Jordan Obi, right, stays engaged with her teammates even though she's not been able to play this season. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Jordan Obi transferred from Penn after three productive seasons to play for coach Kenny Brooks at Kentucky and he anticipated she would be a starter. Instead, she was hurt in the preseason and has yet to play this season and probably will not play.
Brooks did say Tuesday that her lower leg injury is “progressing very nicely” but he was not ready to say the 6-1 guard would play this season even though UK’s depth could definitely use a boost as UK has four starters averaging over 31 minutes per game.
“She’s out there and she looks really good. She looks really good. It’s a tease. You know, it’s a tease, but obviously we’re excited for her, for her progression, because it was devastating for her when she got injured,” Brooks said.
“You could see it all over her face. She came here to play for Kentucky, but she’s been exceptional, as far as, like, staying engaged with the team, planting her inspirations throughout the team. Just her touch on everything.”
Kentucky (16-1, 5-0 SEC) plays at Texas A&M tonight but Brooks made it clear he would not risk another injury by playing her too soon.
Though Obi is getting cleared for more and more activity, Brooks and his staff won’t rush her return to the court for the 11th-ranked Wildcats (16-1, 5-0 SEC).
“As far as her future, we’re going to take it slow. We’re not going to do anything to rush that situation, and we’re going to do what’s best for her, even though it’s very tempting and you really need that,” Brooks said.
“She’s a special player. She really is. She goes very well with what the other players do. It’s great chemistry.”
In her three seasons at Penn, Obi started 82 games and scored 1,142 points and grabbed 631 rebounds. Obi averaged 14.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 34.1 minutes per game as a senior.
Even without Obi, No. 11 Kentucky has 15 wins by 10 or more points and 12 of the 16 wins have been by 16 or more points. Kentucky has also won by 14 or more points in all five SEC wins for the first time in program history.
The Wildcats have won nine straight games and a win tonight would give UK its first 10-game win streak in three years.
All five starters are averaging in double figures and the Cats are sixth in the nation in assists at 19.4 per game. Kentucky has also limited 13 of its 17 opponents, including all five SEC teams, to under 39 percent shooting from the field. Kentucky’s 34.4 field-goal percentage defense ranks 12th in the nation and second in the SEC. Kentucky also leads the nation with 7.1 blocks per game.
