"Nothing's changed for me." Adou Thiero isn't bothered by new bench role

Things changed — in a good way — for Kentucky with the arrival of seven-footers Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso. It shifted the way John Calipari coached his team on both ends of the floor. But mixing in two new (very large) pieces meant the formula was always going to change in some form or fashion.

It changed by bumping sophomore wing Adou Thiero out of his starting position, which he held for eight of Kentucky’s first nine games before Bradshaw quickly filled in as the starting center. But what hasn’t changed is Thiero’s approach to the game. He’s just as energetic and active off the pine as he was in the starting five.

“Nothing’s changed for me,” Thiero said on Thursday ahead of Friday’s game against Illinois State. “Instead of starting a game now I’m coming off the bench. I’m still able to play the game I love so I just give my same effort every time.”

His individual numbers have changed with the move, but only slightly. Thiero’s minutes are down from 25 per game as a starter to 15 as a reserve. His rebounding numbers have dropped from 6.4 per game to 2.3. But the 6-foot-7 super-athlete is still contributing in the same ways he was to begin the season.

“I try to just stick to what I have to do,” Thiero added. “Try to do what my teammates need me to do to help us win. I don’t try and think of other individual stuff, just try to do what my teammates need me to do.”

Thiero has scored seven points in both of his games off the bench against North Carolina and Louisville. He blocked a career-high four shots in just 17 minutes in Kentucky’s win over UNC. He grabbed four rebounds against UL. He’s hit two of his four shot attempts from long-range after making just one in his first eight games.

“He’s responded well,” Kentucky fifth-year guard Antonio Reeves said of Thiero. “Being a good teammate, waiting his turn to go out on the floor and compete… Anybody can start, anybody can come off the bench. You go out there and compete and play hard for the team.”

Thiero accepting — and more importantly, embracing — his new bench role is only going to help Kentucky as the season toils along.

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His jumping ability is crazy too. I feel like he’s jumping a little higher this year. He’s putting his head on the rim. Some of the blocks he has we’re just mind-blown — like woah, he just got up there.