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?
This sequence is why everyone is so excited about Jarred Vanderbilt. pic.twitter.com/VhGUbWOn5y
— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) January 17, 2018
Good rebound and pass by Kevin Knox to Jarred Vanderbilt who gets the assist on the and-1 bucket by Sacha Killeya-Jones. pic.twitter.com/QH2trh6E7t
— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) January 17, 2018
Jarred Vanderbilt jump hook off glass. pic.twitter.com/5ePwkMpDsW
— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) January 17, 2018
Jarred Vanderbilt finds Shai Gilgeous-Alexander while flying out of bounds. pic.twitter.com/t8J3mMe5tF
— Scott Charlton (@Scott_Charlton) January 17, 2018