What happens when Sahvir Wheeler returns for UK? ‘It will be hell for the other team.’
The returns were unanimous following Kentucky’s victory over Howard to tip off the 2022-23 basketball season Monday night: Cason Wallace was terrific running the show for the Wildcats in his first college game.
So, what happens when Sahvir Wheeler — the Cats’ all-league point guard — returns from injury in the coming days?
“It will be hell for the other team, honestly,” UK forward Lance Ware said Wednesday.
Simple as that.
Wallace was great in his college debut, yes, but Wheeler has led the Southeastern Conference in assists the past two seasons, was picked by league media as one of the SEC’s top five players coming into this season, and he will be put right back on the ball for Kentucky as soon as he’s back from a preseason knee injury.
That doesn’t mean Wallace is going anywhere. It just means more headaches for whoever is on the other side of the court.
“The backcourts that we match up against are going to be in trouble, facing those two,” said freshman Chris Livingston. “They’re going to have to bring it, because those two definitely will challenge you, wear you out over the course of a game, and get into your legs.”
Kentucky fans haven’t seen much of the new backcourt dynamic just yet. Wallace and Wheeler played at the same time during the summer trip to the Bahamas, but they’d been on campus together for only a few weeks by that point. Wheeler’s knee injury kept him out of the Blue-White Game and sidelined him in the second half of the Wildcats’ first exhibition of the fall. He stayed on the bench for the second exhibition and Monday’s season opener, but he was expected to return soon, and it’ll give the Wildcats a new look in the backcourt.
So new, in fact, that even the Cats themselves haven’t really seen it.
“I don’t think they’ve been on the same team much,” Ware said.
Indeed, John Calipari has kept his two point guards separated for pretty much the entire preseason. Occasionally, they were placed on the same team in scrimmages, but — more often that not — one wore blue, one wore white, and they spent their time going at each other.
“It’s just punches being thrown,” UK guard CJ Fredrick said of those matchups. “Sah makes a play, and then Cason gets one. You know what I mean? It’s just guys going at it. Just competing every day. And I think that’s what makes this place so special. You have so many great players, and every day is a battle. And every day, you’re fighting against each other. But, at the end of the day, you come out and you love each other and you play as brothers and you try to win.
“But the competitive nature that we have here is special.”
When Wheeler’s back, he and Wallace will finally be together for extended periods of time.
“It’s going to be fun for me to see what it’s like,” Fredrick said.
Calipari has had plenty of success playing two point guards at the same time, starting with John Wall and Eric Bledsoe in year one at Kentucky, all the way up to the Wheeler-TyTy Washington tandem — when both were healthy — last season. The UK coach has mentioned that multiple times this preseason, preparing to unleash a Wheeler-Wallace combo on the Cats’ foes. The offense should work itself out.
“We’ll definitely be interchangeable,” said Wallace, who has ample experience playing as a second guard in high school and AAU ball. “Whoever’s closest to the ball, we usually just tell that man to get the ball and run the offense.”
Defense is where things could get scary for Kentucky’s opponents.
Wheeler is a lightning-quick pest of a defender, standing just 5-foot-9 but willing and able to get up into ball handlers and force mistakes. Wallace is a 6-4ish ballhawk who prides himself as a perimeter defender. He’s not as fast as Wheeler, but he’s quick with his hands and feet, filling passing lanes and staying in front of offensive players — ably cutting off their ability to drive to the basket.
Having one on the court should be difficult enough for UK’s foes. When both are out there?
“It will be a nightmare, honestly,” Ware said. “It will be a nightmare for the other team. Two guards that can pick up 94 feet. Most teams — they might throw it to their ‘2’ guard and let the ‘2’ guard bring it up. Well, Cason’s guarding the ‘2’ guard. … So you have to kind of pick your battle.”
Wheeler noted that he and Wallace provided a glimpse of what’s possible during that Bahamas trip, but he’s looking forward to more extended runs with his freshman teammate. And those preseason scrimmage battles have only raised his own game.
“We’re at Kentucky. All of the guards that are going to come into Kentucky are going to be really good,” he said. “It’s the same way that TyTy helped me last year. Having that competitive spirit — you come in and you have to bring it every single day. That’s what (Wallace has) brought to the table.”
Wheeler’s frenetic style isn’t for everybody. He can frustrate fans and coaches just as easily as he can opponents when he gets a little too out of control, especially on the offensive end. But, good as Wallace looked Monday night, Wheeler has something that no one on this team can replicate. And that something is crystal clear to those who see him every day.
“His speed,” Ware said. “I mean, Cason did a great job at point guard. But there’s just something about Sahvir — I’ve never seen anybody break a press as easy as Sahvir.”
“I would say his speed,” Livingston added. “And his pace. He obviously speeds the game up more than anybody can in the country.”
“His speed,” said UK assistant Orlando Antigua. “His tenacity. Picking up the ball defensively. The way that he’s able to impose his will on the game and the opposing team’s guards. It’s hard to duplicate that.”
Wheeler has said throughout the preseason that he’s working on being a more efficient player for the Wildcats. That means better shot selection. It also means fewer turnovers and improved decision-making. He says the game has slowed down for him in each of his three college seasons. Going into his fourth, he says he’s more in control on the court than ever.
“I just feel really good about where I’m at right now,” Wheeler said.
With so many electric offensive weapons around him this season, Wheeler will need to find the balance between that fast, frenzied style that throws off defenses and playing in control enough to limit mistakes and open up as many opportunities as possible for his teammates.
“That’s the line that he’s got to find for us,” Antigua said. “That’s what this team is requiring of him. And I thought he did a great job last year of balancing some of that out. But now this year, you have more expectations, and you have guys — more pieces — around you that you can utilize to your ability. And that’s the next part for his growth.”
