Kentucky Basketball: What to expect from the 2017 recruiting class
By Stuart Gill
P.J. Washington
Washington chose Kentucky over Arizona, Kansas, and UNC among others after gaining recognition for his play in the paint on both ends of the floor. His strength and leaping ability make him a remarkable rebounder and finisher, and he is also notorious for emphatic blocks.
In regards to all Division I players, Washington is one of the best. It has to be remembered, though, that one can say the same about almost everyone on Kentucky’s roster. He is great at what he does, but his skill set is rather limited when compared to the other players in his class, and he will have to compete with Gabriel, Killeya-Jones, and fellow freshman Nick Richards for minutes.
Washington made a comment immediately following his commitment to Kentucky that may bode well for his playing time, however. When asked about the reasons behind his decision, he stated that Coach Cal intended to use him like he had Trey Lyles and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist — “play [him] with no positions,” and allow him to “just dominate the game.” Washington is certainly the kind of player that can take over a ball game, so maybe he will, in fact, have success despite the others at Kentucky that play his position.
Washington could very well avoid any complications and enjoy a productive year as a starter or heavily-used rotation player, but it would also be easy to see him relegated to a year of riding the bench due to the amount of talent coach Calipari has at his disposal. Fans will have to wait until Big Blue Madness and the first game of the season to see how it will unfold.