Kentucky has an identity crisis at the forward spot, a mix-and-match process among players at the three and four as John Calipari figures out his rotation. Jacob Toppin has been the team’s go-to piece at the four, but the production hasn’t matched the preseason expectations. With the Wildcats looking for toughness and physicality alongside Oscar Tshiebwe in the frontcourt, the senior out of Brooklyn simply hasn’t been that guy.
“Just worry about playing hard, rebounding, playing defense,” Kentucky assistant coach KT Turner said of the staff’s message to Toppin moving forward.