Adou Thiero talks back issues ahead of Tennessee game

Adou Thiero returned to Kentucky’s lineup last weekend after missing seven games due to back problems. The specifics of the injury are a little hard to pin down — Kentucky first reported it as “general soreness” — but today, Thiero spoke to reporters about his back and the ways he’s changing his game to prevent future flare-ups.

Thiero’s back was aggravated by a hard fall he took vs. Louisville on Dec. 21, his last appearance before the Arkansas game this past Saturday. Growing pains have famously been an issue for the sophomore, who grew five inches between the end of his junior year of high school and graduation and three inches since arriving at Kentucky in the summer of 2022. At the start of this season, Thiero measured 6’8″ and 222 lbs. He didn’t rule out growing pains being part of the current problem.

“I think it’s a little bit related. When my legs were growing, I always had knee pains and stuff like that. Now I think my upper body’s growing so that needs to hurry up and finish.”

Kentucky fans would agree. Thiero brings a much-needed physical presence to a team that has struggled against larger, tougher opponents in the SEC. Over the past month and a half, Thiero said he’s gone through “a lot of appointments, recovery, and rehab” to get his back on track. Part of that rehab is strengthening his core to help him brace for hits and absorb contact. He admitted he’s still learning to use his core strength in a game.

“Whenever I played, I’d never use my core strength. I kind of just let my body just flow how it flowed. Now, I’m being told I’ve got to use my core a lot more when I’m jumping and stuff like that.”

“That’s very hard. My first couple of times doing it, it felt good but it was like, dang, that’s difficult to do every time for a whole game, but we’re working on it.”

On Wednesday night, it looked like Thiero may have injured his back again when went to the locker room after a fall in the Florida game. Thankfully, he said it was a minor hip issue that he has dealt with in the past.

“I knew exactly what happened when I came down on the spot. I told my trainer that my hip was out of place. ‘Can we fix that real quick?’ And we fixed that.”

Thiero checked back in and told reporters today he was fine to play the rest of the game but understood John Calipari sticking to the lineup of Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, Antonio Reeves, Tre Mitchell, and Ugonna Onyenso. Today, he said he was equal parts sore and tired, but ready to answer the call vs. Tennessee tomorrow.

“A little tired, but another day, another dollar. Gotta get back in the gym and get some work in.”

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