The Kentucky Wildcats have placed big expectations upon themselves as they enter the post-John Calipari era of the program.
The Wildcats said goodbye to Calipari this offseason only to quickly say hello to the coach as he accepted the Arkansas Razorbacks role. Calipari will return home this February in a massive game for each of the teams. New coach Mark Pope is aiming to deliver an exceptional team in his debut with the biggest program he has coached to date.
Credit: Clare Grant/Courier Journal
Along with Pope came multiple players, including possible starter Jaxson Robinson and former signee Collin Chandler. While many players on the Kentucky Wildcats roster have received attention this offseason, none have received the same that Chandler has since joining the team.
Chandler, the former 2022 class recruit from Utah, initially signed with Pope and the BYU Cougars, but never actually played for the team. The guard spent two years on a mission trip to Africa and Europe after graduating high school. Chandler spent two years away from the sport, but has now worked his way back to the high level of play he once delivered.
Collin Chandler is gonna be a problem.pic.twitter.com/zF0W25vpAD
— Casey (@BleedBlueCasey) October 23, 2024
Collin Chandler potential 📈📈📈
— Kentucky Wildcats UK 🇬🇧 (@KentuckyintheUK) October 23, 2024
Chandler is likely not going to start in his first season with the program, but will be a big contributor to the team with his play. The guard is slick when driving through the paint and his finishes around the room are as smooth as they come. Chandler impressed during the recent exhibition for the Kentucky Wildcats, delivering big dunks and clean finishes for the team.
With the dynamic guard showing no rust after two years away from the sport, the Wildcats should be getting a serious spark plug off the bench.
Can Collin Chandler Deliver For the Kentucky Wildcats in his First Season?
With the hiring of Pope comes a newfound sense of commitment to success, and Chandler has been looking at the future the same way the Kentucky Wildcats fans have.
After two years off from the sport, Chandler rekindled his relationship with Pope and announced in April that he would join the program. Chandler was previously the 33rd overall recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, and had a promising career ahead of him. The guard is determined to still accomplish his goals after time off for religious circumstances.
Despite the idea of being “rusty”, Chandler is a dynamic and athletic player that likely will deliver a different level of intensity to the team. One thing that cannot be taken away from Chandler is that he plays basketball with passion, much like he lives his life off of the court.
The guard can offer an exceptional bit of energy and intensity off of the bench for the Kentucky Wildcats that would be arguably hard to match. Chandler is used to playing up-tempo basketball, and when deploying him at the right time, the guard can really tire out a defense. If an opposing defense is a touch slow against Chandler, it will give just enough of a gap for the guard to create some damage offensively.
Credit: Clare Grant/Courier Journal
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