Kentucky Basketball: Can Ashton Hagans become one of Calipari’s best point guards?
Leadership
John Calipari’s best guards have been leaders on and off the floor. As the starting point guard last season, Hagans didn’t have to be a leader as much due to PJ Washington’s presence on the floor. That doesn’t mean he didn’t show glimpses of what is sure to come this season.
During the first Auburn game of the regular season, Kentucky was struggling to get things going on offense in a hostile environment on the road. Keldon Johnson, now an NBA Rookie, was really struggling on offense for an extended number of games. That’s when Hagans gave Johnson a little…pep talk. “Wake the [expletive] up!” Keldon Johnson went on to put up 20 points in that game, his best scoring output in almost a month by that time in the season. You don’t have to just take my word for it either, Hagans new teammates are saying the same things:
Btw, I asked Tyrese Maxey about playing with Ashton Hagans next year. He couldn't have been more excited: "Ashton is an elite defender, great leader. I cant wait to go against him every day in practice next year." Could tell Maxey is genuinely excited for what's ahead at Kentucky
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) April 12, 2019
Calipari puts a lot of trust in his starting point guard. If you are going to run his offense you have to show up on both ends of the floor and have the ability to bring a team together. Ashton Hagans does that and is unselfish about doing it. He has the opportunity to have a great career at Kentucky, one that could compare to the great Calipari point guards before him.
Ranking all 2019 NCAA Tournament games. dark. Next
Depending on how deep in the tournament Hagans can lead this 2019-2020 team, will determine whether he is one of those greats. He already made it just as far as John Wall and De’Aaron Fox in the tournament, the Elite Eight. He made it further than Tyler Ulis did as a starting point guard. The sky is the limit for Ashton Hagans.