have to wonder why he is not wanted on the team, and thats exactly what ever father in camp was asking. Now I have no idea what the situation is, whether its a grade issue, or and attitude problem, or if he’s is just not the right fit for the team, but it is blatantly obvious he has high major potential. Rumors were flying among the campers that maybe they would keep Pilgrim since Jodie Meeks early entry has left a scholarship open, And from what I saw I have no doubt that he could help this team, if not this year, definitely next year.

Being the Investigative Journalist that I am (not), I asked a few suggestive questions to Matt, here’s a brief excerpt of one conversation, which really left more questions than answers.

BIGCAT: hey Matt have you decided where your going to school next year ?

MATT PILGRIM: “aw man I got a couple of options but I got some tough choice’s”.

BIGCAT: I read somewhere that Nebraska might be trying to get you and Galloway ?

MATT PILGRIM: “aw man don’t believe that junk on the Internet, they never called me”.

BIGCAT: is there anywhere your leaning ?

MATT PILGRIM: “There’s one thing I hope works out, but I really cant say yet, I just want to get to a Final Four”. (then he winks at me ) Now I know they call me BigCatSexy for a good reason, but I don’t think that’s why he was winking.

So to sum this up, I really have no idea if there’s a chance that Matt stays on the team, but it is a strange set of circumstances, to have a kid with this much raw ability and not give him a chance with an open scholarship. Anyway I wished Matt luck, and where ever he ends up I don’t think you have heard the last of Matt Pilgrim.