After an injury to the left foot sidelined him before the start of the season, UK basketball’s freshman forward Jarred Vanderbilt is finally active on the roster and saw playing time against South Carolina Tuesday.

Vanderbilt, the 6-9, 214-pound athlete from Missouri City, Texas, suffered a non-game injury during a workout in August that changed the ability and rotation of the team.

Vanderbilt came to UK as a possible option at center when the Cats want to play a small lineup, as well as having the ability to be a primary ballhandler when he has the ball. The 19th overall player in the ESPN 100 for his recruiting class is expected to make an impact for the Cats immediately, who have struggled to close out some teams.

He has been in shootaround multiple times this season, as well as beginning practice with the Cats at the beginning of the new year. Eighteen games into the season, Vanderbilt will be expected to elevate the ability of the Cats while they wait on the recovery of three-star guard Jemarl Baker who, like Vanderbilt, has not yet seen game action due to injury.