Kentucky expects second time to be a charm for Wheeler-Lucas combo
As Jai Lucas recalled, Sahvir Wheeler was about 11 years old the first time the future Kentucky assistant coach saw him in a gym.
Lucas’ father, John Lucas, ran a gym in Houston. Wheeler’s father, Teddy Wheeler, brought his son to a workout.
As Lucas recalled, the younger Wheeler did not make a who’s-that kind of impression.
“I was still playing,” Lucas said. “It wasn’t anything of that nature.”
That came later when Wheeler was a high school prospect and Lucas was an assistant coach at the University of Texas. The typical recruit-and-sign-and-coach story line did not play out.
“I recruited him,” Lucas said. “I told him and his family I didn’t think it was the best fit for him at that time. Because we had a guard who was playing big minutes that started. I told (Wheeler) he probably needed to look somewhere else. . . .
“From that conversation, we’ve always had a respect.”
After first committing to Texas A&M, Wheeler changed his mind because of a coaching change and signed with Georgia. Then after two seasons for the Bulldogs, Wheeler transferred to Kentucky before this season.
Lucas, who joined the UK staff this year, described this reunion of sorts as “the way the ball bounced and the cookie crumbled. He ended up here at Kentucky. We needed a point guard.”
Lucas dismissed size — or lack thereof — as a handicap for Wheeler, whom UK lists at 5-foot-9.
“He’s always been small, so he knows how to play small . . . ,” Lucas said. “The first rule of being small is you have to be the toughest person on the court. He’s done that. You have to play to your advantage, which is speed. When you’re small, you can’t play slow.”
Lucas set lofty expectations for Wheeler. “We think he can lead the country in assists,” Lucas said.
Wheeler’s average of 7.4 assists last season was fifth best in Division I. The leader, Jalen Moore, averaged 8.4 assists for Oakland.
When asked if Wheeler has “Small Man Syndrome,” which is an urge to compensate for a lack of size with aggressive behavior, Lucas said, “He does. He does. He’s a confident kid.”
Conflict of interest?
Anton Brown played for John Calipari at UMass. He shares the hometown of Columbia, S.C., with Miles Coach Fred Watson, who played with him on youth teams.
Brown plans to attend Kentucky’s exhibition game against Miles College on Friday.
So, this prompted a question on a group telephone call: will Brown root for his former coach or his longtime friend?
“Well, I’m rooting for both,” Brown said. “I want my good friend Fred Watson to do well. But, it’s hard to cheer against my former coach.”
This prompted Watson to counter.
“I told him, you’ve got no ties to Kentucky besides Cal,” the Miles College coach said.
Kentucky?!
Brown and Calipari share multiple wounds inflicted by Kentucky.
In the 1992 NCAA Tournament, Kentucky played UMass in the East Region semifinals in Philadelphia. Calipari was the UMass coach. Brown was a senior guard.
A technical foul on Calipari called by veteran referee Lenny Wirtz changed the tenor of the game. UK won 87-77.
“The worst,” Brown said of the technical foul. “Just the play before, the (UK) point guard, I think Sean Woods, got a rebound over my back. So, I’m thinking that’s what they’re thinking about. But (Wirtz) was behind me on the baseline. He made that call. What are they calling it on? Coach Cal?!
“Nothing against (then UK coach) Rick Pitino, but he stayed out of that coaching box. We were making a big run. That call changed the whole game.”
In December of that season, UK beat UMass 90-69. UMass stopped in Lexington on the way back from winning the Great Alaska Shootout. The Minutemen seemed to hit a metaphorical wall in the second half as UK pulled away after leading 46-41 at halftime.
Given that history, Brown was surprised when Calipari called in 2009 and said he was taking the Kentucky job.
“I’m, like, Kentucky?!,” Brown said. “How can you take the job at Kentucky? Do you know what they did to us our senior year?”
Calipari’s response? “He said, this is one of the best jobs in the United States,” Brown said. “How can I say no to them?”
Father and son
Brown said on Tuesday that he and his son, Jordan, planned to drive from Columbia, S.C., to Lexington to attend Friday’s UK-Miles College game.
Jordan, who is 13, had seen pictures of his father with Calipari and wants to meet the UK coach.
When asked if his son is named after Michael Jordan, Brown said, “a little bit.”
The father originally suggested his son be named Anton Brown Jr.
“His mom wouldn’t let me give him the name junior,” Brown said.
Men at work
Roy Philpott and Mark Wise will call the game for the SEC Network.
