Shaedon Sharpe is a quick learner but he still is not ready to play for Cats … or is he

Shaedon Sharpe, right (Vicky Graff Photo)

For the second time in Southeastern Conference play, Kentucky guards Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington got hurt in the same game. The first time was at LSU when Wheeler played just four minutes. The second time was at Auburn when Washington played just nine minutes.

“I am not the type to make excuses, but when TyTy got hurt (at Auburn) it changed the whole speed of the game,” UK junior forward Jacob Toppin said. “I believe if TyTy had not gotten hurt, we win that game. A lot of things did not go our way, but we kept fighting.

“Injuries suck. The LSU game if Sahvir does not get hurt, I believe 100 percent we win that game. Things happen and we have to learn to adapt and figure out a way to win.”

Could Shaedon Sharpe be the key to figuring out how to win when “things happen” like they did at LSU and Auburn? Sharpe, a 6-5 guard, has been at UK just over two weeks after deciding to reclassify, graduate early and join the Cats now with plans to wait until the 2022-23 season to play. However, no one has ever totally ruled out having him play this season if needed, especially since he is eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft.

“He’s young. I think he’s taking it day by day,” Toppin said. “I think he’s just concerned about getting better every day. I see him in the gym all the time. He’s working hard.

“Right now, I think he’s just going with the flow of things. When his time comes, his time comes. I don’t think he’s really worried about anything else but getting better every day.”

Kentucky assistant coach Orlando Antigua explained Monday that Sharpe is still learning about the pace of play in college.

“You’ve got to understand assignments, the defensive schemes, the timing on offense, the other four players who would be on the court … what kind of synergy that means. That takes time to build,” Antigua said.

“When you’re this far along in a season, it’s really hard to try to throw somebody into it if they’re not ready for it. We not only put a kid in a position to maybe do harm to himself, but also to our team, if it’s not the right timing.”

Antigua called Sharpe a “quick learner” but that doesn’t mean he’s game-ready yet. Toppin said Sharpe had not participated in 5-on-5 workouts yet — something that must have changed at Monday’s practice based on what coach John Calipari said on his weekly radio show Monday night.

“The last couple days he’s stepped on the gas a little bit and done some things. I think our team would like me to put him in,” Calipari said. “He does something, they all kind of look at me like, ‘Come on now. If that’s who he is, put him in.'”

Calipari also said if Sharpe did play, he would concentrate on what he can and that’s “score the ball.”

A few hours earlier, though, Antigua tried to explain why it was hard for Sharpe to be game-ready so quick.

“There’s a lot going on when a kid gets to campus midseason,” Antigua said. “He’s getting acclimated to classes, class schedule, the dorm life, conditioning. One of the things he’s been surprised by is how much information and how much detail everything is. So he’s getting acclimated, but it takes time.”

Antigua said Calipari won’t rush to play Sharpe before he’s ready for any reason, including injuries to other players.

“Cal has always (been) conscious, aware and alert on what’s best for our kids,” Antigua said. “And don’t think that will change, even with Shaedon.”