By David Schuh | Men’s basketball columnist

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James Young is UK’s best player.

He may not be the most NBA-ready or the most athletic, but night in and night out, he proves why he is the player the Cats need the most.

Wednesday night was a perfect example. After nearly notching a double-double by halftime, Young made plays all over the court, finishing with 26 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals in an 85-63 win over Mississippi State University.

It’s not just about his points. It certainly isn’t just about his 3-point shooting.

He plays more minutes than anyone else. He takes more shots than anyone else. His presence is felt all over the court, more consistently than anyone else.

Head coach John Calipari is not one to give players very much freedom. If you make a mistake, he’s going to sub you out and let you know, with some intensity, exactly what you did wrong.

After playing 10 consecutive minutes to start Wednesday’s second half, Calipari gave Young a rest. He put him back in nine seconds later.

Young’s full stat line Wednesday was not an aberration. In UK’s marquee win over the University of Louisville on Dec. 28, in which freshman forward Julius Randle didn’t score in the second half, Young racked up 18 points and 10 rebounds.

It isn’t always obvious, but he is the guy that adds flow. He adds rhythm. When the Cats need a bucket, more often than not, Young hits a big shot.

Pro scouts who watched UK’s preseason practices said he could turn into a top-10 NBA Draft pick by the end of the year. That surprised some people because Young wasn’t viewed that way before the season started. He was a shooter on the wing who could spread out defenses, making more room for others to score inside.

But there’s a difference between shooting and scoring. An avid 3-point shooter, Young was just 3-10 from behind the arc on Wednesday.

Yet he was 5-8 from inside, a testament to his all-around offensive ability.

“I can’t think of any of the 18 shots that were bad or forced shots,” UK assistant coach John Robic said. “James is a scorer. The thing that sticks out to me is 10 rebounds, five assists. He played a complete game.”

UK beat Mississippi State because of its defense. A three-point halftime deficit sparked an aggressive, fiery second-half team that turned defensive stops into easy baskets.

And Young was at the forefront. He got steals and rebounds to start fast breaks. He found open men for assists. Every time UK made a run, he was right in the middle of it.

Sure, he may take a few more shots than some fans want. But that’s what you’ll get with a player so aggressive. Calipari trusts James Young.

A scorer at heart, that’s all he needs to know.