Let's not rush to conclusions about Aaron Bradshaw's injury

Let’s face it. The news that Aaron Bradshaw will miss four to six months due to a fracture in his foot is, well, it’s not awesome. Just when the tide was turning on an offseason to be otherwise forgotten with Jordan Burks and now Joey Hart joining the roster for some much-needed depth, Shams Charania had to go and throw a wet blanket over Big Blue Nation’s budding hope for next season.

Although Shams made it official, scuttlebutt around a possible Bradshaw foot injury has been circling the rumor mill for a few weeks, only to be repeatedly quashed. KSR’s Jack Pilgrim reports the injury is a hairline fracture, so while he can get around without noticeable discomfort, physicians recommended surgery and that is the route Bradshaw and his team decided to take.

At this point, ‘Cats fans have to feel like Lloyd Christmas from Dumb and Dumber, distraught, desolate, and shouting, “Our pets’ heads are falling off!”

If reactionary Internet comments are any indication as to the pessimism radiating across BBN, not only are many Kentucky fans disappointed a prized five-star recruit may miss the beginning of the season, but they are also skeptical Bradshaw will ever suit up for Kentucky at all.

Is this feeling justified? Yeah, kind of. But I would argue not to write off Bradshaw just yet.

The reasons for skepticism

You don’t have to exactly dust off the Kentucky Basketball History encyclopedia to reference instances where players have been seemingly healthy and eligible, yet chose to sit out. Sahvir Wheeler is the most recent example of a mystery court absence and if you even whisper Shaedon Sharpe‘s name at KSBar, you will get evil glares from across the room.

Jarred Vanderbilt is another name from the not-so-distant past who will elicit some groans. While the fanbase consensus is that his post-season no-show was less due to a foot and ankle injury and more an effort to protect his draft stock, I have always felt this was a bit unfair. The guy had a screw break off in his foot while he was at Kentucky and had surgery (again) on the same foot during his rookie season in the League. But I get it. Fans find it frustrating to watch an NBA-caliber player sitting in street clothes at the end of the bench, so it isn’t crazy that the Bradshaw news rekindles feelings about the Vanderbilt situation.

There is also the Klutch factor. Why did the primary NBA reporter for the Athletic break the news about a college player? Just look at the representation. The same agency that works with LeBron James among other NBA stars also represents Bradshaw, so there’s a good chance that is where Shams got his information.

For further ammo to the glass-half-empty crowd, Klutch also represents Chris Livingston and plenty of advice for him that Big Blue Nation did not find favorable, including encouraging him to stay in the NBA draft instead of returning to Kentucky.

So, between the recent history of players sitting out and Klutch having a priority to get their players into the NBA as quickly and as healthy as possible, it is reasonable for fans to throw up their hands and say, “Here we go again.”

Having said that, there are reasons to stay positive.

The reasons for optimism

Injuries occur in sports all the time. It is unfortunate and frustrating, but seven-footers flying around with the athleticism of a cheetah are bound to break a bone every now and then. The human body is only so strong.

You can’t fault Bradshaw for looking out for this long-term future when deciding to get surgery now. While bucking doctors’ undesirable recommendations may be tempting, the profession has a fairly decent track record of good advice.

Kentucky expects Bradshaw to be out for four to six months, so let’s do some math today, on June 17th. Four months from now is October 17, roughly two weeks before the start of the season. Six months from now is December 17th, which would land just before the start of SEC play during the regular season.

That means even if the recovery time is on the high side, there will still be plenty of enough time for Bradshaw to make an impact at Kentucky. He will likely be behind when it comes to conditioning, experience with his teammates, and possibly knowing the plays, but NBA teams will understand this. There is no reason to think a poor performance at Kentucky as he works himself back from surgery would jeopardize his stock as a projected top pick in the 2024 draft.

The risk of re-injury will certainly be there, however, he (and Klutch) wants to prove to NBA scouts he can play the 4, and what better way to showcase his unicorn potential than by demonstrating it in college?

Moreover, everyone who has interacted with Bradshaw raves about his personality. He is fun, good-natured, and thus far seems to be embracing his time in Lexington. I like to think guys that like aren’t the same ones to sit out unnecessarily.

Ultimately, you can find reasons for or against almost any position you want. On this topic though, I am going to take the coaching staff at their word and believe them when they say Bradshaw only be out four to six months, if not sooner.

The vast majority of the time, injured players return to action during their projected time frame, so I am going to play the odds, consider Bradshaw no different, and look forward to seeing him dunk on opponents’ heads while wearing a Kentucky uniform.