Former UK basketball players visiting K-12 schools with messages about overcoming struggles in their lives, urge Warren Co. students to help prevent bullying

Bowling Green Daily News, May 2, 2017

Humphries, Willis teach students about overcoming struggles
Former UK players share personal experiences on speaking tour
By BRAD STEPHENS

Derek Willis was a middle school student when his family declared bankruptcy. The family lost both of their cars and their house, moving to an area Willis described as “right next to the projects.”

Isaac Humphries was 8 years old when his father walked out, leaving the rest of the family to fend for itself. On top of his troubles at home, Humphries was teased and bullied at school because he didn’t fit in with other boys his age.

Humphries and Willis stood Monday in the gym at North Warren Elementary School and told those stories to the students there.

Those kids knew Humphries and Willis as former Kentucky basketball players. Willis was part of teams that went to two Final Fours and three Elite Eights and won three Southeastern Conference Tournament titles in his four years. Humphries’ two seasons included an Elite Eight and two SEC tourney titles.

Willis said that by sharing their stories of their struggles growing up, he and Humphries hope to inspire kids in similar situations.

“Hopefully the kids can relate to me because not every kid maybe grows up in the best home,” Willis said. “Maybe they’re struggling with some stuff.

“But they can understand the struggles I went through and relate to that and then push themselves that much more to get whatever they want out of their life.”

Humphries and Willis have been traveling the state in recent days on an autograph and public speaking tour. Former teammate Mychal Mulder has traveled with them, though he wasn’t at the North Warren Elementary appearance.

North Warren was the fourth local school where the former Wildcats appeared Monday. They also made stops at Bristow Elementary and Jody Richards Elementary in Bowling Green and Edmonson County 5/6 Center in Brownsville.

At each stop, Humphries said the players’ goal was to inspire students to overcome challenges they might be facing in their lives.

“We’re talking about some really important things at this school so it’s important to get to know the community,” Humphries said.

Humphries was passionate about his anti-bullying message. He talked about being teased by others while growing up in Australia because his interests included music and drama.

Then, when Humphries was in middle school, he hit a growth spurt that caused him to look physically different from his classmates. He eventually grew to his current height of 7 feet.

Humphries said during his talk that other students pelted him on the playground, throwing fruit at him. Tomatoes were the worst because of the smell, he told the students at North Warren.

“I wish that when I walked out of there no one would ever get bullied again,” Humphries said after his talk. “Unfortunately, kids can be so cruel and it’s going to happen, unfortunately.

“It sucks, but like I said today I hope they just stay with it and try to get through it.”

Willis grew up in what he said was a nice house with two cars and a stable financial situation. Things changed when his dad lost his job and the family declared bankruptcy.

Willis told the students the struggles he faced at that point. But fortunately for Willis, both his parents found new jobs and the family got back on its feet financially.

At that point, Willis’ family moved from a rough neighborhood in Louisville to a quieter area in Mount Washington. He then went on to star at Bullitt East High School before playing college basketball at UK.

“I look at it as one of those experiences I’d like to share with the students at the school,” Willis said. “It was a pivotal moment in my life.

“I had success right from that point. I worked really hard and made something of myself, used the tools that I had.”

Now Humphries and Willis are both bound for professional basketball careers, whether in the U.S. or overseas.

Humphries declared for the NBA Draft after his sophomore season, a decision he said wasn’t easy.

“Just because of my situation, I felt like I’d get more out of turning pro and playing somewhere,” Humphries said.

He averaged just 2.8 points per game in 2016-17 but scored 12 in a season-ending NCAA Tournament loss to North Carolina.

“I think college is so good for players and a place like Kentucky, we’re so good at players coming in quickly and then getting out,” Humphries said. “I think in development, I developed so well at Kentucky I feel like going to the next step will add to that.

“I’ll be able to play against real, fully grown men and plus, you work to earn money and I want to start to earn money playing basketball to support my family and stuff like that.”

Willis enjoyed a four-year run at UK that included proposing to girlfriend Keely Potts on the floor of Rupp Arena during senior night. Potts, now Willis’ fiancée, was with him Monday at North Warren.

Willis averaged 7.0 ppg this season and his 49 3-pointers were second-most on the Wildcats’ roster.

“I think I can definitely go overseas,” Willis said. “I feel like I can get drafted. I think if I was going to get drafted it would definitely be in the second round.

“But whatever opportunities do present themselves to me, I’d definitely like to take advantage of them.”