Ugonna Onyenso’s Injury Will Keep Him Out Longer Than John Calipari Originally Expected

Vicky Graff Photo

Despite not having injured 7-footers Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso for the four-game GLOBL Jam in Toronto, Kentucky still went 4-0 and won the four games by an average of 15.3 points per game.

Coach John Calipari admitted after the gold medal game that his team had a “little size deficiency blocking shots” despite winning each game.

Bradshaw, a freshman, injured his ankle at the McDonald’s All-American Game in March and had surgery in June. He was not with the team in Toronto but Calipari said in June doctors were telling him he should be ready when the season starts in November.

Onyenso injured his ankle in practice during a scrimmage the day before UK’s first game at the GLOBL Jam. It was first reported as a sprained/turned ankle that likely would keep him out of the game in Toronto.

However, after Sunday night’s win Calipari revealed it might be much worse.

“I feel bad for Ugo, he’s gonna be out a while,” Calipari said. “Feel bad for him.”

The sophomore played sparingly last season but was expecting a bigger role, especially defensively.

Calipari admitted Onyenso would be out longer than he originally thought. The sophomore was in a boot at UK’s first two games but was not at the last two games. Speculation is he flew back to the United States to have his injury evaluated and might need surgery.

Kentucky won’t play another game until early November but for Calipari to give an update like this makes one wonder how long Onyenso might be out.  Normally Calipari’s injury predictions are way optimistic, so the status of both UK 7-footers will remain in limbo for several months.

Kentucky almost had to play the gold medal game without West Virginia transfer Tre Mitchell, the team’s tallest remaining player at 6-9. Calipari said after Sunday’s win he actually hurt his ankle in Saturday’s win but he still played Sunday and had 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in his best overall game.

“We didn’t think he was gonna play today,” Calipari said. “So I’m like, okay, Adou (Thiero) you’re gonna be our center. Now we got six guys, I mean you can’t even have a warm up line. And so he ended up getting through the night, next day the game, thank God, was at night so he could play.

“And then played as good as he’s played since we’ve been here. I said you need to play with a hurt ankle all the time. He was good.”