UK Athletics Photo
DJ Wagner was such a huge recruit for Kentucky and coach John Calipari. Many expected him to help UK has a banner 2023-24 season and make a big run in the NCAA Tournament.
Obviously, that did not happen and when Calipari left for Arkansas, Wagner followed him to Arkansas and not the NBA where many had thought he might be a top five pick like former UK teammate Reed Sheppard was.
Wagner had an up and down season but Calipari recently reminded Arkansas fans that Wagner was “ playing great” before he hurt his ankle in early December and never was the same the rest of the year.
“Here’s what was funny, before [Wagner] got hurt, I believe he was (SEC) Freshman of the Week three times,” Calipari said. “Like, ‘Well he just struggled.’ No, he was playing great. Then he got hurt and he never really bounced back from that. I think he’s healthy. I think he’s more athletic than he was. The kid lives in the gym. He knows how to read his body now. I’m expecting a lot from him.”
He also has intangible assets Calipari loves.
“You want his leadership?” Calipari asked. “When you walk into my gym, the voice you hear is his. That’s the voice you hear, which means he’s into his team. Now, I want him to play, do what you do, fail fast. There’s some stuff that you did in high school that you can’t do in the SEC. Fail fast, learn, try it. After the third time, I’m looking, ‘Do you understand that doesn’t work now?’ I want him to go be who he is.”
5 Responses
He wasn’t the same after the ankle injury.
He knew it and still played him over Reed Sheppard the rest of the year.
Coaching Malpractice
Maybe he is healthy now. He should be better this year, but he is still playing for the same coach who let him flail around hoping to be OAD. He has never played against a Lamont Butler or a Mark Pope coached team. The learning will continue.
Playing him tooooo much { even starting : ) } was the icing on the cake for UK that a change was needed sooner than later.
Go razors !!! suuuuuehhhh ; )
Who is D J Wagner ?
He was actually playing very good before the injury. If Calapari knew that why did he still play so many minutes and start? Reed should have started over him. Reed and Rob should have split Wagner’s minutes and let his ankle heal all the way and the play him. Wouldn’t that be what any coach with a brain would do?