Big Blue Madness tips off a new Kentucky basketball season. ‘Let’s chase No. 9 this year.’

The first former Kentucky Wildcat to walk down the blue carpet at the entrance of Rupp Arena on Friday night was a national champion.

And about 30 minutes after Michael Kidd-Gilchrist flashed that familiar smile, the 2022-23 squad strolled down that same blue carpet, ready to tip off a new season of Kentucky basketball and no doubt hopeful to ultimately follow in the recent UK legend’s footsteps.

Another Big Blue Madness means another UK season is on the horizon, and John Calipari’s brevity on the microphone during this edition of the tip-off event might speak volumes.

There was no “state of the program” address this time around. No prolonged speech directed at the spectacular guest list of recruits in attendance.

Instead, Calipari thanked the fans. He thanked the former players who had returned. And then he offered a slight smile and a short statement.

“I’m really liking this team,” said the UK coach entering his 14th season in charge of the Cats. “So why don’t we stop talking, and let’s go have some fun.”

Calipari knew at that point that the fun had already begun.

About an hour before the official start time for Madness, the Wildcats landed a commitment from five-star recruit Aaron Bradshaw, arguably the best big man in the 2023 class and a major target for Kentucky’s coaching staff over the past several months.

By the time the men’s team took the Rupp court, Bradshaw was seated right behind the Kentucky bench. And before he settled into that seat, he had a conversation with teammate DJ Wagner, who has spent most of his high school career as the No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2023 class and is widely expected to join Bradshaw as a UK commitment sometime in the near future. That pledge would likely lock up a No. 1 recruiting class for Calipari, who had talked throughout the summer about returning Madness to its past greatness but was relatively restrained during the event itself.

Perhaps that was because Calipari knew he didn’t need to sell anyone on his program this time around. The Kentucky coach clearly has one of his best recruiting classes yet on the way, and the present state of UK basketball isn’t looking too bad either.

The Cats are expected to be ranked as a top-five team when the first Associated Press poll of the 2022-23 campaign is released next week. The pieces for a successful season are in place, and the program’s first Final Four since 2015 — possibly its first national title since 2012 — are realistic objectives.

The biggest downer on this annual night of celebration for Kentucky fans was surely the sight of reigning national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe on crutches. Tshiebwe underwent a “minor” procedure on his knee Thursday. The Herald-Leader was told Friday that it was a successful operation, though Tshiebwe is expected to miss the Cats’ entire preseason slate as a precaution. He’s planning to be ready to go for UK’s season opener Nov. 7 against Howard.

Veteran big man Lance Ware also sat on the bench during the basketball portion of Madness, but Calipari said that, too, was a precaution, and he’d be out only four or five days.

Other than that, it was a joyous affair in Rupp.

The UK women’s basketball team — reigning SEC Tournament champs — took the court first, with Coach Kyra Elzy showing up on a motorcycle and getting a big cheer as she rode to the court in style. A roster filled with new players — All-American Rhyne Howard and several other key Cats from last season are gone — was introduced to the crowd. Blair Green, who is returning from injury, defeated Maddie Scherr — the 2020 Kentucky Miss Basketball, back home after two seasons at Oregon — in the team’s three-point contest.

Then it was the men’s team’s turn to take the court.

Before the 2022-23 Cats came out, several of their predecessors were feted by the Rupp fans.

Brandon Knight, Tyler Ulis, Kevin Knox, Nick Richards, Hamidou Diallo, Bam Adebayo and Kidd-Gilchrist all took to the stage set up at one end of the court, highlights from their Kentucky careers playing on a video board behind them as they waved to the crowd. A video montage featuring special messages from several other former UK stars — No. 1 NBA Draft picks John Wall, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns among them — was then played on the Rupp big screen.

The actual basketball at Madness was underwhelming, as usual.

Antonio Reeves won the three-point contest. Jacob Toppin was declared the slam-dunk champion. The scrimmage didn’t last long and quickly devolved into another dunk contest.

But Madness isn’t really the night for basketball. It’s the night that tells Kentucky fans another season is coming soon. And this season will once again bring big expectations.

Davis was the nation’s best player the last time Kentucky won a title — the eighth in the program’s history — a little more than 10 years ago. And his video message matched the tone of Friday night’s festivities.

“Let’s chase No. 9 this year,” Davis said. “Let’s do it, fellas.”

Aaron Bradshaw will be a Kentucky Wildcat. What does this mean for UK basketball?

‘The sky’s the limit for him.’ What Kentucky is getting in 7-footer Aaron Bradshaw.

Oscar Tshiebwe shows up at Big Blue Madness on crutches. An update on his knee injury.

Aaron Bradshaw commits to Kentucky. Wildcats earn pledge from elite class of 2023 center.