Kentucky’s summer practices are heating up — and not just because of the Kentucky heat. Head coach Mark Pope is facing the kind of problem every coach dreams of… and dreads.
One freshman guard has been lighting up the practice court — and making it nearly impossible for Pope to keep him out of the starting five.
That freshman? Denzel Aberdeen.
Sources close to the program say Aberdeen has been “unreal” during summer workouts, showing off an elite combination of speed, poise, and defensive toughness. Teammates reportedly “can’t believe how far he’s come,” with one insider even saying, “He looks like a junior out there.”
While he arrived with relatively modest expectations, Aberdeen is turning heads — and flipping the depth chart upside down.
“He’s outplaying veterans. He’s setting the tone. And he’s doing it every single day,” one team staffer told us. “It’s getting harder and harder to justify keeping him off the floor.”
But here’s the issue…
If Aberdeen starts — who sits?
Does Mark Pope shake up the backcourt and risk losing chemistry with upperclassmen? Does he go smaller, push a wing to the bench, or dare we say — run a three-guard lineup?
It’s a rotation headache… but one Kentucky fans should feel good about.
Aberdeen’s breakout could push this team’s ceiling even higher. Whether he starts or not, it’s clear: this freshman isn’t waiting his turn. He’s taking it.
And if this is what summer practice looks like…
Just wait ‘til November.
