John Calipari Confirms Aaron Bradshaw's Injury, Freshman Forward Will Miss GLOBL JAM
Incoming 5-star freshman forward Aaron Bradshaw has become the biggest mystery of the 2023-24 Kentucky basketball roster.
On June 16, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that the blue-chip big man could possibly miss the beginning of the regular season due to a fracture in his foot. The injury was rumored to have occurred weeks before the report, but Bradshaw was later seen moving around fine at UK basketball summer camps, leaving his status somewhat unknown.
On Friday, Kentucky head coach John Calipari spoke to reporters for the first time since the Wildcats' NCAA Tournament defeat to Kansas State in March. The Hall of Famer confirmed Bradshaw's injury, announcing that he has undergone a procedure.
“(Bradshaw) had a foot injury...had a choice to make: Do you let it heal, or do you do an operation? He waited for a minute to say, ‘Let me see this.’ But at the end of the day, he said, ‘I want an operation because I want to play,'" Calipari said.
Kentucky is taking part in the 2023 GLOBL JAM, representing the United States in an international basketball showcase in Toronto from July 12-16. Calipari confirmed that Bradshaw will not be with the team as he heals, but he isn't expecting the 7-footer to miss any time in the regular season, as of now.
“Not from what the doctors are telling me,” Calipari said about missing additional time, adding that he'll return to campus this weekend in a boot. “We will not rush him back. We won’t."
Bradshaw has been vocal on social media, sharing similar tidbits about his status moving through the summer. Calipari praised the freshman for the job he's done working with kids at UK's camps since he arrived on campus in early June.
While missing the GLOBL JAM tournament could be viewed as hindering Bradshaw's chemistry with his fellow teammates ahead of the season, Calipari didn't seem worried about the projected first-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
“It’s unfortunate for him, but we’ve had guys that couldn’t be there in the summer and came back and played great," Calipari said. "All I can tell you is every time, he grabs me, says, ‘I love you, Coach. Like, this kid is so excited about him being here and wants to help us win.”
Bradshaw's health will be one of, if not the biggest story to monitor as Kentucky's 2023-24 regular season-opener approaches in November. The GLOBL JAM event begins on July 12, as Kentucky, representing the United States, will take on Germany.
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