Kentucky basketball’s hot summer question: What will Davion Mintz do?
Last summer, Big Blue Nation was waiting on news about Olivier Sarr.
This summer, Big Blue Nation is waiting on news about Davion Mintz.
It’s a different scenario, however, and not just because different players are involved. Last year, Kentucky basketball was waiting to see whether the NCAA would grant immediate eligibility to Sarr, a transfer from Wake Forest. This year, the Cats are waiting to see if Mintz will withdraw his name from the July 29 NBA Draft by the July 7 deadline for college players.
There’s a different feel, too. A year ago, Sarr’s eligibility was perceived as make-or-break for John Calipari’s 2020-21 team. With the 7-footer, the Wildcats were projected to be a possible Final Four contender. Without Sarr, the Cats were projected to be good, but probably not great. As we know now, it didn’t work out that way. Sarr played right away. And UK finished 9-16.
Mintz is the last remaining question mark on Calipari’s roster for 2021-22, but it’s a far different roster situation. The coach has primed the portal for four transfers — CJ Fredrick from Iowa; Kellan Grady from Davidson; Oscar Tshiebwe from West Virginia and Sahvir Wheeler from Georgia — to go along with three freshmen and four holdovers.
A Mintz return would make five. The 6-foot-3 guard’s return is probably not essential to UK’s success. The additions of Fredrick and Grady should improve the Cats’ dreadful 33.6 three-point percentage from last season. Fredrick shot 47.4 percent from beyond the arc last season at Iowa. Grady shot 38.2 percent at Davidson. Still, a Mintz return would certainly be a bonus.
The Charlotte native turns 23 on Wednesday. He’s been in a college program for five years, having redshirted because of injury at Creighton in 2019-20. He came to Lexington last season as a grad transfer, but can take advantage of the NCAA’s offer of an extra season because of the pandemic of 2020-21. Mintz knows his way around the Joe Craft Center.
He also exhibited excellent leadership skills during a trying season. He did so minus the true Kentucky basketball experience. No packed house at Rupp Arena. No “Go Big Blue” chants on the road. No SEC Tournament. No NCAA Tournament. No NIL possibilities.
Moreover, Mintz is a good player. He may not be quite skilled enough to hear his name called by an NBA team a month from now. He was not among the 40 invited to the G League Elite Camp or the 69 invited to the NBA Combine. But he was the most consistent backcourt player on last year’s Cats, averaging 11.5 points and 3.1 assists per game. He shot 37.8 percent from three-point range. Plus, he’s versatile. He can play off the ball or at the point.
When will Mintz make a decision? The NCAA has set an 11:59 p.m. July 7 deadline for college players who wish to retain their eligibility. The NBA’s early-entrant deadline is 5 p.m. on July. 19. That deadline affects mainly international players who want to retain their eligibility for a future year.
What will Mintz do? On a Zoom call with the media last month, Calipari included the veteran’s name in a list of returning guards, but later said Mintz was still in the process of making his decision. Monday, Mintz posted workout videos on his Instagram page with the caption, “My decisions affect too many people. Can’t afford to move carelessly.”
Either way, Kentucky should be ramping up production come November. David Cobb of CBS Sports ranked the Cats as the nation’s most-improved team, ahead of Auburn, Duke and Maryland. Garry Parrish has Kentucky at No. 15 in his preseason Top 25 and 1. Jeff Borzello of ESPN lists UK at No. 9 in his preseason Top 25.
“John Calipari will have plenty of lineups to play with next season,” wrote Borzello, “especially if Davion Mintz opts to return to Lexington for another season.”
It may not be essential for the Cats to have Mintz in 2021-22, but it would sure be nice.
