LOOK: Daimion Collins makes official decision regarding future at Kentucky
The pieces are falling into place for John Calipari’s 2022-23 Kentucky basketball team, as former five-star recruit Daimion Collins has decided to return to Lexington for his sophomore season.
On March 20, it was reported that Collins will return to Kentucky for a sophomore season. On his final radio show of the season, John Calipari said he believes Collins can be “one of the best players in the country” next year because “the things he does, normal players can’t do.”
Collins saw action in 27 of a total 34 games for the Wildcats. Collins played just 7.5 minutes per game, averaging 2.9 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest.
The 6-foot-9 freshman was a projected first-round NBA Draft pick before the season began, but struggled to find his footing, and minutes for that matter sitting behind Wooden Award winner Oscar Tshiebwe, who is also returning to the team next season.
“I met with every player,” Calipari said. “There were two I couldn’t get ahold of — I think one went home and the other’s phone had broken — but I met with everybody. With Daimion, I actually met with Daimion and his mom and dad. Some of the kids have decisions to test the (draft) waters.
“My advice to a couple of them was, you need to test the waters, but let’s talk about what you’re looking for so that there’s a plan of where they are and what opportunities they’re looking for, which would make them leave or come back. So we had those talks.”
Calipari noted Friday morning that he expects Sahvir Wheeler, Jacob Toppin, CJ Fredrick, and Lance Ware to return for the 2022-23 seasons along with Collins and Tshiebwe as well. Keion Brooks Jr. is still testing the NBA Draft waters, while Dontaie Allen (Western Kentucky) and Bryce Hopkins have elected to find new homes through the transfer portal.