Kentucky fans who were able to attend got a glimpse of this new Kentucky team, and after all of the talk of fast-pace, finding open shots, and non-stop ball movement on display on Friday night during the Blue-White scrimmage.
One of the standouts though was big man Andrew Carr, who has been deemed all off-season as the perfect fit for Mark Pope’s offensive system. He put that on full display on Friday night, even initiating the offense on a couple of plays, and his mobility was really good for someone his size. Carr finished the night with a game-high 25 points on 6-11 shooting overall and 3-4 from deep, proving he is a threat from beyond the arc. He even went a perfect 10-10 from the free-throw line. Carr also added 7 rebounds and 4 assists all season.
Mark Pope knows about Carr’s impressive ability on offense, but he also knows he is growing as an all-around player, and that he was perfect for the way he likes his teams to play.
“The first time I got to talk to Andrew, of course watching his film and looking at his numbers, his numbers were insane last year. He’s so skilled at every level of the game. He’s skilled beyond the arc. He’s skilled as a play maker and a passer. He’s skilled off the bounce. He’s an incredible creative finisher around the rim, and he’s growing into a terrific defensive player. The first time we got to talk on the phone, I’m like, ‘oh man, I would love, I would give anything to coach this young man.’ Because, he’s special, I like the way he thinks about the world, and he thinks about his team, his game.”
– Pope on Carr as a player.
Carr will be a massive piece of Kentucky’s offense this season, and as he continues to grow on both sides of the floor, he’ll get even better as the season goes on. Mark Pope is going to love having versatile players like him and Amari Williams in the frontcourt this season.
