Shaedon Sharpe has now been here for about two weeks, and we’ve also seen him on Kentucky’s bench during the last two games. We’ve even seen him warming up with the team at Vanderbilt. Not to forget, Kentucky released pictures of Sharpe in a UK jersey, announcing that he will wear No. 21 here. All that, for him not to play this season?
For weeks now, John Calipari has said there was never a plan to play him this season, and that they just wanted to evaluate him once he got here and started training with the staff. Well, he’s had his time and they are starting to get a feel for what he brings to the team at this point in his short collegiate career.
Coach says he brings an excellent skill package as we all expected he would, but he falls into the same line of a typical freshmen, and is lacking on the pace of the game. “The speed, the intensity, the spirit of it, talking more, he’s way behind in those areas. But, his skill set, and what he does and is comfortable when you put him in different situations, he’s good there.”
He makes a point that if he feels like Shaedon isn’t ready to play, he won’t put him in. If Kentucky feels they need him and he believes he can plug him into a game and he be ready, “I say let’s go.” That statement in itself has changed from what he told us the week before last. Things are trending into a whole new direction it seems.
Hyping up Sharpe?
On his radio show earlier in the week, and in Fridays press conference Calipari told fans to get to Rupp Arena early if they wanted to see Shaedon Sharpe working out on the court. “The doors open 90 minutes before tip-off.” Using just common logic, why does Kentucky and its Head Coach do all of this if the plan is to bury Shaedon at the end of the bench for the season? I’m confident in saying that is not the case anymore. I believe we will see him take the floor this season, I just don’t know when. If I had to guess, it would be in a scenario such as the SEC Tournament or maybe even a NCAA Tournament game, when Kentucky needs some extra help to guarantee a win - if he’s been implemented for weeks during practice - they wouldn’t just throw him in and say ‘fend for yourself.’ If not that route, then maybe towards the end of conference play against a poor quality opponent where we can mess around with new options and see how he fits in the rotation, without risking a loss.
Shaedon Sharpe watch has begun, and I’d like to know when do you all think we will see him actually play?