John Calipari continues to sing praises for freshman Adou Thiero

John Calipari is certain that, at some point, Kentucky freshman Adou Thiero will make a significant impact on the college basketball world. It might not be today and it might not be tomorrow, but the Wildcats’ Hall of Fame head coach continues to preach about Thiero’s potential as a superstar at this level. Saturday was no different.

“How about Adou?” Calipari said after Kentucky beat Tennessee 66-54. “Again. Like, Adou. He’s just getting it done. He comes up with balls. He is so tough physically. I’m going to tell you, and I said it to him, he’s going to be a guy that has a major impact on college basketball. He will. You watch. And I think he’s still growing, by the way. I think he grew an inch since he’s been here.”

Thiero still plays like the first-year college kid that he is, but there is clearly a lot to like with the 6-foot-6 guard out of Leetsdale, PA. He saw 13 minutes of action during Kentucky’s second win of the season against the Volunteers but contributed just one rebound and one block while registering three personal fouls. It’s not about production at this stage for Thiero though, who came to Lexington perceived as a long-term project after leaving high school as an under-the-radar three-star prospect.

It’s all the intangibles Thiero brings to the floor that makes him so tantalizing. Calipari first made this point back in December when he said something similar about Thiero’s potential in college. He’s still clearly raw at this stage — on both ends of the floor — but you’d be hard-pressed to find someone more active than Thiero. As Calipari mentioned, the youngster is still growing too and could end up being as tall as 6-foot-10.

Finding a spot in the rotation has been tough for Thiero as he plays behind a handful of talented guards such as Cason Wallace, Antonio Reeves, Sahvir Wheeler, and CJ Fredrick, but recent injuries to those last two have given him a chance to shine.

After appearing in just 10 games and averaging 10.2 minutes in those outings, he’s been thrust into the action over Kentucky’s last three contests. During that stretch, Thiero is filling in as the third guard in the rotation, soaking up minutes for Wallace and Reeves whenever they get tired or into foul trouble.

Thiero isn’t stuffing the stat sheet whenever he does check in, but he’s doing exactly what Calipari is asking of him: playing aggressive defense, fighting during every possession, and doing what’s in the best interest of the team. Until Wheeler and/or Fredrick return to the lineup, that’s all anyone can ask of him. These early minutes as a freshman will surely go a long way on his road to one day becoming an elite college-level player.