Cal mentioned today that Wagner never fully recovered from an injury he sustained last season, but that now he is fully healthy and more athletic than before.
Relevant portions of the quote:
Here's what was funny... before he got hurt I believe he was freshman of the week three times. Then he got hurt and he never really bounced back from that. I think he's healthy and more athletic than he was. I'm expecting a lot from him. When you walk in the gym the voice you hear is his. I want him to play - do what you do. Fail fast. There are things he did in high school he can't do in the SEC. Learn. Try it. Unbelievably coachable player.
So I crunched the numbers...:
Wagner missed three games in the middle of SEC play last year. In the 11 games he played in after returning, he averaged just 6.5 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.8 rebounds on 32/26/91 splits. The Wildcats were 7-4 in those games and allowed 82.5 points per game.
In 18 games before that (including a tweaked ankle against Miami and another missed game in a loss to UNC Wilmington), Wagner averaged 12.0 points, 3.7 assists, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals on 44/31/70 splits. The Wildcats were 15-3 in those games and allowed 76.1 points per game.
Kentucky was 1-3 without Wagner last season.
Relevant portions of the quote:
Here's what was funny... before he got hurt I believe he was freshman of the week three times. Then he got hurt and he never really bounced back from that. I think he's healthy and more athletic than he was. I'm expecting a lot from him. When you walk in the gym the voice you hear is his. I want him to play - do what you do. Fail fast. There are things he did in high school he can't do in the SEC. Learn. Try it. Unbelievably coachable player.
So I crunched the numbers...:
Wagner missed three games in the middle of SEC play last year. In the 11 games he played in after returning, he averaged just 6.5 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.8 rebounds on 32/26/91 splits. The Wildcats were 7-4 in those games and allowed 82.5 points per game.
In 18 games before that (including a tweaked ankle against Miami and another missed game in a loss to UNC Wilmington), Wagner averaged 12.0 points, 3.7 assists, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals on 44/31/70 splits. The Wildcats were 15-3 in those games and allowed 76.1 points per game.
Kentucky was 1-3 without Wagner last season.
