Brooks, listed at 6-foot-7 and 205 pounds, likes the sound of that.
“I feel like a small-ball lineup is good,” Brooks said. “Me and (fellow
freshman forward) Kahlil (Whitney) are both athletic and not afraid of
contact. We are both willing rebounders. I feel like playing small can
help us get out in transition faster, switch a lot and just be even more
versatile on offense, having more fl oor spacing and more dribble-drive
opportunities to the basket.”
As Brooks alluded to, in a small-ball setting, players may fi nd them-
selves competing for rebounds or loose balls with opponents less ath-
letic, but bigger. Brooks has thus done his time with Kentucky strength
coach Robert Harris to increase weight, strength and speed, he said.
“I think we still have a ways to go with physicality, especially me,
myself,” Brooks said. “I’m not afraid of contact or anything like that,
I’m just light. I do the best I can to throw my little scrawny shoulders
around and bang down there, but I feel like we’re gonna get there. It’s
early.”
In the meantime, Brooks, Whitney, Nate Sestina and other Wildcats
who possess skills not traditionally associated with their body types
may give Kentucky a utilitarian quality, one that when lacking has
felled lesser Cats clubs: adaptability.
“Coach Cal has a good problem on his hands, to see how he can
move us all around and see how interchangeable we are,” Brooks said.
“It’s a great problem to have.”
Keion Brooks Jr. talks personal and team expectations.
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