Chris Livingston on adjusting to college, who's stepping up as a leader

Standing at 6’7″ 210 lbs. of mostly muscle, Chris Livingston doesn’t look like your typical college freshman. After spending a year at basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy, the Akron, Ohio native is as primed as he could be for the spotlight at Kentucky; however, even he admits his first month on campus has been an adjustment from high school life.

“The biggest transition I could say is the workload,” Livingston told reporters today. “I’m used to doing a lot of skill workouts, a lot of practicing. I’m a basketball player, so I’m used to playing basketball but going from lifting to practice to another skill work to getting up shots, it’s a lot on your body so you really have to learn to take care of your body, recover the right way, stretch, things like that.”

Livingston and his twin brother Cordell transferred to Oak Hill from Buchtel High School in Akron last September. The season under Steve Smith in rural Virginia helped turn Livingston into one of the top prospects in the 2022 class. He averaged 18.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.9 steals per game for Oak Hill, which has produced NBA stars like Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo, Ron Mercer, Cole Anthony, and Keldon Johnson.

“Going to Oak Hill, I think it prepared me as far as the workload and how much you have to take care of your body, things like that because being at Oak Hill, it’s just all about basketball. There are no other things you can do really out there. But having more workouts per day — not just skill work, but as a team — that’s really gotten me prepared for Kentucky because that’s what you do a lot in college, things like that.”

Even so, Livingston is getting used to life under the John Calipari microscope.

“I would say moreso just Coach Cal holding me accountable,” Livingston said when asked if he’s had a ‘Welcome to college’ moment yet. “He’s really going to push you as a coach as far as like the way you run, just little stuff. It’s about details at this next level. He’s really been pushing me about being detailed on the court, whether it’s doing a drill, running the action or motion the right way. So, I think it’s moreso the details more than anything.”

So far, the details of his outside shot look pretty good.

.@_chrisliv24 is making himself right at home 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2QLzSNVjVs

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) June 18, 2022

Jacob Toppin taking Livingston under his wing

So far, Livingston is mostly facing senior forward Jacob Toppin and Illinois State transfer Antonio Reeves in practice. Toppin, at 6’9″ (looking more like 6’10” in recent photos) with tons of bounce, is quite the contrast from the powerfully built 6’7″ 210 lbs. Livingston. The freshman says he welcomes that matchup challenge and the guidance Toppin has given him so far.

“It’s good because he’s a very versatile player,” Livingston said of going up against Toppin. “He has a lot to his game and I really appreciate a lot that I can learn from him and watch. He’s really been helping me out with this whole process of going to the next level and being in college, giving me advice on the drills that we do, things like that so I really appreciate him for that.”

Early reports suggest Toppin is already standing out as a vocal leader on the squad. Livingston said all of the returning players have stepped up to help the new guys adjust to life in Lexington.

“I think the upperclassmen collectively have done a great job. Sahvir [Wheeler] being the point guard, he’s obviously going to be vocal. [Jacob] Toppin. Lance [Ware]. Daimion [Collins] has done a great job with that. The returners have really done a great job of getting me, and Cason [Wallace], Antonio [Reeves], the new guys, acclimated to the team, to what Cal wants us to do, things like that. I think they’ve all done good.”