Quade Green sports shades after eye injury
Kentucky freshman guard Quade Green guards the ball during the game against Virginia Tech on Saturday, December 16, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. Kentucky won 93-86. Photo by Arden Barnes | Staff
December 16, 2017
After being poked in the right eye against Monmouth, UK basketball’s Quade Green took the court Saturday sporting Oakley shades – and they paid off.
Green contributed to the team’s 93-86 win over Virginia Tech with 17 points on 6-12 shooting, five assists and only one turnover. He was tied for the highest plus-minus on the team, as UK outscored the Hokies by 10 when Green was on the court.
RECAP: UK defeats Virginia Tech 93-86
“I’ll just play my game, it don’t matter what I’ve got on,” Green said. He said he could wear Timberland boots and he’d still play the exact same way.
He also said he plans on wearing the shades for the rest of the season, because he “can’t get poked in the eye again.”
When he was hit against the Hawks in Madison Square Garden, Green’s eye swelled shut and he was prevented from practicing for the week, even after starting to wear the shades. His eye was and still is sensitive to light, so he needed the court to look dim due to the bright lights of Rupp Arena.
Head coach John Calipari said that he was going to wear some matching shades with Green, but that he didn’t want it to become something big.
“It would’ve been a national story,” Calipari said. “‘There he is, he wears jeans on the plane, this bum.’”
Green said he wasn’t sure why Calipari didn’t wear the shades, but that he would’ve liked for him to.
Even though they’ve been poking fun at him all week, Green’s teammates said that they like the shades for Green.
“He played good, I think he’s got to keep the shades on,” fellow guard Hamidou Diallo said. “I think he’s got to stay with the shades until he has a bad game.” Diallo also confirmed that Calipari was planning on wearing matching sunglasses.
WATCH: Hamidou Diallo interview
Green isn’t the first UK point guard to sport shades, either. While he didn’t do it in a UK jersey, former Cats point guard Rajon Rondo warmed up against the Lakers during the 2012 season with the Boston Celtics after an eye injury. He wasn’t allowed to keep them on during the game, however, as opponents couldn’t see his eyes.
Fans will get to see Green in shades next in New Orleans, as the Cats take on UCLA on Dec. 23 at 4 p.m. ET.
