Why the CJ Frederick experiment didn’t work out

Not all transfers turn into the player you hope they will. That was the case with former Kentucky basketball player CJ Frederick.

When the Kentucky Wildcats landed CJ Frederick from Iowa out of the transfer portal, it seemed like the perfect addition to a young team.

Frederick, who had two years under his belt with the Hawkeyes, was a proven three-point shooter, hitting 46.1% of his shots from downtown as a freshman, and 47.4% as a sophomore.

Frederick’s averages had dipped down as a sophomore, and he decided to enter the transfer portal, as one of the top names in 2021.

Of course, Frederick picked Kentucky Wildcats, and the potential seemed imminent. He had already played two above-averaged years in the Big Ten, so the transition to the SEC would be nothing but a new power conference. The adjustment was minimal if any at all.

Now, Frederick is moving on for a third and final home after announcing his intent to enter the transfer portal.

A rough start at Kentucky didn’t help

The 2018 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year didn’t get off to the start he hoped to in Lexington. Frederick was sidelined all of the 2021-22 season after getting surgery for a left hamstring injury.

Unfortunately, injuries are a part of the game. But one would wonder if the Wildcats had Frederick during the 2022 NCAA Tournament if they would have been upset by Saint Peter’s, and how far they could have gone. That was a very talented Kentucky team, and they didn’t even have a key piece for the entire season.

A season full of disappointments

Frederick was healthy and ready to go for the 2022-23 season and looked to be a big part of the Wildcats. However, he never caught on with the team, only starting in 15 of 27 games played.

Frederick’s minutes also went down to a career-low and his production came down with it. He averaged career worst with 6.1 points per game, 1.5 assists, and 0.8 rebounds. Frederick also only shot 31.8% on threes, despite getting a lot of opportunities, with 4.0 3PA per game.

Probably the most disappointing part of Frederick’s season was the way it tailed off at the end. Frederick started off with a 20-point outing in Kentucky’s first game of the season against Howard. That would remain his season-high.

Frederick would go on to score double-digits in 9 of his next 19 games, eventually earning 30+ minutes in a handful of games he appeared in.

But from Feb. 7 on, in a total of seven games, Frederick only managed to score 11 points.

Injuries were a huge factor

We shouldn’t overlook how injuries played a huge role in Frederick’s career at Kentucky. Besides missing the entire 2021-22 season, he also battled nagging injuries last season.

Frederick noted an injury to his shooting hand that kept him out for a while. He also suffered a rib injury that led to the struggles in February. While injuries are a part of the game, it almost seemed unfair for him to go through so many.

We wish CJ the best in the transfer portal, and hope that he can end his career healthy!