Rick Barnes reveals conversation with Kennedy Chandler on injury

During Tennessee’s SEC Tournament quarterfinal win over Mississippi State on Friday, freshman point guard Kennedy Chandler left with an apparent ankle injury which forced head coach Rick Barnes to adjust his rotation. After discussing the injury on television and deferring to his young star’s knowledge of his own body by putting him back in, he went in-depth on a sideline conversation.

During his postgame interview, Rick Barnes revealed how the injury talks with Kennedy Chandler unfolded and what the training staff had to say.

“As a coach, yeah, you are always concerned when you see a player go down or you see them coming out limping because guys want to play,” said Barnes. “But like the one when he came out when I asked, I said you’re limping. He said ‘I got kicked.’ He didn’t say it was his ankle. He said ‘I got kicked.’ That happens when you are in a flurry when he was underneath the basket there.

“You are always concerned about it because in this time of year, again, all you can do is try to rest them. We got the best medical staff. We got the best trainer in the business, best performance coach. They’ll work all night with those guys and make sure that anything and everything that can be done, they’ll do it.”

Chandler made his return less than 24 hours after pacing in the tunnel, helping Tennessee in a semifinal matchup with Kentuck on Saturday. While his has been solved, keeping him healthy heading into the NCAA Tournament next week must remain a priority for the Volunteers staff.

The former five-star prospect is averaging 13.6 points and 4.6 assists in his first season. Chandler also contributes 2.2 steals per game and has started all 30 games.

More on Rick Barnes and Kennedy Chandler

When Tennessee guard Kennedy Chandler went down with an injury in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament, head coach Rick Barnes gave him a choice.

“It was up to (Chandler). I said to him, ‘How do you feel?’” Barnes said, after Tennessee ran away with a 72-59 win over Mississippi State. “He said, I’m fine. We have to trust him on that.

“In Kennedy’s situation, I said to him, ‘If I see you limping, you’re coming out of the game.’ (Chandler) said, ‘I’m not limping,’” Barnes added.

Barnes consulted with the training staff, which ultimately decided the injury was minor; minor enough that Barnes could give Chandler the option to return to play, if he felt up to the task. He did, and despite leaving two more times, Barnes is confident that Chandler will be back to his normal self on Saturday.