Jarred Vanderbilt has played only 6 games for the Kentucky basketball team. In limited playing time, he’s already proven he deserves to start for the Wildcats.
Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a foot injury before the Kentucky basketball season even started. A lot of fans were concerned that Vanderbilt may never see the floor this season. But, after 3 months, the freshman made his long awaited debut against South Carolina. Though his stats don’t jump off the page, his play on the court is impressive and it’s time to insert him into the starting lineup.
But who should Vanderbilt replace? Enter Hamidou Diallo. I know it seems like I’m picking on the kid, but c’mon. Everyone in Big Blue Nation saw it, right? With about 5 minutes left in the game and the Cats in need of a basket, Diallo decides to jack up a triple. Why? He is 2-for-10 in the last 5 games from downtown. He’s not a shooter, he’s a slasher. The ensuing possession for Mizzou resulted in a turnover, as an out-of-control Diallo committed a charging foul going to the cup.
The Cats were 2 seconds away from another 10 second violation on Missouri and Diallo commits a foul with his man trapped against the sideline. What in the world was he thinking? The Kentucky basketball team was down 7 with 52 seconds to go after being down by 11 just 2 minutes earlier. Every possession counts.
The case for Jarred Vanderbilt
The loss to Missouri did offer a glimmer of hope moving forward, and his name is Jarred Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt brings a fire and energy to the court. For my money, only Wenyen Gabriel can match Vanderbilt’s intensity. And while those attributes don’t win basketball games, a lack of passion and determination can.
Vanderbilt is quick, can pass the ball effectively, rebound in traffic, block shots and get out in transition. He’s not a great outside shooter, but neither is Hami. Both are athletic, Vanderbilt plays much better defense and has a higher basketball IQ.
A starting lineup of Vanderbilt, PJ Washington and Nick Richards in the frontcourt is an imposing task for any offense. Kevin Knox and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can man the backcourt. How many teams are going to be able to match that size?
Of course I’m not advocating that Diallo be relegated to mop up duty. But, he should join Quade Green, Wenyen Gabriel and Sacha Killeya-Jones coming off the bench. Maybe Diallo would be a perfect fit as the sixth-man. Maybe not, I don’t know. What I do know, is that John Calipari can no longer have Diallo on the floor in crucial points of the game.