John Calipari addresses consideration to play star freshman

Following an 80-71 loss in which Kentucky lost two of its starting guard for part of the game, head coach John Calipari addressed whether he considered using five-star freshman Shaedon Sharpe. The former No. 1 player in the class of 2022 enrolled at Kentucky this spring and is now the No. 2 player in the class of 2021.

While Shaedon Sharpe’s talent level is undeniable, John Calipari’s reputation with recruits, their parents and others across basketball is on the line with every personnel decision he makes.

“Yeah, it wouldn’t have been fair to the kid,” Calipari said about potentially playing Sharpe, via KSR’s Tyler Thompson. “I just wish we had a bunch of practice time where I had two weeks with him…I have told his parents I’m not going to put him in a position where he hurts himself. I’m just not”

Kentucky was in desperate need of guard production after fellow freshman TyTy Washington left the game with a left akle injury during the first half. Matters became worse for a short stretch during the second half when starting point guard Sahvir Wheeler headed to the locker room after a hard screen.

The Wildcats were left with Kellen Grady and Davion Mintz on the floor until Wheeler made his way back, but ultimately fell against No. 2 Auburn. Whether or not Sharpe could have provided enough boost to swing the balance will remain a mystery.

Shaedon Sharpe remains patient

At the moment, Shaedon Sharpe is still being brought up to speed by John Calipari and has not been used in the rotation yet. Sharpe was expected to be the next great player for Calipari and Kentucky, but he may end up leaving Lexington before ever logging a minute.

Kentucky is enjoying a successful season, but one has to wonder if we’ll see Sharpe on the court. On Saturday, Sharpe’s former mentor and coach Dwayne Washington told KSR the star recruit needs to have patience.

“Right now the team is doing well, they don’t need him,” Washington told KSR. “He may not play. It’s up to Cal. If he wants him to play, he’ll play. That means Cal thinks he’s ready.

“When a cook is in the kitchen, you just let them do their thing. Especially when they’ve proven they know what they’re doing.”

As you can see, Sharpe will take a long-term approach with his future. He’s not simply waiting for March Madness or the NBA Draft — he’s weighing all the options for his career. Time will tell if he heeds Washington’s warning, or if Shaedon Sharpe looks towards the next level.