DJ Wagner is currently a true freshman on the Kentucky basketball team, and he is having a solid first year with the Wildcats. He is averaging over 10 PPG, but for the first time in his life, he isn't the main scorer. That happens often to guys when they leave high school and play for one of the best programs in the country. Kentucky head coach John Calipari and former Wildcats star John Wall recently discussed Wagner and how he has adjusted to college ball.
Kentucky basketball head coach John Calipari and John Wall recently appeared on the DraftKings Point Game podcast, and they discussed a lot of things from the past, but they also talked about DJ Wagner's freshman campaign.
“For DJ it's different because DJ's been in a role where he's always been a scorer his whole life till now,” Wall said. “He's learning how to be a point guard and how to run a team and it's kind of been shaky for him and difficult for him at times.”
While this might be a different role than what Wagner is used to, he doesn't complain. He is easy to coach, and he wants to help Kentucky win in whatever way possible.
“The greatest thing about DJ Wagner, whatever I tell him he does immediately,” Calipari said. “If I say move the ball and cut hard, he moves the ball and cuts hard, if we talk to him about defense, what he's got to do, he does it in that moment. Really intelligent, really smart, a quick twitch, but you're right some of his habits are I'm just driving to score, well there's a 7 foot 2 guy in front of you, you got to drive for another reason. Two, three moves when you don't need two, three moves just one move go by the guy and score the ball or create a shot.”
There is a lot of learning and growth that comes during that first year of college basketball, and Wagner is experiencing that right now with Kentucky. His first regular season will conclude this weekend as the Wildcats have a big one against Tennessee. After that, the postseason begins.
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