McDonald's All-American Photo
Finally it is official that Aaron Bradshaw is injured and will not play in Toronto when Kentucky plays in the Global Jam against teams from Canada, Germany and Africa.
Speculation started several months ago that the star 7-foot UK freshman had a foot injury. Bradshaw has confirmed on social media that he injured his foot in the McDonald’s All-American Game and it had been rumored that he had surgery on Father’s Day weekend that could sideline him from six weeks to six months depending on which speculation you wanted to believe.
Kentucky coach John Calipari held its first press conference in over three months Friday and confirmed that Bradshaw had surgery to repair a foot fracture.
“Had a foot injury, had a choice to make. Do you let it heal or do you do an operation?” Calipari said Friday. “At the end of the day, he said, ‘I want an operation because I want to play.’”
Calipari said it was Bradshaw’s decision not to make the trip to Canada with the team that plays its first game in Toronto on July 12. Bradshaw has been projected as a 2024 NBA first-round draft pick in some mock drafts and was a consensus top 10 recruit in the 2023 recruiting class.
“He made that decision (to have surgery),” Calipari said. “He could’ve waited it out and saw that it could work and he could be fine, but he said, ‘I don’t want to take a chance. I want to play.’”
The Kentucky coach said he would not “rush” Bradshaw to play but expects him to be ready when the season starts. However, Calipari’s track record of predicting when injured players will be ready to play is less than stellar in recent years.
Calipari did acknowledge that Bradshaw had been a star during UK’s summer camp circuit across the state.
“Aaron Bradshaw was unbelievable in the camps in our community. The kids loved him. The parents loved him,” Calipari said.
The UK coach said Bradshaw would now be wearing a protective boot on his foot while the injury heals.
Calipari said Bradshaw would be back on campus this weekend, wearing a protective boot.
NBA reporter Shams Charania tweeted, citing unnamed sources, reported recently that the star freshman could miss the start of the 2023-24 season.
Calipari is not worried about Bradshaw not playing in Canada creating a huge setback for him during the 2023-24 season.
“It’s unfortunate for him. But we’ve had guys that couldn’t be there in the summer and came back and played great,” the UK coach said. “All I can tell you is every time he grabs me, he says, ‘I love you, Coach.’ Like, this kid is so excited about being here and wants to help us win.
“These guys know — even in practice — every practice, the drills are: you win or you lose. Everything we do is with (a) score — you win or you lose. You’re teaching them winning matters. With him, winning matters. ‘I want to come here and I want us to win.’
“For him, it would have been better if he played. But he’ll be fine.”
Calipari emphasized “not from what the doctors are telling me” if there was a worry Bradshaw might miss regular-season games.
4 Responses
Oh, he will be on the floor for Pro-day is my guess, but whether he ever plays for UK remains to be seen.
The comment he has made he will be playing. The reason he had surgery so his foot would heal faster and I really think he will have that UK uniform on this winter
it is not what someone says but what the someone does.
Words of wisdom Professor