Kentucky’s exhibition opener against Division II Missouri Western on Sunday night was ugly — a 56-38 win in which the Wildcats shot just 40.4 percent and got out-rebounded without star Oscar Tshiebwe — but it might’ve also been costly. All-SEC point guard Sahvir Wheeler, a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award last season and two-time league leader in assists, had to be helped off after his right knee buckled on an awkward landing with 10:45 to go. He did not return.
That’s the same knee that had been bothering Wheeler and kept him out of practice and the Blue-White scrimmage recently, John Calipari said after the exhibition game. Kentucky’s coach did not immediately know the severity of the injury, but it will be a major thing to monitor for the fourth-ranked Wildcats as the regular-season opener looms on Nov. 7. Tshiebwe, the returning national player of the year and best rebounder in college basketball, is expected to be back by then, but he has been out for almost three weeks recovering from a “minor procedure” on his right knee.
On Wheeler, Calipari said, “He kind of twisted his knee” about 10 days ago. “I think he’s going to be fine, but I asked him, ‘Was it the same knee?’ He said yes.”
Wheeler averaged 10.1 points and 6.9 assists for Kentucky last season and has 538 assists in his college career, including two seasons at Georgia. He’s also a pest defensively, his full-court pressure creating headaches for opposing point guards. If he misses time, UK will likely turn to McDonald’s All-American freshman Cason Wallace, who was expected to play off the ball, alongside Wheeler, most of the time. However, notably, Calipari said last week that Wallace has been practicing on the ball.
“He’s played only point, because it’s only him and Sahvir,” the coach said at the team’s media day. “I can put Antonio (Reeves) at point, which I did in the scrimmage, and he did pretty good. But I literally haven’t played (Wallace) off the ball since we started.”
The 6-foot-4, 193-pound Wallace “may be young, but (he’s) physically advanced,” Calipari said, adding that this preseason he’s been “doing really good too.” Among Kentucky’s four freshmen, “Cason is probably a little more advanced.” Wallace was ranked the No. 2 combo guard and No. 8 overall prospect in the high school class of 2022, per the 247Sports Composite. He averaged 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists on the Nike grassroots circuit last summer and 19.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.4 steals as a senior at Richardson (Texas) High School.
Wallace produced nine points, seven boards, two assists, two steals and two blocks in 29 minutes against Missouri Western on Sunday. Reeves, the sharp-shooting Illinois State transfer, and CJ Fredrick, who had 15 points and made four 3-pointers Sunday, become even more important if Wheeler is out. Freshman Adou Thiero, too, and the most intriguing prospect on the roster once again looked unfazed in the exhibition. Thiero, a high school point guard who has sprung up to 6-foot-6 (and still growing) in the last year, had five points — a swished corner 3 and nifty transition finish — in just 11 minutes.
It’s nice to have some backcourt depth, but Kentucky would certainly miss Wheeler, who Calipari said has looked “way better” this preseason.
(Photo: Jordan Prather / USA Today)
