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Following Tuesday’s win over Mississippi State, head coach John Calipari said Dontaie Allen could begin playing soon.
The freshman guard from Pendleton County is still working his way back from a torn ACL and broken collarbone that’s kept him sidelined for much of the last year, but he has been able to practice for a few months now.
However, Calipari revealed Friday that Allen isn’t quite ready to make his debut, but he is making good progress.
Cal on Dontaie Allen: KP says he’s not ready yet, but he’s going as hard as he ever has since arriving at Kentucky. Gotta see if he can get in good enough shape and learn what the team is doing.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) February 7, 2020
With it being so late in the season, it’s far from a given that Allen winds up playing. If he doesn’t play, he’ll preserve his redshirt, allowing him to remain in college for essentially an extra season if he ends up using the rest of his eligibility.
But with UK’s bench being so thin, him being able to give UK 10-12 minutes a game could be enough for both Allen and Calipari to decide it’s time to burn the redshirt.