Alex Afari on journey back to Kentucky: 'I just wanted to play'

LEXINGTON — In July, as Alex Afari Jr. started to see more players in his situation — Class of 2022 high school graduates who weren't granted a fifth year of eligibility by the NCAA — return to college, he began to believe a Kentucky comeback was possible. So, after hiring an attorney, Afari became a party in a successful injunction in Jefferson Circuit Court last month.

"It felt great, because I just wanted to play," said Afari, who spoke with media members Wednesday, Sept. 23, in his first media availability since rejoining the Wildcats . "I felt like last year I didn't really finish how I wanted to."

"I wanted to come back," Afari said. "And when I knew I could come back, I had all the emotions. It just hit me."

Afari practiced during preseason camp following the injunction. But an appeal put that ruling on hold. As a result, UK and coach Will Stein sidelined Afari until the situation resolved itself.

"It was playing with my heart a little bit," Afari said of the stop-and-go nature of his eligibility saga. "But it felt good when I was able to come back and just practice."

Unlike other members of the 2022 graduating class who were granted a fifth year and sought to find a new school, Afari said leaving UK never crossed his mind.

"It was always coming back to Kentucky . I knew this is where I started, and this is where I wanted to finish," he said. "I didn't want to go nowhere else. When I was coming here to train and do some treatments and stuff like that, I (saw) the coaches and how bought-in the players (were) in the program and just how different it was.

"That made me want to come back and play here."

Kentucky Wildcats play Texas A&M Aggies. See photos from the game

After also not recording any stats in the loss to Alabama , Afari got on the board in last week's upset of Texas A&M , collecting two tackles and a pass breakup. He admitted he's still learning defensive coordinator Jay Bateman 's scheme.

"I think I'm just gonna hone in on one spot right now, just to learn one spot. It's a lot of defense — a lot," Afari said. "But it's good. ... When I get more comfortable at that spot, (they) can move me around."

Originally from Ghana, Afari has appeared in 51 games in five seasons with the Cats.

After missing out on the postseason the past two years, Afari aims to get the program back on the right track.

"I wanted to come back to this place," he said, "and finish it right."

Reach Kentucky men's basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.