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Jarred Vanderbilt Brings Versatility to Kentucky Lineup

Photo by Keyli Chisesi (Go Big Blue Country)

 

Now that Jarred Vanderbilt has made his debut in a Kentucky uniform, the Wildcats issues with depth will improve significantly over the remainder of the season, especially when he gets game legs underneath him.

 

Fans got a small taste of what life with Vanderbilt will be like, as the versatile forward flashed his ability to lead the break, pass the ball, rebound, and hit tough shots. Vanderbilt is a do it all forward and if the Wildcats are in a pinch at guard, he can even man the point guard position, validating Calipari’s position less basketball approach.

 

With Vanderbilt on the floor, his size and athleticism will allow Calipari to play numerous lineup combinations. Along with his size and the ability to handle the basketball, Vanderbilt can play all five positions on the floor, which is valuable in situations with foul trouble, something that Kentucky has struggled with all season.

 

So, let’s take a look at some potential lineup combinations. Some of these might not be ideal but they sure would be a lot of fun to watch, even if it’s only for a couple of minutes.

 

Lineup 1

 

PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

SG: Kevin Knox

SF: Jarred Vanderbilt

PF: Wenyen Gabriel

C: Nick Richards

 

This is would be a massive lineup for Calipari and if he chooses to play zone, the length would be hard to handle across the board. SGA at 6-6 would be the smallest player on the floor and four guys would run 6-9 or taller, creating havoc on the defensive end.

 

Lineup 2

 

PG: Jarred Vanderbilt

SG: Kevin Knox

SF: Wenyen Gabriel

PF: PJ Washington

C: Nick Richards

 

This combination might not be ideal but it sure would be fun to see for a stretch. That’s a lot of size and length on the floor but the perimeter guys (Vanderbilt, Knox, and Gabriel) all have the athleticism to make this lineup work if Kentucky runs into a situation where Quade, SGA, and Diallo are not available due to foul trouble or injury.

 

Lineup 3

 

PG: Quade Green

SG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Hamidou Diallo

SF: Kevin Knox or Wenyen Gabriel

PF: Jarred Vanderbilt

C: PJ Washington

 

This is very much a combination you could see at some point this season. The lineup is missing a true center but Washington and Vanderbilt are physical enough to man the inside defensively. This is also a lineup that could stretch the floor and how many four and five men in college basketball could guard Vanderbilt and Washington off the bounce?

 

So, that’s just some ideas of how versatile Vanderbilt makes Kentucky. What is a combination that you would like to see?

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