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  • VAUGHT: Whitney remains positive, determined and motivated

    By LARRY VAUGHT

    Tyrese Maxey has had the kind of success his freshman season at Kentucky that many thought he would. He’s averaging a team-high 13.9 points per game along with 4.3 rebonds and 3.2 assists per game while averaging 33.5 minutes per game.

    Freshman Kahlil Whitney, another McDonald’s All-American, had to think his numbers might be similar and so did a lot of other folks. However, through 15 games Whitney is averaging only 3.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game and playing just an average of 14.5 minutes per game.

    Whitney is just 4-for-15 from 3-point range and 9-for-19 at the foul line. Overall from the field he’s 22 of 58, a 38 percent mark.

    Kentucky coach John Calipari showed a lot of love for Whitney in UK’s win over Alabama Saturday and obviously believes for UK to be at its best in March, he needs Whitney playing at a far better level but one Calipari thinks he can easily reach.

    Whitney has not pouted on the court. If he’s on the bench, he’s one of the first to cheer for teammates. He looks at times almost like he’s thinking too much and trying too hard rather than just using his enormous athleticism to rebound, defend and do other things that come naturally to him.

    Maxey has seen what Whitney can do and says his message to him would be “just stay focused, stay locked in” to what the coaches tell him.

    “He’s done a really good job of staying motivated. Coach Cal said he was probably the happiest one during the Louisville game on the bench just cheering for his teammates, which means a lot to us,” Maxey said. “We really want him to succeed as well and I’m very proud of him.”

    File that away because Maxey is not one to give false praise.

    Junior Nick Richards understands well what it is like to struggle to produce the way everyone expects. He went through it for two year before having his breakout season now as a junior.

    He’s been impressed by Whitney’s “determination” during down times.

“He never gives up. And his positivity. He’s always staying positive, no matter what, whether he’s having good games or bad games, he always stays that same consistent, positive guy,” Richards said.

    So while Whitney has not been the Whitney yet I am convinced he will be, note that teammates say he’s determined and positive and they believe he will get things figured out soon.


    Photo by Vicky Graff
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