Calipari’s early review for Cats mixed, but ‘they’re going to get it’

Sarcasm. Puzzlement. Optimism. Concession.

All played a part in John Calipari’s assessment of Kentucky’s team four games into the 2018-19 season.

Wednesday afternoon’s opponent inspired the sarcasm. Winthrop (2-2) averages 10.3 three-point baskets per game. This surely is an attention-grabber after VMI’s 18 three-pointers on Sunday was a record by a Kentucky opponent.

After acknowledging Winthrop’s reliance on threes (41.2 percent of the Eagles’ shots come from beyond the arc), Calipari said, “We’ve really guarded the three pretty well this year.”

That was the sarcasm. The first four opponents have made 43.3 percent of their three-point shots, which if maintained would be record accuracy against any UK team.

Calipari expressed puzzlement about Kentucky’s 32.8-percent shooting on threes. Only twice has a UK team had a poorer accuracy: 31.7 percent in 2001-02 and 29.2 percent in 1999-2000.

“This team should be a good shooting team,” Calipari said. “I just don’t understand why a couple guys are not making shots.”

Calipari did not name the two guys. A guess would be Immanuel Quickley (2-for-11 on threes) and Tyler Herro (3-for-13).

The calendar seemed to inspire optimism. After all, Thanksgiving has not arrived in a season that ends after April Fool’s Day.

“They’re going to get it,” Calipari said of his players. “You try to push it along. But they’re going to get it on their terms.”

A pointed question about whether Kentucky has a difference-maker on a deep roster of contributing players sparked a concession. Calipari all but said UK does not have a standout player like John Wall, Anthony Davis or Karl-Anthony Towns.

More than once earlier this season, Calipari has conceded this point. He has repeatedly called for the emergence of a catalyst who can change the tenor of games. Later, he said Duke did not need to run plays, but simply clear space for a player like Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish or RJ Barrett to make a play. By contrast, he said, Kentucky players needed X-and-O help.

Calipari noted how few saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as such a player at this time last season. Then he became indispensable.

“My hope is that’s what will happen with this group,” Calipari said.

This story was originally published November 20, 2018 at 3:31 PM.