2021–22 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team

The 2021–22 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represents the University of Kentucky in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Wildcats, founding members of the Southeastern Conference, play home games at Rupp Arena and are led by John Calipari in his 13th season as head coach.

2021–22 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 21
APNo. 21
2021–22 record7–2 (0–0 SEC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaRupp Arena
(Capacity: 20,545)
2021–22 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
No. 19 LSU0–0 –10–0  1.000
No. 24 Arkansas0–0 –9–1  .900
No. 13 Auburn0–0 –9–1  .900
No. 6 Alabama0–0 –8–2  .800
South Carolina0–0 –8–2  .800
No. 18 Tennessee0–0 –8–2  .800
No. 21 Kentucky0–0 –7–2  .778
Texas A&M0–0 –7–2  .778
Mississippi State0–0 –8–3  .727
Florida0–0 –7–3  .700
Ole Miss0–0 –7–3  .700
Vanderbilt0–0 –5–4  .556
Missouri0–0 –5–5  .500
Georgia0–0 –4–5  .444
† 2022 SEC Tournament winner
As of December 17, 2021; Rankings from AP Poll

Previous season

The Wildcats' last season was marred with many inconsistent stretches and a multitude of losses which saw the team finished the season 9–16, 8–9 in SEC play. It was their worst season since 1988–89 and their worst winning percentage since 1926–27, as was their 1–6 start to begin the season, from which they never recovered. This start was their worst since 1911. To end their SEC play, they lost by one point in the first round of the SEC tournament to Mississippi State which left the Wildcats without an automatic tournament bid. Because of that, they did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament. This also marked the worst season that John Calipari has coached since 1989 which was his first season at Massachusetts.

Offseason

Departures
Name Position Year at
Kentucky		 Alma mater (year) Reason for departure
Tony Barbee Associate Head Coach 7th UMass (2004) Head coach at Central Michigan[1]
Joel Justus Assistant Coach 5th UNC Wilmington (2004) Assistant at Arizona State[2]

Additions to staff
Name Position Year at
Kentucky		 Alma mater (year) Previous position
Orlando Antigua Associate Head Coach 1st (current stint)
6th (overall)		 Pittsburgh (1995) Assistant at Illinois; previously a UK assistant from 2009–2014.[3]
Ron "Chin" Coleman Assistant Coach 1st Lamar (1997) Assistant at Illinois.[3]
Brad Calipari Graduate Assistant 1st Kentucky (B.A., 2019)
Detroit Mercy (M.A., 2021)		 Player at Detroit Mercy; also played at Kentucky from 2017–2019. Son of UK head coach John Calipari.[4]
Riley Welch Graduate Assistant 1st Kentucky (2021) Player at Kentucky; also played at UC Irvine in 2018–19.[5]

Player departures

Note that all players in the 2020–21 season, regardless of their classification, had the option to return to the program. Due to COVID-19 impacts, the NCAA declared that the 2020–21 season would not count against the athletic eligibility of any student-athlete in any of the organization's winter sports, including basketball.[6] This led the NBA and its players union to agree that for the 2021 draft only, players who were seniors in 2020–21 had to declare their eligibility for the draft.[7]

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownReason left
Devin Askew2Guard6'3"198FreshmanSacramento, CATransferred to Texas[8]
Brandon Boston Jr.3Guard6'7"185FreshmanNorcross, GADeclared for the 2021 NBA draft[9]
Terrence Clarke5Guard6'7"194FreshmanBoston, MADeclared for the 2021 NBA draft, but died in a car accident prior to the draft.[10]
Riley Welch13Guard6'0"185SeniorLittleton, COGraduated and joined the UK coaching staff; walk-on
Cam'Ron Fletcher21Forward6'6"215FreshmanSt. Louis, MOTransferred to Florida State[11]
Isaiah Jackson23Forward6'10"206FreshmanPontiac, MIDeclared for the 2021 NBA draft[9]
Olivier Sarr30Center7'0"237SeniorBordeaux, FRAGraduated and declared for the 2021 NBA draft; undrafted

2021 Recruiting class

On October 26, 2020, Bryce Hopkins committed to play basketball for the University of Kentucky over offers from Louisville and Wisconsin. Hopkins is the first commitment in the 2021 recruiting class and the #9 ranked power forward in the 2021 class by 247Sports. He is a consensus four-star player by the four main recruiting services and is ranked #38 overall by 247Sports.

