Keion Brooks should play for the first time this season at Florida Saturday
Keion Brooks Jr. has been medically cleared to play for the first time this season but Kentucky assistant coach Jai Lucas warned not to expect too much from him Saturday night when UK plays at Florida.
“We are just kind of wait and see. He had a good practice yesterday,” Lucas said Friday. “But it is hard. He has not been practicing. He has been doing some conditioning and now is going right into Florida.
“I do think he will get in the game. Just not expecting much from him.”
Brooks has not played since UK’s win over Florida last March that turned out to be Kentucky’s final game of the season. His left leg/calf injury occurred before practice got underway in October.
“He has done a good job of doing what he has been able to do while he had restrictions but it is different five on five and in a game,” Lucas said. “It’s hard to compare practice even to a game. Hopefully it will not take him as long as it typically does (to get game ready) but it will take a while.
“We are into conference play. We have played a bunch of games. It will take him a while to get his feet under him.”
However, Lucas made it clear Brooks’ leadership on the court will be a huge plus. He’s the only player on the roster who had scored in a game before this season and Lucas says Brooks’ demeanor makes him a team leader.
“He walks it like he talks it. Guys gravitate toward that,” Lucas said. “He is a genuine person. When he says something, everybody is quiet and listens. He works every day and does whatever you ask. A lot of people respect him for that and that is why he has a hold on the team.”
