Right now, Kentucky basketball is a doughnut, and the season is coming up fast

Right now, Kentucky basketball is a doughnut.

You know the hoops deal. Five players with a hole in the middle. A team without a center. Actually, John Calipari has three centers. Problem is, all three are on the bench.

Freshman Aaron Bradshaw is still recovering from foot surgery. Sophomore Ugonna Onyenso is still recovering from foot surgery. Croatian import Zvonimir Ivisic is awaiting an eligibility green light from the NCAA Clearing House.

Will any one of the three 7-footers be available for the season opener Nov. 6 against New Mexico State? That’s Monday. As in next Monday. Eight days later, on Nov. 14, Kentucky plays No. 1-ranked Kansas in the Champions Classic in Chicago. Life comes at you fast.

None of the trio of towers was available for last Friday’s 92-69 exhibition victory over Georgetown College. It showed in the first half. A traditional NAIA powerhouse, Georgetown held tough on the boards (down 22-20), blocked more shots than did its SEC opponent (5-4) and trailed by a mere point, 35-34, after the first 20 minutes.

Kentucky caught fire the second half. Tre Mitchell, UK’s emergency center, scored 22 points for the game. Antonio Reeves added 18. Rob Dillingham popped off the bench to score 16. And the host Wildcats proceeded to a 23-point victory.

Here’s the thing about exhibitions: They’re exhibitions. Down I-64 at Louisville, Cardinals’ fans are currently toeing the ledge over U of L’s 71-68 exhibition loss to Kentucky Wesleyan on Monday night. Not a good look, to be sure. Reason to worry? You bet, especially considering the Cards won exactly four games last season in Kenny Payne’s head coaching debut. But an exhibition is an exhibition. Let’s not cancel the season just yet.

Same goes for Kentucky when the Cats play host to Kentucky State at 7 p.m. Thursday for their final of two exhibitions. It’ll be interesting to get another look at the Cats against another team, even if it is a team UK walloped 111-53 in an exhibition a season ago. Lasting conclusions will have to wait, however.

Here’s one: In this age of position-less basketball, it’s OK not to have a center until, well, you don’t have a center. Two years ago, Kansas won the national title with a helping hand from center David McCormack, who scored 40 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in the Final Four. Last season, Connecticut won the national title with a helping hand from center Adama Sanogo, who scored 21 points and collected 10 rebounds in the Huskies’ Final Four win over Miami, then 17 points and 10 boards in the title game victory over San Diego State to earn Most Outstanding Player hardware.

As John Calipari will tell you, John Calipari’s best teams have always had a post presence. In fact, the coach has repeatedly declared fraudulent any team without a post presence. And John Calipari will tell you John Caipari’s best teams have always had rim protection.

The past two seasons, Kentucky did have a post presence. Its name was Oscar Tshiebwe. Ring a bell? Tshiebwe was an unbelievable rebounder. He could also score around the basket. He was not a shot blocker, however. Often, UK left the rim unprotected.

In that regard, there was hope this year would be better than last. Though undeniably raw, Onyenso has the tools to swat shots. Though often labeled as more of a forward than a post player, Bradshaw has shot-blocking potential. And when asked on media day last week what he can bring to the team, Ivisic replied, “Rebounding and shot-blocking.” He added that he didn’t want to brag.

When will any of the three make it to the floor? That’s the big mystery. Providing specifics about injuries or timelines is not in the Calipari handbook. At media day, both Onyenso and Bradshaw rejected injury inquiries the way UK fans hope they will reject shots.

So for now, we must live with the doughnut. It’s sweet and sugary but without much nutritional value. The sooner Kentucky basketball’s hole is filled, the more we’ll know.

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