On October 31, 2020, Daimion Collins committed to play basketball for the University of Kentucky over offers from Alabama and Oklahoma. Collins is the second commitment in the 2021 recruiting class and the #2 ranked power forward in the 2021 class by 247Sports. He is a consensus five-star player by the four main recruiting services and is ranked #10 overall by 247Sports.

On May 12, 2021, TyTy Washington committed to play basketball for the University of Kentucky over offers from Arizona, Baylor, Kansas, LSU and Oregon. Washington is the third commitment in the 2021 recruiting class and the #1 ranked point guard in the 2021 class by 247Sports. He is a consensus five-star player by the four main recruiting services and is ranked #11 overall by 247Sports.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Bryce Hopkins
PF		 Oak Park, IL Fenwick (IL) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Oct 26, 2020 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 88
Daimion Collins
PF		 Atlanta, TX Atlanta (TX) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Oct 31, 2020 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 92
TyTy Washington
PG		 Phoenix, AZ AZ Compass Prep (AZ) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) May 12, 2021 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 94
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 5th  247Sports: 6th  ESPN: 5th
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Kentucky 2021 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  • "2021 Kentucky Basketball Commits". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  • "2021 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved May 12, 2021.

2023 recruiting class

On November 20, 2021, Reed Sheppard verbally committed to play basketball for UK over multiple offers, with Louisville and Virginia among the most active in attempting to recruit him. The son of former UK basketball players Jeff Sheppard and the former Stacey Reed, he was the first commitment to the 2023 recruiting class. At the time of his commitment, he was the #3 ranked combo guard in the 2023 class by 247 Sports.[12]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Reed Sheppard
CG		 London, KY North Laurel 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Nov 20, 2021 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 86
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 21st  247Sports: 17th  ESPN: 37th
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Incoming transfers
NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious SchoolYears Eligible[lower-alpha 1]Date Eligible
CJ Fredrick[13]1G6'3"190RS JuniorCincinnati, OHIowa3October 1, 2021
Sahvir Wheeler[14]2G5'9"180JuniorHouston, TXGeorgia3October 1, 2021
Kellan Grady[15]31G6'5"205Graduate StudentBoston, MADavidson1October 1, 2021
Oscar Tshiebwe[16]34F6'9"255JuniorLubumbashi, DR CongoWest Virginia3October 1, 2021
  1. Due to a special NCAA ruling, the 2020–21 season does not count against the eligibility of players in all NCAA winter sports, including basketball.

Roster
2021–22 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
F 0 Jacob Toppin 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)200 lb (91 kg) JrRhode Island Brooklyn, NY
G 1 CJ Fredrick  6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)190 lb (86 kg) RS JrIowa Cincinnati, OH
G 2 Sahvir Wheeler 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)180 lb (82 kg) JrGeorgia Houston, TX
G 3 TyTy Washington 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)197 lb (89 kg) FrAZ Compass Prep Phoenix, AZ
F 4 Daimion Collins 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)202 lb (92 kg) FrAtlanta Atlanta, TX
G 10 Davion Mintz 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)195 lb (88 kg) GSCreighton Charlotte, NC
G 11 Dontaie Allen 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)205 lb (93 kg) RS SoPendleton County Falmouth, KY
F 12 Keion Brooks Jr. 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)210 lb (95 kg) JrLa Lumiere School Fort Wayne, IN
F 14 Brennan Canada (W) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)198 lb (90 kg) JrGeorge Rogers Clark Mount Sterling, KY
G/F 20 Zan Payne (W) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)215 lb (98 kg) RS JrLexington Catholic Lexington, KY
F 23 Bryce Hopkins 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)220 lb (100 kg) FrFenwick Oak Park, IL
G 25 Kareem Watkins (W) 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)170 lb (77 kg) SoKingsway Regional Camden, NJ
G 31 Kellan Grady 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)205 lb (93 kg) GSDavidson Boston, MA
F 34 Oscar Tshiebwe 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)255 lb (116 kg) JrWest Virginia Lubumbashi, DR Congo
F 55 Lance Ware 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)225 lb (102 kg) SoCamden Camden, NJ
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: May 18, 2021

