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John Calipari Gives Injury Update on Sahvir Wheeler, Says “It’s Killing Him” Not to Be Able to Play

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2 years ago

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© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

The Kentucky Wildcats have won 10 of their last 13 games, completely turning their season around. What makes that even more impressive is that they have done so despite injuries. Over that stretch, Cason Wallace missed a game, but the players that have been out for the longest stretches are CJ Fredrick (cracked rib) and Sahvir Wheeler (high ankle sprain).

This past Saturday, the Wildcats got CJ Fredrick back and while he is not quite 100 percent – still wearing a padded compression shirt- he was able to get back on the floor for seven minutes and give the starters a much-needed rest. However, that still leaves Wheeler.

Wheeler last played against Florida on Feb 4th, nearly a month ago, and has sat out since after suffering a high ankle sprain in practice. From reports, Wheeler did return to practice the following week, participating in some individual drills. Yet, he has still not returned.

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On his weekly call-in show on Monday, John Calipari provided the latest update on Wheeler. Calipari explained that Wheeler is following the doctor’s orders, and “it’s killing him” not to be able to play. Adds, “he has really worked hard to get back at it.”

High ankle sprains are a common basketball injury, but the recovery time can vary, ranging from 2-8 weeks. It should be noted, that most are treated in 2-3 weeks and Kentucky has access to some of the best treatment equipment available.

With that said, I do not believe that Wheeler is sitting out because he is unhappy in his new role. This rumor has circulated in the last week or so, but with little information.

Going from a starter to playing just 15 minutes per game off the bench, I am sure Wheeler wasn’t the happiest about the situation. However, he understood it and has been very mature through the whole process.

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Against Ole Miss on Jan 31st, Wheeler was asked to step up in the absence of Cason Wallace. He did so, playing through a first-half ankle injury, and played a large role in Kentucky getting that win. Why would a player risk worsening an injury if they weren’t invested in their team?

Even in his injury absence, Wheeler has been mentoring Cason Wallace and helping him understand the responsibilities of the point guard role, and has been one of the biggest supporters of the team on the bench. Against Auburn, Wheeler stood for the majority of the game, cheering on his teammates regardless of momentum.

While this team has found its best five players, and they are playing their best basketball of the season, having Savhir Wheeler on the bench for depth would be great for a postseason run.

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Players Say They Think About Winning National Championship “Every Second”

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3 days ago

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November 18, 2024

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Kentucky basketball players celebrate after their big over Duke.
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The expectations at Kentucky are the highest of any school in the country, and there is good reason why. The winningest college program ever. Eight national titles, under five different coaches. Seventeen Final Four appearances. You get it, a lot of success.

Fans want the players to have those same expectations. Despite not having the elite talent or preseason hype of great Kentucky teams past, this year’s team still has their eyes set on doing something “people will remember forever”, winning a national championship.

Asked on social media, if hanging banner #9 was all the players thought about “every second”, Ansley Almonor had a response.

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“We do.”

It takes a lot to win a national championship, including some luck, but this team is certainly going to be loved for their desire to live out their dream of playing at Kentucky and their unselfishness. Those two things can take them a long way this season .

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Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart Seemingly Takes Shot at John Calipari, “Anybody Can Recruit”

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5 days ago

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November 16, 2024

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Mitch Barnhart sitting next to basketball coach John Calipari.
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John Calipari and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart had their differences over fifteen years, but success can hide a lot of things. Not that they hated each other, but they each had vastly different personalities. As that success weaned towards the end of Calipari’s tenure, those issues started to be noticed publically.

If you need evidence of that, despite their efforts to dispute it, there is the infamous press conference where Barnhart talked about “entitled” coaches, shortly after Calipari publicly called for a new practice facility. Then, there were multiple times when Calipari expressed that the administration was not on the same page and that he was facing “headwinds”.

That said, Calipari is now at Arkansas, but those differences and some disdain remain. During an interview on the Kentucky Football pregame show, Barnhart seemingly took a shot at Calipari when asked about Mark Pope’s recruiting philosophy and prioritizing fit.

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“I tell people all the time, ‘Anybody can recruit, not everybody can evaluate,’” Barnhart said. “You can recruit. You can be phenomenal at bringing people to your program. But if it does not fit you, it’s really not helpful.”

Of course, Calipari is one of the best, if not the best, recruiters in college basketball history. At times, he prioritized talent and athleticism over fit.

Quite the coincidence.

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ESPN’s Jay Williams Gives Message to Kentucky Fans, “You’re Not Going to Like It…”

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6 days ago

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November 15, 2024

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ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams gives a message to Kentucky fans after the Wildcats win over Duke. "You won't like it."
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Back in April, opposing fanbases like Duke, told Kentucky fans to “cope with Pope” following the hire of Mark Pope and the corresponding initial shock. On Tuesday, those same fanbases had to watch as Mark Pope outcoached Jon Scheyer and Duke in the final minutes of the Champion’s Classic to get his first marque win in just his third game at Kentucky.

Of course, shortly after the game, Duke fans began to rationalize the loss by highlighting their team’s youth. While true, it sounded like an echo chamber of what Kentucky fans said for years under John Calipari. One notable example was former Blue Devil Jay Williams.

At halftime, while Duke was leading 46-37, Williams called this year’s Duke team the most talented since the 2001 team that he was a part of at halftime. To his credit, he complimented Kentucky on the comeback victory, specifically on their offense and maturity, but then 36 hours later he posted a message to Kentucky fans on social media.

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“Let me put you on to something,” Williams started. “Whether you like it or not, networks are going to sell Cooper Flagg. He’s going to be the number one pick in the draft. You’re going to talk about whether he won the or whether he lost the game, regardless of the outcome.”

“You’re not going to like it. There should be more kudos to Mark Pope and Kentucky,” Williams continued. “Regardless of whether you won the game or not, they’re still going to sell Cooper Flagg because he is selling the sport. Sorry.”

William’s statement is true. That said, it comes off as ‘sour grapes’ about losing. Cooper Flagg is a great talent and will likely be the first pick in the NBA Draft, but most Kentucky fans would say they would much rather have the win than the marketing.

Futhermore, Kentucky and its ‘brand’ has raised the level of multiple players and coaches, and will continue to do so. A deeper impact than Cooper Flagg will have on Duke in just one season.

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