Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News looks at the loss of Kyle Wiltjer and gives a real look at the 6’10” forward’s impact on the Kentucky Basketball team.
DeCourcy discusses how much Wiltjer needs to work in the weight room, how it was an overreaction to think the loss will hurt the Wildcats 3 point shooting and leadership and how there probably won’t be any playing time if he did decide to return to Lexington.
The highlight of the article is that Kentucky doesn’t need Kyle Wiltjer to be a championship contender.
The 2013-14 Kentucky Wildcats do not need Wiltjer to be a championship contender. Most of the minutes at the power forward position were consumed the moment Julius Randle committed to the Wildcats in March. The Wildcats also have sophomore Alex Poythress, who likely will start at small forward but might be most comfortable at the “4” spot and easily could slide there when Randle needs a break.
They won’t miss Wiltjer’s leadership, because it’s virtually impossible to lead when you are not a significant player. If experience were all that was required, fifth-year senior Jon Hood provides an excellent example of character and perseverance. But Hood plays a small role on the floor. Wiltjer’s would have been larger, but not enough that he could have provided for this team what Darius Miller did for the 2011-12 NCAA champions. Miller practically was a sixth starter, getting only three fewer minutes per game than forward Terrence Jones.
There would not have been 26 minutes per game available to Wiltjer. He is a terrific 3-point shooter, but it’s impossible to make shots from the bench. The playing time that would have been his this winter is likely to wind up spent on freshman James Young, who ought to be capable of shooting in the 36 percent range from long distance.
You can read “Kentucky’s Kyle Wiltjer has 12 months to become a body builder” by clicking here.
