It has quickly become a rarity to turn on an NBA game and not find a former Kentucky Wildcat or John Calipari player on the floor.

Every championship team is defined by championship moments. They happen behind closed doors in practices, during regular-season games, and, of course, in the championship game. The following is the third in a series of articles chronicling the championship moments during the 2011-2012 Kentucky basketball season. Today we chronicle Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s knack for coming up big in the biggest games of the season as he became the emotional leader of the 2012 national champions.

Rod Strickland, a 17-year NBA veteran and longtime John Calipari staff member, is staying on Coach Cal’s staff at the University of Kentucky.

Coach Cal and the UK coaching staff took the national championship trophy north on Tuesday to give fans in Northern Kentucky and Southern Ohio a chance to see the trophy. To pay tribute to UK’s eighth national championship, the Reds honored Calipari and his staff on the field before the game, and Coach Cal chatted it up with the likes of Reds manager Dusty Baker and third baseman Scott Rolen.

Befitting of a national championship season, the Kentucky men’s basketball team dominated the 2012 annual CATSPY Awards, UK Athletics’ annual awards banquet at Memorial Coliseum that recognizes athletic and academic performances during the 2011-12 year.