Kentucky Wildcats guard Terrence Clarke (5) introduction as Kentucky played Morehead State on November 25, 2020. Photo by Mark Cornelison
What is going on with Terrence Clarke? The Kentucky freshman has not played in a Southeastern Conference game and for the first time did not travel with the team to Missouri where the Cats lost Wednesday night. Instead, Calipari said on his pregame radio show that he left him in Lexington to work out with assistant coach Joel Justus in hopes he might be ready to play against Tennessee Saturday night.
After the game, Calipari offered more details on Clarke’s absence and future availability.
“I want to see the kid practice (Thursday) and Friday to see if there’s any chance that he could play against Tennessee. So, he didn’t need to be here,” Calipari said. “In basketball, when you’re looking at a guy, what, we needed a cheerleader? He didn’t need to be here. He needs to get ready to try to play that game Saturday.
“If he can’t practice, without limping, Thursday and Friday, then he won’t play Saturday and we just keep it out and we’ll see where this thing goes. It comes to a point where you’re out five, six weeks, means you’re just not capable, the pain is too much for you to play at all. So that’s why we left him at home.”
Obviously, that did not sound optimistic about Clarke playing Saturday — or probably the rest of the season. However, listening to Calipari on his postgame radio interview with Tom Leach provided additional information.
He said if Clarke can practice without limping, he will play against the Volunteers.
“If he’s limping, I don’t see how he’s going to play. After five weeks, you’re still limping? And there’s nothing wrong, there’s no, you know, MRI — there’s nothing there. But players know their pain and what their pain threshold is, so if he’s limping around, I’m not going to play him. If he’s able to play? Shoot, maybe we have another player this weekend,” Calipari said.
“It comes to a point where you’re out five, six weeks, it means you’re just not capable. The pain is too much for you to play at all.”
That could have been interpreted as saying Clarke was not tough enough to play through pain like Calipari said numerous times last year that Ashton Hagans did when he was hurt.
Many UK fans have felt for weeks that Clarke didn’t want to play and hurt his NBA draft stock even more than his play before he was hurt this year did.
Calipari apparently thought maybe his words came across too harsh — and he was criticized by many for questioning Clarke’s toughness — and went on Twitter to clarify what he meant.
“After listening to my postgame comments about (Clarke), my comments were clear to me, but I understand they could be taken many different ways,” Calipari posted on Twitter. “(Clarke) has been in pain. I have never asked a player to play that is injured and I never will. We are just trying to figure out — with the approval of our medical staff — can he play through this or not. And he might not be able to, and that’s OK!
“(Terrence) will try to practice tomorrow and Friday and if he does well, he will play Saturday. Believe me, I hope he does well and can play. I know Terrence wants to play! He and I have had conversations about it since he’s been out. I support Terrence no matter what!”
