To say that BJ Boston is in a slump is an understatement. The former top five recruiter struggled again tonight, hitting 3-9 shots for 6 points in 27 minutes. It was the first game Boston did not score in double digits in Kentucky, and at one point in the first half there was a noise in Rupp after he missed a shot. John Calipari ended his post-match press by asking fans to support Boston and rather direct their frustrations at him.
‘We need our supporters to absolutely support BJ. I do not know why someone would be nasty to someone. If you want to be angry, be angry with me. It’s my fault. Do not be angry with him. I put him in the game. So, if you’re angry, just be angry with me. Be positive. Everyone left Devin alone. When Devin struggled early on, no one really climbed on Devin. Our fans left him alone and they made him do his thing and see where Devin is now. And now I say the same.
‘Our fans have not been bad with BJ yet. They were pretty good because they were good people. They are not angry. These are not trolls. This is not who they are. So now you’ll see him start coming – and you know what? You will feel that you have played a role in it. ‘
To be clear, Calipari was also not happy with Boston’s performance tonight and he told reporters he took Boston the last seven minutes of the game, not because of his offense, but because of his defense.
‘We can lie to children, or we can really like it. If someone is better than you and plays louder than you, they will be there, especially the last 5-8 minutes of the game. That’s just how it is. And he knows it. When I took him out, I said to him, ‘Man, be proud of your defense. They just come down on you. “And he will. He’s a great player. ”
“I do not give up any player and believe in BJ,” Calipari added. ‘We worked on BJ to play a certain way, but he will return to what he knows best, the flips. Do not get contaminated. I told him, ‘All the things we worked on, you did not do anything about it today.’ And I expected him to have a great game today because he was so good in practice, so good in individuals. All that stuff, stops in the lane and only stops one to two, a small driver and he had two or three chances and he tried to turn balls around. But he will get it and I believe in him. ‘
Calipari said during his call-up program last night that he had a player at his home, and Tom Hart confirmed in the broadcast tonight that it was Boston. After the game, Calipari once again said how difficult this season was for the players, who were robbed of the best parts of a Kentucky Wildcat due to the pandemic.
“Do you know how hard it was? How about they do not see the chance to play before 24,000? Do you know how much this team needs? Do you understand that all these things, we did not have team building and the things that happen, and then emotionally – and our fans were great. They did not bury the children. They were pretty positive with them, but you can see these things are picking up, and now I do not want him to put too much pressure. Devin did it early. I had to say, ‘Come on, man, step back. I believe in you, but you can not be in the mindset you are in, every basket is life and death. You can not play ball. ‘”
Both Olivier Sarr and Davion Mintz said they know Boston’s time is coming, and praised the honor’s relentless work ethic.
“We’re just telling him to stay,” Sarr said. “It’s coming. He’s working hard, harder than anyone else. He’s in the gym. I think it’s just a matter of time and I know it’s coming for him. We have confidence in him because we see every day what he does. “It’s really just a matter of time.”
“Keep doing the same things,” Mintz said of the advice he gives his younger teammate. ‘BJs are always in the gym. This is the part that people do not see. We may understand that he is not doing the best, but that he is still a freshman. He is still growing. But BJ’s in the gym all the time and ends up paying for it. It always pays. He just keeps doing the same thing. Stay with the coaches. It’s going to fall in its path soon. At the moment, he can only be patient with his game. ”
Hang in there, BJ.