Sahvir Wheeler continues to shine as Kentucky's lead ball handler

Sahvir Wheeler’s 14 assists on Friday night tied the third-most dimes in Kentucky Men’s Basketball history. After a 2020-21 season where UK desperately needed a pure point guard, head coach John Calipari has clearly found his new floor general. Wheeler’s assist total on Friday tied him with former ‘Cat Tyler Ulis, who dished out 14 back in 2016. The two have been constantly compared since Wheeler transferred over from Georgia, and it’s not just because of their small stature.

The 5-foot-9 Wheeler is everything that Calipari and the Big Blue Nation were hoping for. Now a junior, Wheeler has racked up 55 assists and 19 turnovers through six games for the Wildcats. His assist rate of 41.0 percent ranks 14th in the entire country and he leads the nation in dimes at a hair over nine per game. He’s not a perfect decision-maker yet, but the way he controls the offense, rallies his teammates, and influences every defensive possession has become invaluable.

Following Kentucky’s dominating 86-52 victory over North Florida on Friday night, the Ospreys’ head coach had some effusive praise for Wheeler and the way he makes a consistent impact.

“I told him after the game, Wheeler, if you continue to do what you do and be the player that you are, this team has a chance to really be special,” North Florida head coach Matthew Driscoll said. “If you try to listen to everyone else who is on the outside then you could really screw up what you guys have. The way he defends the ball at the point and the way he pushes the ball to the rim and puts pressure on you, it’s great to see, it’s exciting for these guys to see.”

Wheeler’s 14 assists against North Florida were countered by just three turnovers. While he’s still not shooting in the 30 percent range from distance as Calipari would like, Wheeler is making up for it in other areas. He leads Kentucky in steals. He’s second in minutes played. He’s up to a solid 47.3 percent on two-pointers on the season after shooting 6-10 against North Florida.

Some might view stat-chasing as focusing too much on one’s self and not the greater good of the team. But for Wheeler, he’s chasing assists. Not in the sense that he’ll fire a hot potato to his teammate with two seconds on the shot clock. Rather, he knows that the more opportunities he can provide, the better this team can be.

“I’m trying to average 10 (assists),” Wheeler said after the win over North Florida. “I don’t know if that’s selfish or not… Trying to make others better, but that’s definitely a goal of mine.”

His turnover rate is down compared to his first two seasons at Georgia despite his usage rate mirroring his time with the Bulldogs. Kentucky has outscored its opponents by 120 points this season with Wheeler on the floor. He’s in the best shape of his life, too.

The experience he brings also can’t be quantified. Wheeler has played over 60 college games now. Calipari rarely has his top point guard reach a third season. Ulis, Andrew Harrison, and Ashton Hagans come to mind as guys who left after their sophomore seasons. Wheeler is unique in that regard.

Having a junior lead his team is unusual for Cal, but the early returns prove that Wheeler is perfect for this position.