Keion Brooks (Vicky Graff Photo)
How many times have you heard Kentucky coach John Calipari says his team’s schedule is unfair because when he put it together he thought sophomore Keion Brooks Jr. would be playing? Brooks, a sophomore, was UK’s only player who actually played in a Kentucky game last year. However, during UK’s 1-3 start, he’s watched from the bench with a calf/leg injury that has now been bothering him for about two months.
The hope is that when Brooks can play, Kentucky will be better. But is that realistic or fair?
Brooks played in 31 games last season and had 138 points, 99 rebounds, 13 blocks, 11 steals and six assists. He scored in double figures five times and led the Cats in steals, rebounds and blocks in two games.
He made the late free throws to seal a win over Mississippi. He had nine rebounds in a key road win at Tennessee. He had 10 points and seven rebounds in the win at Arkansas and went 4-for-4 at the foul line in the final minutes. He made his first start against Louisville and played 25 minutes in the overtime win.
His best game was UK’s last game when he played a career-high 27 minutes in the win at Florida where the Cats overcame a 18-point deficit. He had 10 points, including two 3-pointers, along with three rebounds and two steals.
Memories of that last game have raised expectations for Brooks and UK’s struggles have raised the hopes that he can be the answer UK needs even more. He’s going to be counted on for leadership, scoring, 3-point shooting, rebounding and solid man-to-to-man defense.
Brooks is a good player. He has experience playing for Calipari. Yet to think he can solve all UK’s issues — and there have been a lot — seems like fool’s gold to me. He can do his job but he can’t start the offense, guard five players or stop teammates from making careless mistakes.
“Playing for Cal is not easy,” Brooks said during the preseason. “At times you feel like he is picking on you or being hard but he is doing it on purpose to push you.
Brooks said then his younger teammates accepted advice from him and coaching from Calipari.
“We have a team of smart guys receptive to any help we can give them,” he said in November.
Here’s hoping he turns out to be right because Kentucky has yet to play “smart” basketball and needs plenty of help to get this season turned around.
