Calipari on DJ Wagner: "When he doesn't play, we don't win"

DJ Wagner has missed three games this season. Kentucky lost all three: UNC Wilmington, Florida, and now, Tennessee. Clearly, the Cats need the freshman floor general, who is suffering from an ankle injury. When will he return? John Calipari didn’t want to put a timeline on it following the 103-92 loss to the Volunteers.

“Yeah, he’s probably, I’d say — I don’t even want to say, okay, but I’m expecting him to play soon. Sooner than later.”

Calipari did give some specifics, classifying Wagner’s initial injury in December as a high-ankle sprain. He also stated the obvious in that, when Wagner plays, this team is simply better.

“And he’s done okay, you know, he’s Freshman of the Week, [three] different times, so it’s not like he played awful, but we need him healthy. And if it was really bothering him, we’ve done some things and I think he’s getting healthy. It’s like, you all know, when he doesn’t play, we don’t win. You know that.”

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“DJ comes to play every day and not everybody has that mindset”

Without Wagner, Reed Sheppard once again started at point guard. Although Sheppard finished with 16 points, he was a liability on defense, allowing Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler to score 26 points on 8-11 from the floor, including three three-pointers.

“DJ is a great teammate,” Sheppard said afterward. “He’s very vocal on the court. And he does everything that we need him to do. You know, he’s really good at keeping guys on the game. And then on defense and offense, he’s just a dog. So, he’s really fun to play with. But you know, we’ve got to win without him as well.”

Wagner cheered his team on throughout the game despite the sometimes lopsided score, the first to leap to his feet and meet his teammates coming off the court. Rob Dillingham, who scored a career-high 35 points, said Kentucky misses Wagner’s leadership and toughness on the court the most.

“Definitely missing him a lot because he helps us with like being a leader and helping us be together and he’s our point guard. He’s another piece of the team that’s not at it where he’s got grit and DJ wants it. DJ comes to play every day and not everybody has that mindset.

“That’s why when we play, we miss him as our point guard. He comes to play every day and gets our starting five a push. So, just his mindset, leadership, and want to win.”

Get well soon, DJ. We need ya.