Kentucky head coach Mark Pope may have uncovered a game-changing secret to his team’s NCAA Tournament success—one that has basketball legends nodding in approval while leaving everyone else scratching their heads.
Following the Wildcats’ 84-75 victory over Illinois to secure a Sweet 16 spot for the first time since 2019, Pope credited star player Amari Williams’ dominant performance to something unexpected: his childhood breakfast.
Williams had only eaten toast before Kentucky’s first-round win over Troy, but before the second-round matchup, the team tracked down his favorite childhood cereal—Weetabix. The English whole-grain, vitamin-packed cereal has long been a staple in his diet, and Pope joked that it may have fueled his standout performance.
Basketball purists who believe in routine and superstition might love this story, but for the rest, it raises more questions than answers. Could a breakfast switch really be the key to victory?
As Kentucky gears up for a Sweet 16 showdown with Tennessee, one thing is certain—Williams will have plenty of Weetabix on hand.
