Chris Livingston at the 3? Adou Thiero at the 4? Why? A Kentucky assistant explains

Kentucky has an identity crisis at the forward spot, a mix-and-match process among players at the three and four as John Calipari figures out his rotation. Jacob Toppin has been the team’s go-to piece at the four, but the production hasn’t matched the preseason expectations. With the Wildcats looking for toughness and physicality alongside Oscar Tshiebwe in the frontcourt, the senior out of Brooklyn simply hasn’t been that guy.

“Just worry about playing hard, rebounding, playing defense,” Kentucky assistant coach KT Turner said of the staff’s message to Toppin moving forward. “The offense will take care of itself. He’s a guy we want to see more rebounds out of, more nastiness on the defensive end. I think he’ll do it, he will.”

In his place, Kentucky has been experimenting with several different pieces in hopes of finding that grit. It started with Chris Livingston, a player capable of finding mismatches with his unique combination of size, strength and skill. John Calipari gave it a shot in recent weeks, and he’s found success, but it’s not a fit the head coach is in love with. Rather than try to work him in at the three and four, learning to play both positions at a high level, he’s going with Livingston at the three.

“We think he can really drive the three with his size, he can rebound over a three, and he can make shots,” Turner said of the freshman forward. “He’s one guy who has really improved over the last week and a half, I would say. He’s been doing really well, just hope he can carry that over to the game.”

And it’s not just about keeping Livingston at the three, but who would play next to him at the four to make that fit work — and it’s certainly not the first player you’d expect. Calipari wants to slide freshman guard Adou Thiero — now 6-foot-6 (and growing) — down to the four to maximize versatility on the floor.

“I think I’d rather even play Adou (Thiero) at the four with Chris in the game and now you have two 6-6, long, physical guys,” Calipari said following Kentucky’s win over Florida A&M.

Why Thiero, who has played just four games this season for a grand total of 39 minutes?

“Moving him to the four really helps us spread the floor out, adds some shooting and he can really get to the paint and pass,” Turner said. “He can also rebound well, and he’s strong — really strong for a freshman. Most four men won’t overpower him on the defensive end, but on the offensive end, he can go by guys and really open the floor up for us.”

The push for Thiero comes after Calipari raved about his growth as a player, adding that “he’s the next in line to go play” for the Wildcats.

“Here’s what I like about him: physically, he’s not afraid,” Calipari said during his call-in radio show last week. “I tell him, and the team kind of laughs, he’s better in the games than he is in practice. Now, he’s getting better in practice, which shows you that he’s gonna go in the game and perform.”

The hope is Thiero’s move to the four paves way for more continued production when his opportunities come on the floor.

“He’s just young and has some maturing to do, but he’s going to be a really, really good player. He’s doing really well,” Turner said. “He surprises us sometimes in games. Sometimes guys play better in practice and sometimes they’re better in games. Hopefully he can continue to do that for us when we put him in.”

In turn, the hope is Livingston’s skill will be shown off more at the three, as well, specifically as a shooter. After all, he is shooting 46.7% from three on the season (7-15 3PT).

“The last couple of days, that’s what we’ve been talking about,” Turner said of Livingston’s shooting. “We’ve been breaking down stats and that’s the main thing we said about him. His numbers are good, we just have to get him a couple more shots a game.”

Focusing on one position has allowed Livingston to relax and just play basketball rather than forcing the issue. That position will be the three — for now, at least.

“He’s not pressing as much, just letting the game come to him, playing and doing the little things. He’s guarding and rebounding,” Turner added. “Everything else is going to take care of itself because he’s such a talented player.”