Opinion: Is Chris Livingston the key to the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team making a run into the tournament? Only time will tell but Livingston’s has accelerated on the court as of late. Livingston, the 6-foot-6 freshman forward for the Kentucky Wildcats, is rapidly becoming one of the team’s most reliable players. His recent performances have been spectacular, and his game has come a long way since the Wildcats’ loss to Arkansas on Feb. 7. With injuries sidelining key players, Livingston was given the opportunity to step up, and he has exceeded expectations.
Since Dec. 21, Livingston has started every game for the Wildcats, but his playing time had been inconsistent until the last couple of weeks. However, in the last four games, he has played more than 32 minutes in each game, and his performances have been remarkable. Against Tennessee, Livingston recorded his first career double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds. He even stole a few rebounds from Oscar Tshiebwe, showing his fighting spirit on the court. Livingston’s recent four-game stretch has seen him make five of his ten three-point attempts and shoot 4-5 from the field.
Livingston’s rise to prominence isn’t only down to his natural talent, though. As a five-star recruit with a successful high school career, he has always possessed the skills necessary to play at Kentucky. However, it was his mental strength that allowed him to thrive in the face of new challenges. He has said that being at Kentucky is mentally challenging, and he learned to be around new guys and accept a new role. This mental toughness has allowed him to ace the tests that have come his way.
Livingston’s recent performances have earned him a +16 rating against Tennessee, the highest on the team, and his average of 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest is a significant improvement on his earlier averages of 5.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17 minutes per game.
Chris Livingston is becoming one of Kentucky’s most consistent players, and his hustle and hard work have not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff or his opponents. Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes jokingly said that “12 and 10 is a pretty good night” after Livingston’s recent double-double. As he continues to improve, Livingston will be a player to watch, and it will be exciting to see how he continues to develop over the course of his college career.
Is the Kentucky freshman Livingston the key to the Wildcats success as they make a late season run to get into the tourney? Let us know in the comments below.
