Chris Livingston learning to adapt at Kentucky as his role fluctuates

Kentucky men’s basketball freshman Chris Livingston is going to have some sort of role on this year’s squad. But what exactly will it look like for the 6-foot-6 wing with an NBA-ready frame? Through two preseason outings, that question hasn’t exactly been answered, but we’re learning more and more about the McDonald’s All-American with each passing game.

During his first exhibition contest on Sunday against Missouri Western State, Livingston looked and played like a freshman — hesitant and afraid to make mistakes. He finished with two points, three rebounds, and two assists in his unofficial debut at Rupp Arena, totaling 16 minutes along the way.

Granted, the Kentucky offense as a whole was not up to snuff against Missouri Western (shooting a combined 21-52 from the floor and scoring just 56 points), but Livingston lacked a certain assertiveness that made him into a five-star recruit in high school. During Thursday night’s final exhibition against Kentucky State — which rosters his fraternal twin brother Cordell — Livingston played to his strengths.

The Wildcats smacked the Thorobreds by a final score of 111-53. UK’s offense flipped into high gear while the defense continued to impress. Livingston played far better than he did a few days prior, dropping 14 points, five rebounds, one steal, and one block in 24 minutes of action while shooting 6-7 from the floor and drilling his lone 3-point attempt. He was part of the starting lineup on Thursday after coming off the bench on Sunday.

Kentucky head coach John Calipari repeated many times in the postgame press conference how much better Livingston looked from game one to game two. It hasn’t exactly been a smooth adjustment for the youngster, though. With Oscar Tshiebwe, the reigning National Player of the Year, recovering from injury, Livingston has had to play out of position more than he might have anticipated. He played the 2 and 3 in high school but has been drug out to the 4 more often with Tshiebwe sidelined. That was especially true on Thursday night as sophomore big man Daimion Collins did not play to the recent passing of his father.

“I think that’s a good thing,” Livingston said after Thursday’s win about playing multiple positions early on. “For me, being versatile and being able to play in different spots on the court. Also learning the offense from different points of view, I think that’s a really good thing for me.”

With the ball in his hands against Kentucky State, Livingston was a constant wrecking ball. Not out of control, but deliberate with his attacks. He’s every bit of 220 pounds and barrels through the lane like a tank. Livingston was fouled and still scored on two separate shots in the second half.

“Chris is a really, really, really good player,” Kentucky forward Lance Ware said postgame. “Sometimes he doesn’t want to make mistakes and we try to emphasize that you’re gonna make mistakes. In your whole basketball career, you’re gonna miss way more shots than you make. Once you realize that and you can play free and loose — I tell Chris, when he gets downhill, I love it.

“If he makes a 3, that’s green, that’s icing on his cake. But when he plays downhill? Unstoppable. So physical and so strong.”

Ultimately, it won’t matter nearly as much what Livingston’s role is if he can produce on the hardwood once the regular season begins. With the roster Kentucky has, several pieces can suit up at multiple positions. If you can score and play defense, you’ll find a spot in Calipari’s rotation. If Livingston keeps that mindset, his role will manifest itself.