Schedule and results
Date
time, TV		 Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
October 29, 2021*
7:00 p.m., SECN		 No. 10 Kentucky Wesleyan W 95–72 
 18 –  Tie  10 –  Tshiebwe  6 –  Tie  Rupp Arena (17,133)
Lexington, KY
November 5, 2021*
7:00 p.m., SECN		 No. 10 Miles College W 80–71 
 15 –  Tie  12 –  Tshiebwe  6 –  Tie  Rupp Arena (17,814)
Lexington, KY
Regular season
November 9, 2021*
9:30 p.m., ESPN		 No. 10 vs. No. 9 Duke
Champions Classic		 L 71–79  0–1
  17 – Tshiebwe  20 –  Tshiebwe  10 –  Wheeler  Madison Square Garden (18,132)
New York, NY
November 12, 2021*
7:00 p.m., SECN		 No. 10 Robert Morris
Kentucky Classic		 W 100–60  1–1
  19 – Grady  20 – Tshiebwe  11 – Wheeler  Rupp Arena (18,454)
Lexington, KY
November 16, 2021*
7:00 p.m., SECN		 No. 13 Mount St. Mary's
Kentucky Classic		 W 80–55  2–1
  24 – Tshiebwe  16 – Tshiebwe  8 – Wheeler  Rupp Arena (18,227)
Lexington, KY
November 19, 2021*
7:00 p.m., SECN		 No. 13 Ohio
Kentucky Classic		 W 77–59  3–1
  22 – Brooks Jr.  11 – Washington Jr.  5 – Washington Jr.  Rupp Arena (19,045)
Lexington, KY
November 22, 2021*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+		 No. 10т Albany W 86–61  4–1
  20 – Washington Jr.  14 – Tshiebwe  7 – Wheeler  Rupp Arena (18,201)
Lexington, KY
November 26, 2021*
7:00 p.m., SECN		 No. 10т North Florida W 86–52  5–1
  14 – Tie  16 – Tshiebwe  14 – Wheeler  Rupp Arena (19,350)
Lexington, KY
November 29, 2021*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+/SECN+		 No. 9 Central Michigan W 85–57  6–1
  20 – Tshiebwe  16 – Tshiebwe  6 – Wheeler  Rupp Arena (18,080)
Lexington, KY
December 7, 2021*
7:00 p.m., SECN		 No. 10 Southern W 76–64  7–1
  23 – Tshiebwe  11 – Tshiebwe  6 – Wheeler  Rupp Arena (18,947)
Lexington, KY
December 11, 2021*
5:15 p.m., ESPN		 No. 10 at Notre Dame L 62–66  7–2
  25 – Tshiebwe  7 – Tie  5 – Washington Jr.  Edmund P. Joyce Center (8,283)
South Bend, IN
December 18, 2021*
5:15 p.m., CBS		 No. 21 vs. No. 15 Ohio State
CBS Sports Classic		 Canceled due to COVID-19 issues at Ohio State T-Mobile Arena 
Paradise, NV
December 18, 2021*
5:30 p.m., CBS		 No. 21 vs. North Carolina
CBS Sports Classic		     T-Mobile Arena 
Paradise, NV
December 22, 2021*
6:00 p.m., ESPN		 Louisville
Rivalry		     Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
December 29, 2021
7:00 p.m., SECN		 Missouri     Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
December 31, 2021*
12:00 p.m., SECN		 High Point     Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
January 4, 2022
7:00 p.m., ESPN		 at LSU     Pete Maravich Assembly Center 
Baton Rouge, LA
January 8, 2022
6:00 p.m., SECN		 Georgia     Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
January 11, 2022
7:00 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2		 at Vanderbilt     Memorial Gymnasium 
Nashville, TN
January 15, 2022
1:00 p.m., ESPN		 Tennessee
Rivalry		     Rupp Arena 
Louisville, KY
January 19, 2022
8:30 p.m., SECN		 at Texas A&M     Reed Arena 
College Station, TX
January 22, 2022
1:00 p.m./1:30 p.m., CBS		 Auburn     Auburn Arena 
Auburn, AL
January 25, 2022
9:00 p.m., ESPN		 Mississippi State     Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
January 29, 2022*
6:00 p.m., ESPN		 at Kansas
Big 12/SEC Challenge		     Allen Fieldhouse 
Lawrence, KS
February 2, 2022
7:00 p.m., SECN		 Vanderbilt     Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
February 5, 2022
8:00 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2		 at Alabama     Coleman Coliseum 
Tuscaloosa, AL
February 8, 2022
7:00 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2		 at South Carolina     Colonial Life Arena 
Columbia, SC
February 12, 2022
4:00 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2		 Florida
Rivalry		     Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
February 15, 2022
9:00 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2		 at Tennessee
Rivalry		     Thompson–Boling Arena 
Knoxville, TN
February 19, 2022
1:00 p.m., CBS		 Alabama     Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
February 23, 2022
9:00 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2		 LSU     Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
February 26, 2022
2:00 p.m., CBS		 at Arkansas     Bud Walton Arena 
Fayetteville, AR
March 1, 2022
7:00 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2		 Ole Miss     Rupp Arena 
Lexington, KY
March 5, 2022
2:00 p.m., CBS		 at Florida
Rivalry		     O'Connell Center 
Gainesville, FL
SEC Tournament
March 9–13, 2022
 vs.      Amalie Arena 
Tampa, FL
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time.

