catmandoo
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posted 06-18-2021 11:59 AM
Following Nolan Hickman’s decommitment from UK back in April, the Kentucky basketball program had zero point guards signed on for the 2021-22 season going into the month of May. With the team planning to begin the move-in process on May 28, John Calipari and the UK coaching staff had to act fast to not only add bodies, but complementary pieces that would help bring the program back to contending status following its abysmal 9-16 finish last season.
Within three weeks, Kentucky added signatures from five-star point guard TyTy Washington and Georgia transfer Sahvir Wheeler, who earned second-team All-SEC honors last season after leading the conference in assists.
Almost immediately after arriving on campus, the point guard duo clicked both on and off the floor.
“I’ve gotten to know him very well. Since the first day he got here, we’ve been clicking,” Washington told the media on Thursday. “We always do everything together. We work out together, always by each other, always in each other’s rooms hanging out.”
After a few pickup games and practices, it didn’t take long for the freshman signee to see that he and Wheeler complement each other on the floor extremely well.
“I think our games are compatible,” he said. “He likes to get downhill, he’s really fast and aggressive. He gets to the paint at will, so do I. He shoots it really good, I shoot it good too. Playing with him is going to be great.”
At the time, Calipari recruited both point guards at the same time, with Washington committing on May 12 and Wheeler committing on May 17. While the idea of teaming up with another standout guard may have turned away some, it was an opportunity both players embraced from the beginning. Why? The UK head coach made it clear that he would be returning to the three-guard lineup that worked so well in 2019-20, among other past seasons inFollowing Nolan Hickman’s decommitment from UK back in April, the Kentucky basketball program had zero point guards signed on for the 2021-22 season going into the month of May. With the team planning to begin the move-in process on May 28, John Calipari and the UK coaching staff had to act fast to not only add bodies, but complementary pieces that would help bring the program back to contending status following its abysmal 9-16 finish last season.
Within three weeks, Kentucky added signatures from five-star point guard TyTy Washington and Georgia transfer Sahvir Wheeler, who earned second-team All-SEC honors last season after leading the conference in assists.
Almost immediately after arriving on campus, the point guard duo clicked both on and off the floor.
“I’ve gotten to know him very well. Since the first day he got here, we’ve been clicking,” Washington told the media on Thursday. “We always do everything together. We work out together, always by each other, always in each other’s rooms hanging out.”
After a few pickup games and practices, it didn’t take long for the freshman signee to see that he and Wheeler complement each other on the floor extremely well.
“I think our games are compatible,” he said. “He likes to get downhill, he’s really fast and aggressive. He gets to the paint at will, so do I. He shoots it really good, I shoot it good too. Playing with him is going to be great.”
At the time, Calipari recruited both point guards at the same time, with Washington committing on May 12 and Wheeler committing on May 17. While the idea of teaming up with another standout guard may have turned away some, it was an opportunity both players embraced from the beginning. Why? The UK head coach made it clear that he would be returning to the three-guard lineup that worked so well in 2019-20, among other past seasons inFollowing Nolan Hickman’s decommitment from UK back in April, the Kentucky basketball program had zero point guards signed on for the 2021-22 season going into the month of May. With the team planning to begin the move-in process on May 28, John Calipari and the UK coaching staff had to act fast to not only add bodies, but complementary pieces that would help bring the program back to contending status following its abysmal 9-16 finish last season.
Within three weeks, Kentucky added signatures from five-star point guard TyTy Washington and Georgia transfer Sahvir Wheeler, who earned second-team All-SEC honors last season after leading the conference in assists.
Almost immediately after arriving on campus, the point guard duo clicked both on and off the floor.
“I’ve gotten to know him very well. Since the first day he got here, we’ve been clicking,” Washington told the media on Thursday. “We always do everything together. We work out together, always by each other, always in each other’s rooms hanging out.”
After a few pickup games and practices, it didn’t take long for the freshman signee to see that he and Wheeler complement each other on the floor extremely well.
“I think our games are compatible,” he said. “He likes to get downhill, he’s really fast and aggressive. He gets to the paint at will, so do I. He shoots it really good, I shoot it good too. Playing with him is going to be great.”
At the time, Calipari recruited both point guards at the same time, with Washington committing on May 12 and Wheeler committing on May 17. While the idea of teaming up with another standout guard may have turned away some, it was an opportunity both players embraced from the beginning. Why? The UK head coach made it clear that he would be returning to the three-guard lineup that worked so well in 2019-20, among other past seasons in “It didn’t scare me off or anything. Actually, I think it helps me out because Cal wants to get back to playing three guards,” Washington said. “With me and Sahvir both being point guards, we can go out there and help each other out. The other team’s best defender can’t guard both of us, so if he’s guarding me, then Sahvir’s going to have the opportunity to make plays. If the best defender is guarding him, I’m going to have the same opportunity.”
Individually, Washington knows he’ll still be able to lead the team, an opportunity he’s looking forward to as a Wildcat.
“I feel like my role on this team is definitely going to lead,” the 6-foot-3 freshman added. “Every day in practice, the coaches tell me to keep talking and be the same person I was in high school. They’re saying that because I’m the point guard, everyone on the team is going to be listening to what I’ve got to say.
With the three-guard lineup returning to Lexington in 2021-22, Calipari isn’t worried about assigning certain roles or responsibilities. At this point, he’s just focused on his players learning the system, having fun and playing their games. The production and overall success will follow.
“Cal, he hasn’t told us any of our roles yet,” Washington said. “He just wants us to go out there, have fun and play. Basketball is changing a lot, it’s positionless, so as long as you’re out there on the court doing something, you can be productive.”
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