He was the youngest player on the Kentucky roster last season but had coach John Calipari raving about his multiple skills in the preseason. However, he did not play after Jan. 21 even though coaches liked the way he was practicing at the end of the year.
“He was dominant in practice to finish the season and playing so well that you wished he had been doing that all along,” Kentucky assistant coach Kenny Payne said. “Sometimes it just clicks with different kids at different times.
“We are going to push him harder than ever before this year. He has to respond — and I am sure he thought we pushed him hard last year — because there is more responsibility on his shoulders this season. He’s a talented player. He has to be stronger and faster. He has to be more in command of his game.”
With Bam Adebayo gone to the NBA, Payne knows UK needs a rim protector
“Sacha has to help take that role. He is capable of being a rim protector. He is capable of helping on the offensive end. I have all the faith in the world in him,” Payne said.
Killeya-Jones, a McDonald’s All-American, certainly impressed teammate Derek Willis last year. Willis said Killeya-Jones had the “most potential” of anyone on the team that included NBA first-round picks Adebayo, De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk.
“He’s super athletic, he has a lot of bounce to him. His jump shot right inside the three-point line looks good. It’s all there, he just has to put it together for himself,” Willis said. Transfer rumors surfaced last season but Killeya-Jones quickly shot those down. He insisted he had no thoughts of leaving and knew he could be an impact player this season.
“He has seen it all from (Big Blue) Madness to the NBA combine to preseason drills. He’s seen guys have roles change,” assistant coach Joel Justus said. “He needs to play with significant energy and get after it every day. Sacha can guard multiple positions. He can protect the rim. He can finish at the rim. He should be a terrific two-way player for us this year.”
The 6-10 Killeya-Jones averaged just 2.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 6.4 minutes per game last season. This year he could find himself in the starting lineup when UK opens the season.
Killeya-Jones jokes he would like playing against “the Sacha from last year” because of what he knows now.
“Confidence-wise, I am a different player. On the court, I am a whole different player. I have a whole season, a whole summer under my belt. I am ready to go,” the UK sophomore said. “I am not really sure why I did not play more last year. I have gone back and looked at mistakes I made and things I need to improve on. I feel like I have grown up a lot.
“If I want to play more, I know now you have to go hard all the time. You have to be patient. You can’t force anything. Just get good at what the team needs you to do. That is what Coach (Calipari) expects.”
Killeya-Jones said both Willis and Dominique Hawkins helped him “fight through stuff” last year and he knows now it will be his time to help UK’s freshmen.
“It’s a good opportunity for me to give back and help others now,” Killeya-Jones said.
Calipari said Killeya-Jones’ role was limited last year because Adebayo was a better inside player and Willis could stretch the floor more at power forward with his shooting range.
“Sacha was not as good a shooter as he was. He had to learn to build his own confidence and when things go south, you have to know it was me, not someone else,” Calipari said last month.
Killeya-Jones says he’s strong and will be a more physical, aggressive player this season. He said that transition did begin late last season in practice.
“Towards the end of the year I started learning a lot. I think hearing him (Calipari) say I was going in the right direction helped. I just cannot force things. I started doing what came to me. Blocking shots and stuff,” Killeya-Jones said. “Last year I had high hopes and didn’t reach all my goals but I learned a lot. I am excited to come back and help this team any way I can. I am ready to play wherever I am asked to play.”
The sophomore said conversations he had with Calipari were “all really good” and he took what the coach told him to heart.
“He’s had so many players in the same position. Just listen to him,” Killeya-Jones said. “I am going to keep doing what I did at the end of last year.”