Cats ready to show off talent at Blue-White Game
Sophomore forward Wenyen Gabriel goes up for a dunk during Big Blue Madness on Friday, October 13, 2017 in Lexington, Ky. Photo by Carter Gossett | Staff
October 19, 2017
On Friday, Oct. 20, Big Blue Nation will have the opportunity to see what this year’s UK men’s basketball team has to offer as the Cats will play in the annual Blue-White Game.
There will be many headlines to watch leading into the scrimmage, as head coach John Calipari has said numerous times this preseason that he’s still figuring out this team.
During Big Blue Madness, Wenyen Gabriel made a grand entrance as the crowd screamed and cheered him on for returning to the Cats for his sophomore year.
Gabriel averaged 17.8 minutes and 4.6 points per game. Despite the low numbers, Gabriel projects to be one of the top players for the Cats this year.
The real question is, will it be possible for him to outshine the rest of his talented teammates?
Hamidou Diallo is a 6-foot-5-inch guard, who enrolled early to be a part of the team last year. Diallo became a key component in practices right after graduating from Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut.
Because of his presence early on, Diallo is looked at as a leader on the team. He is projected to be a top scorer and key factor in every game because of his athletic ability and agility.
6-foot-11-inch freshman Nick Richards will be a player to watch as he joins Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as the only players from The Patrick School in Hillside, New Jersey to play basketball for the Cats.
Richards showed off his dunking skills during the Madness scrimmage and sparked excitement in the fans for the season. Big Blue Nation should expect hard drive and leadership from this freshman.
Kevin Knox was a surprise addition to the team when he committed on May 6. The 6-foot-9-inches, 215-pound freshman is a position-less player that can be as smooth as a guard and as tough as a forward. Therefore, his game is definitely something for UK opponents to watch out for.
Finally, the battle for Kentucky’s starting point guard will continue at the Blue-White game. According to Rivals, ESPN and Scout, Quade Green is a five-star point guard who knows how to score and pass the rock.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a 6-foot-6-inch guard from Hamilton, Canada. Gilgeous-Alexander is a steal enthusiast and he also averaged five assists in the FIBA Americas U18 championship.
Which one of these talented freshmen will come out on top as the best guard for UK? Fans will have the chance to decide for themselves at Friday’s scrimmage.