The Shaedon Sharpe announcement was the right call at the right time

The biggest remaining question surrounding this year’s Kentucky team was officially answered on Monday morning with John Calipari’s announcement that Shaedon Sharpe will not be playing for Kentucky this season. All things considered, getting this decision out in the open and, more importantly, out of the way, will benefit everyone involved.

From the very start, there were so many moving parts that went into a scenario such as Sharpe’s. Is he physically ready and conditioned enough yet to play college minutes? Should his debut be at home or on the road? Is he more likely to help or hurt the balance of this team? Is it too late to try him out this season? With so many factors at play, anyone trying to figure out when or if Sharpe would debut was simply guessing at best. There was never a “right” answer about whether or not Sharpe should suit up.

The fact of the matter is that the outside focus on Sharpe was inherently distracting in nature. As good as this team is, the rumors and questions about his status had persisted since his arrival. Leaving that question unanswered could only make it worse.

Assistant Coach Jai Lucas reiterated on Monday morning that this was always the plan with Sharpe. From the very beginning, it has seemed that the UK staff and Sharpe’s family have been on the same page about his time at Kentucky. With this decision being final, now it’s time for all parties to stick to that plan, including the fanbase.

This decision reestablishes the goals of the program for this season and for next. It’s not to say they don’t need him, but this shows real belief that this team can win in March without him. They’ve already built something great this season and there was no guarantee this experiment would have worked to their benefit if he did play. For Sharpe, it reaffirms the hope that he will be front and center for UK next season.

Hindsight will almost certainly be 20/20 if Sharpe changes his mind and leaves this summer. He has every right to go to the NBA if he finds that it’s the right decision for him. If so, Calipari will surely be criticized for his first #1 player in Lexington since 2012 going “none-and-done”.

Still, this remains the right call. No one likely wanted to see Sharpe suit up for Kentucky more than his coaches and teammates. With that said, they can now focus on winning in the present with the roster they have. Meanwhile, Sharpe can focus on both helping the team as it is right now, while also preparing to perform in the future.

There will be those who don’t like it, but this was the best decision for all parties. Now we just enjoy the rest of the ride this season and then wait and see for Sharpe’s official decision this summer.