The Wildcats are still learning how to utilize Patrick Patterson in the post. Eric Bledsoe and DeMarcus Cousins are still learning the maturity and decision making it takes to be an elite college basketball player.
But one thing is becoming painfully clear: John Wall may be more than just the best player on this Kentucky team.
He may be the best player in the country.
Wall had 25 points in the Wildcats win over UConn.(photo credit: SB Nation)
Everyone heard the hype this kid had coming into his first, and likely only, season as a college basketball player. He's the most athletic point guard ever. He would have been the first pick in the 2009 draft had he been eligible. He's destined to become the third freshman in four seasons to be college basketball's player of the year.
The legend of John Wall grew to what seemed like unattainable heights.
After watching his performance tonight against UConn, is it safe to say he has lived up to the hype?
John Wall is going to have the growing pains of any freshman. He is turning the ball over too much. He overpenetrates, picking up too many charges. He dominates the ball at times, taking ill-advised shots early in the shot clock.
"He did some freshman things," Kentucky coach John Calipari said after the game.
"He is a little bit ahead of what we are running on offense."
But without Wall, where is this team?
Probably not sitting at 9-0.
He is the catalyst for the Wildcats. Right now, is there anyone else on the Kentucky roster that can effectively create their own shot? Is there anyone else that you feel comfortable handling the ball in crunch time? Can anyone else consistently and successfully lead the break? Do the Wildcats have another player that you have enough confidence in to take and make a game-deciding shot?
Honestly, do you believe that there is a player in the country that is more valuable to his team than Wall is to the Wildcats?
Greg Monroe? Ehh.
Manny Harris? Maybe.
Evan Turner? There is an excellent argument to be made.
But is anyone putting Georgetown, Michigan, or Ohio State in the national title race, let alone their own conference title?
Without Wall, Kentucky is very average. Sure, Patrick Patterson is an all-american and, with the jump shot he has added this season, arguably the best all around front court player in the country. But beyond that, the Wildcats are just a bunch of role players and talented, but enigmatic and wildly inconsistent, freshman.
Wall makes this team a Final Four favorite and a legitimate national title threat.
The last two games have proved it.
Against North Carolina, Wall sparked a 26-2 first half run that put the Wildcats up big. But when he started cramping up early in the second half, UNC was able to make a run, mostly because Kentucky no longer seemed capable of scoring.
It was much the same tonight. Wall was the spark plug is a 12-0 run to start this game. He had three steals, six points in the run, picked up an assist in the run. But midway through the first half, Wall had to go to the bench with two fouls.
And what happened?
UConn used a big run to take a six point halftime lead.
But the second half was a different story, as Wall played all 20 minutes. Kentucky would take the lead back and push it their cushion to 54-47. As UConn surged their way back into the game, who did Kentucky go to?
Wall.
He hit big shot after big shot against two excellent defenders in Walker and Stanley Robinson, scoring 12 of the last 15 points for the Wildcats, including an and-one lay-up with 30 seconds left that put Kentucky ahead for good, 63-61.
"We rode John Wall till the end of the game," Calipari said. "We were broken on offense, we just gave it to him and said make some baskets."
And he did.
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