John Calipari Gives Injury Update on Sahvir Wheeler, Says “It’s Killing Him” Not to Be Able to Play

The Kentucky Wildcats have won 10 of their last 13 games, completely turning their season around. What makes that even more impressive is that they have done so despite injuries. Over that stretch, Cason Wallace missed a game, but the players that have been out for the longest stretches are CJ Fredrick (cracked rib) and Sahvir Wheeler (high ankle sprain).

This past Saturday, the Wildcats got CJ Fredrick back and while he is not quite 100 percent – still wearing a padded compression shirt- he was able to get back on the floor for seven minutes and give the starters a much-needed rest. However, that still leaves Wheeler.

Wheeler last played against Florida on Feb 4th, nearly a month ago, and has sat out since after suffering a high ankle sprain in practice. From reports, Wheeler did return to practice the following week, participating in some individual drills. Yet, he has still not returned.

On his weekly call-in show on Monday, John Calipari provided the latest update on Wheeler. Calipari explained that Wheeler is following the doctor’s orders, and “it’s killing him” not to be able to play. Adds, “he has really worked hard to get back at it.”

High ankle sprains are a common basketball injury, but the recovery time can vary, ranging from 2-8 weeks. It should be noted, that most are treated in 2-3 weeks and Kentucky has access to some of the best treatment equipment available.

With that said, I do not believe that Wheeler is sitting out because he is unhappy in his new role. This rumor has circulated in the last week or so, but with little information.

Going from a starter to playing just 15 minutes per game off the bench, I am sure Wheeler wasn’t the happiest about the situation. However, he understood it and has been very mature through the whole process.

Against Ole Miss on Jan 31st, Wheeler was asked to step up in the absence of Cason Wallace. He did so, playing through a first-half ankle injury, and played a large role in Kentucky getting that win. Why would a player risk worsening an injury if they weren’t invested in their team?

Even in his injury absence, Wheeler has been mentoring Cason Wallace and helping him understand the responsibilities of the point guard role, and has been one of the biggest supporters of the team on the bench. Against Auburn, Wheeler stood for the majority of the game, cheering on his teammates regardless of momentum.