Coming into the season, one of the biggest question marks surrounding this Kentucky team was how the front court would hold up until Jayden Quaintance returned. The options were clear: Malachi Moreno, Mouhamed Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, and Andrija Jelavic. With JQ only managing four games before being shut down again, that question mark has loomed over the entire season.
We know what happened with the others. Moreno seized the starting job. Dioubate became the high-motor energy guy off the bench. Garrison, as we saw against Oklahoma, is the volatile X-factor.
But what about Jelavic?
Andrija Jelavic had a disappearing act
For a stretch in December and January, the 6-foot-10 forward was the odd man out. After playing regular minutes early, Jelavic completely fell out of the rotation during the meat of the schedule. He logged DNPs (Did Not Play) in massive games against Indiana, St. John’s, Alabama, and Missouri.
It looked like he was lost in the shuffle. It would have been easy for him to check out, worry about next season or where he was going to play next.
The reset
But according to assistant coach Jason Hart, that time on the pine wasn't a punishment; it was a necessary reset.
"He got a little down on himself early in the season... trying to come in, learn the language, learn our culture," Hart explained. "Sometimes sitting on the bench does that to you. Light a fire up in you. And I don't think he wants to go back to the bench."
The response
That fire was on full display against Oklahoma, as the "Croatian Sensation" delivered a big performance. In 22 crucial minutes, Jelavic posted 9 points on 3-of-5 shooting and grabbed 6 rebounds, looking comfortable and aggressive.
While on the floor, he gives Kentucky an offensive post element that this team desperately needs, a guy who can stretch the floor, but also bang inside.
The role of a lifetime
If Kentucky is going to make a special run in March, this is exactly how it has to happen. It isn't about one guy playing 40 minutes every night. It’s about Trent Noah stepping up to hit threes against Arkansas. It’s about Brandon Garrison dominating the paint against Oklahoma. And now, it’s about Jelavic staying ready when his number is called.
If this team can truly commit to that, if they can rely on each other and accept that the "hero" changes night to night, the ceiling for this group is still incredibly high.
Andrija Jelavic didn't want to sit on the bench. But if that time on the sideline is what unlocked this version of him, it might have been the best thing that could have happened for Kentucky's season.