A. J. Slaughter, a swift, sure-footed guard who plays for Western Kentucky, has more than a passing interest in the upcoming game against the University of Louisville.

When he was growing up in Shelby County, Slaughter was a strong U of L fan, owning a vast wardrobe of Cardinal shirts and paraphenalia. “He had every kind of Louisville shirt you could find,” said his mother Bonita Slaughter.

While Slaughter went on to become an all-state player at Shelby County, he never received a scholarship offer from the home of his favorite players, Reece Gaines and Francisco Garcia.

One of his sisters, Toni, was a starting guard for the women’s team. Another sister, Atonita, is a leading Miss Basketball contender at Louisville Christian Academy and has signed to play for U of L.

Slaughter will finally live his fantasy Saturday, wearing red in Freedom Hall.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.