See also

References
  1. "Tony Barbee Named Head Coach at Central Michigan" (Press release). Kentucky Wildcats. April 23, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  2. "Joel Justus Accepts Assistant Coach Position at Arizona State" (Press release). Kentucky Wildcats. April 28, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  3. "UK Men's Basketball Adds Orlando Antigua, Chin Coleman to Staff" (Press release). Kentucky Wildcats. August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  4. "Brad Calipari Joins Men's Basketball Staff as Graduate Assistant" (Press release). Kentucky Wildcats. August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  5. "Men's Basketball Adds Riley Welch as Graduate Assistant Coach" (Press release). Kentucky Wildcats. August 27, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  6. "DI Council extends eligibility for winter sport student-athletes" (Press release). NCAA. October 14, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  7. Givony, Jonathan (February 26, 2021). "Pandemic changes NBA draft rules for seniors". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  8. "Longhorns Land Commitment From Talented Kentucky Transfer Devin Askew". SI.com.
  9. "Kentucky's Brandon Boston Jr. becomes third Wildcat to declare for NBA draft". ESPN.com.
  10. "Former UK guard Terrence Clarke dies in car accident in L.A." KentuckyToday.com.
  11. "Freshman Cam'Ron Fletcher enters basketball transfer portal, will leave Kentucky Wildcats after rocky year". ESPN.com.
  12. Borzello, Jeff; Biancardi, Paul (November 20, 2021). "Reed Sheppard, No. 37 men's basketball prospect in 2023, commits to Kentucky Wildcats". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  13. "Former Iowa guard CJ Fredrick transfers to Kentucky". The Athletic. May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  14. Haste, Adam (2021-05-17). "Sahvir Wheeler commits to Kentucky". A Sea Of Blue. Retrieved 2021-05-17.
  15. "UK Men's Basketball Adds Davidson Grad Transfer Kellan Grady". ukathletics.com. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  16. Borzello, Jeff (January 10, 2021). "West Virginia men's basketball transfer Oscar Tshiebwe commits to Kentucky". ESPN. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
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