MADISON, Wis. - When we look back on Wisconsin’s season at the end of the year, don’t be surprised if the middle of January ends up looking like a turning point for redshirt freshman guard Kobe King.
A little more than a year removed from a season-ending knee injury that limited him to just 10 games as a true freshman, the Badgers have bumped up King’s minutes over the last two games - and the 6-foot-4 La Crosse native has made the most of them.
King was on the court for 31 minutes of Wisconsin’s upset win over then-No. 2 Michigan last weekend, scoring six points on two 3-pointers and playing with some more confidence on defense. That came after King played in 27 minutes of Wisconsin’s loss to Maryland, with most of them coming in the second half as the Badgers rallied to climb out of a 18-point deficit in the first half.
King scored just 11 points between the two games, but it seems as though just having him on the floor - giving the Badgers an extra shooter who can knock down some 3-pointers - has opened up their offense a little bit.
But while he’s been getting starter’s minutes over the last couple of games, King said he’s going to keep preparing the way he always has been - by trying to be ready for whatever situation the team needs him to handle.
“Just staying locked in and staying prepared,” King said on Monday when asked how he’s been able to contribute while coming off of the bench. “You never know when your time is going to come and in these last few games I’ve gotten more opportunities and just tried to take advantage of it.”
King’s ability to give the offense an extra dimension definitely helps get him off the bench early in games for the Badgers, but the step forward he seems to be taking on the defensive end is another big part of why head coach Greg Gard and the coaching staff feels comfortable leaving him in the game for longer stretches. King said he feels like he’s taken steps forward on both sides of the ball since his first year with the team, but he’s making more of an effort to improve his communication on the defensive end as he gets more reps with the team.
“Defensively (I’m) just making sure I’m following all the rules and getting through things and communicating,” King said Monday. “I’m trying to be more vocal out there, I’m kind of a quiet guy sometimes so I’ve got to change that a little bit.”
King’s teammates have noticed a step forward from the redshirt freshman as well. Senior forward Ethan Happ said he’s not surprised to see King playing with a little more confidence as he gets more reps in after last year’s knee injury.
“I think the more Kobe gets comfortable with his leg … I mean I know for a lot of people it seems like it’s been a long time but until you have an injury like that you’re not really going to trust it completely until you get more and more live reps,” Happ said Monday. “I think he’s gotten enough reps to where he’s starting to trust that a little more or at least get back to where he used to be.”
And when King can contribute on defense, it makes it easier for him to stay on the floor so that Happ can find him on the perimeter on offense as well.
“Kobe is one of my favorite guys to kick it out to,” Happ said. “He’s got a real quick release and he’s smart with the ball too.”
Of course, King’s bump in playing time could prove to be temporary - and Gard said after the game that he likes to play matchups more than worry about who actually makes the starting five. But as King gets more confidence in his shot and in his leg, he’ll get his chances to turn a temporary bump in playing time to something a little more permanent.
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John Veldhuis covers Wisconsin football, basketball and recruiting for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnVeldhuis.
