To say BJ Boston is in a fall is an understatement. The top five recruits have fought again tonight, getting 3-9 shots for 6 points in 27 minutes. This was the first game Boston didn’t score in double figures in Kentucky and, at one point in the first half, they felt booed at Rupp after missing a shot. John Calipari ended his post-game press by asking fans to support Boston and direct their frustrations toward him.
“We need our fans to absolutely support BJ. I don’t know why anyone would be nasty with anyone. If you want to be nasty, be nasty to me. It’s my fault. Don’t be nasty to him. I’m the one who put it into play. So if you’re angry, just get mad at me. Be positive. Everyone left Devin alone. When Devin fought early, no one really put up with Devin. Our fans left him alone and let him do his thing and look where Devin is now. And now I say the same thing.
“Our fans have not been bad at BJ. They’ve been pretty good because they’re good people. They are not unpleasant. They are not trolls. This is not who they are. Now you’ll see it start to come, and you know what? You will have the feeling of having participated ”.
To be clear, Calipari wasn’t happy with Boston’s performance tonight either, telling reporters that he pulled Boston out of the final seven minutes of the game not for his offense, but for his defense.
“We can lie to children or we can keep it real. If someone plays better than you and is tougher than you, they will be there, especially the last 5-8 minutes of the game. It’s how it is. And he knows it. And I said to him, when I took him out, I said to him, ‘Man, be proud of your defense. They just come towards you. And he will. He is a fantastic player.
“I don’t give up any players and I believe in BJ,” Calipari added. “We’ve been working on BJ to play a certain way, but he’ll get back to what he knows best, those flips. Don’t need them. I said, ‘Everything we’ve been working on, you haven’t done anything today.’ And I was hoping he had a great game today because he’s been so good in practice, so good at individuals – all this, stopping in the lane and just one stop of two, a little float, who had two or three chances and tries “Turn the balls around. But he will succeed and I believe in him.”
Last night on his call show, Calipari said he had a player staying at his home and, on tonight’s broadcast, Tom Hart confirmed it was Boston. After the game, Calipari again mentioned the difficulty he has had this season for the players, who have been robbed of the best parts of being a Kentucky wildcat due to the pandemic.
“Do you know how hard this has been? What if they don’t get a chance to play in front of 24,000. Do you know how much this team would need? Understand that all of this stuff, we didn’t have team building and things happening, and then emotionally and 0ur fans have been fantastic. They have not been burying the children. They’ve been very positive with them, but it can be said that this adds up, and so now I don’t want them to put too much pressure. Devin did it soon. He had to say, “Come on, man, take a step back. I believe in you, but you can’t be in the mindset you’re in, every basket is life or death. You can’t play ball.”
Both Olivier Sarr and Davion Mintz said they knew the time would come for Boston, praising the relentless work ethic of the first year.
“We’re just telling him to keep going,” Sarr said. “He’s coming. He’s working hard, more than anyone. He’s in the gym. I think it’s a matter of time for him and I know he’s coming. We have confidence in him because we see every day what he can do in practice. Honestly, it’s a matter. of time ”.
“Keep doing the same things,” Mintz said of the advice he gave to his younger teammate. “BJ is always in the gym. This is the part that people don’t see. We understand that he may not be doing his best, but he is still a freshman. It is still growing. But BJ is at the gym all the time and it’s finally worth it. It always pays off. Just keep doing the same thing. Keep staying with the coaches. He will soon fall by the wayside. Right now all he can do now is be patient with his game. “
Stay there, BJ.