For Kentucky Wildcats center Aaron Bradshaw, the 2023-24 season has not gone the way he planned. On the court, he has struggled to find his fit. However, there was a moment in Tuesday’s game against Mississippi State where he showed that he is as much a part of the team as anyone.
The seven foot Freshman came into the season as a top five recruit, and expected to make an impact early. An unfortunate injury caused him to miss the start of the season, then he had to try and find a fit within the team. There were flashes of potential, but overall, he has struggled to consistently find minutes.
Since scoring 12 points against Vanderbilt in early February, Bradshaw has only scored 9 total points in the five game leading up to Mississippi State on Tuesday. He was held scoreless in two of those games. Against the Bulldogs, he scored four points, but his biggest contribution didn’t come while he was on the court.
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Kentucky had a seemingly insurmountable lead with under a minute to play, but the Bulldogs hit back-to-back threes. Then, Mississippi State went inside, and Ugonna Onyenso made a mental error, fouling the shooter, who made the shot as well, giving them a three point play. Onyenso immediately understood his mistake, and he went to the bench. That’s when Bradshaw showed he is a teammate first, and basketball player second.
As Onyenso sat down, head in his hands, Bradshaw immediately put his arm around him and gave him what were probably words of encouragement. It was just a quick encounter that lasted a couple of seconds, but it said a ton about Bradshaw’s character.
There’s no doubting that Aaron Bradshaw has talent, and can become a factor for Kentucky down the stretch. Even if he doesn’t, though, he’s shown that he will be a great teammate.