Jared Carter - F.R.U.S.T.R.A.T.I.N.G.

Going into the 07-08 season Jared Carter had been anticipated by many to finally flourish on the floor in an opportunity to showcase his skills, but with yet another injury to his already battered shoulder which required, or shall we say, Carter elected to have surgery on, the 7-2 center from Scott County, who averaged just over 5 and 6 minutes per game his freshman and sophomore year, appears to be set up to play limited time off the bench which will allow Billy Gillispie to see exactly where this kid stands with his shoulder this year. A fourth injury to his shoulder, then Carter, though wouldn't be his fault, would end up being a bust in many fans' eyes. At least mine.

The fact that Gillispie, as reported by Marc Maggard, is going after Leonard Washington hard, the 6-6 200 lbs SF who has been let out of his LOI at USC for 07, is proof enough that Gillispie isn't done recruiting for the 07 class. He reclassified from 08 to 07 and at this point a new talented post player as the 3 star player from Lake Charles, LA who is listed as a big time scorer and has strengths such as his perimeter shot and plays facing the basket is just about as good as an unproven, injury prone Jared Carter who really hasn't played enough in his first two years at Kentucky. In fact, Carter was approved for a medical redshirt year for last year making him a sophomore still for this upcoming season and saving Kentucky a scholarship which I suppose is why Kentucky is going after another post player to round out the 07 class if they can. But no matter which way I look at it, I wonder in respect to the team does Carter's nasty injury bug cause him to be recruited over since the wonder and maybe the anticipation that Carter just might injure his, dare I say, shoulder yet a 4th time. Carter at this point is still a wonder of an athlete as would some of the incoming recruiting class simply because he hasn't played much, missed almost the entire season last year, and now has to compete for playing time with an injury bug forever, no pun intended, looming over his shoulder. The reality is that Gillispie is looking for kids who can run the floor. Fast break it. And score with a physical presence. Take a look at it this way, if Carter doesn't show up in a big way this season, the first three recruits listed at Scout.com for the 08 class are five-stars: two PF and a center in Michael Dunigan. All have been offered. Carter in my eyes stands to be recruited over, especially if he has no impact this upcoming season, and I mean in a starting kind of way. The likelihood of Carter contributing for Kentucky will be minutes from the bench much like how Obrzut's career at Kentucky was, the way I see it, because of a nagging injury and the likelihood of him re-injuring it again will always be in the back of Gillispie's head.

And you can't be any more frustrated with Carter than Carter himself should be.

You can't blame the kid for practicing in the Summer. Injuries are something that's always part of the mix, you just hope it doesn't happen to you and that you condition your body well, however in Carter's case, he was trying to prove a starting roster spot in a new energized offense headed by new head coach Billy Gillispie. With Morris and Obrzut gone, the middle was left empty for Kentucky and doubt whether Carter could carry the position lingered. Now it lingers even stronger as for a starting role. How effective can he be this soon after surgery? Time will tell, but I wonder after all these injuries if Carter is still the same player or ever will be at his position when he signed on to Kentucky. Carter presumably owned that starting spot until unfortunately he re-injured his shoulder.

Now Carter is back at square one which he began this off season before his re-injury trying yet again to kick start his UK career, but by the time he's ready again, it might be too late depending on Gillispie's recruiting whether this kid earns a starting spot. He might just very well never actually kick start a UK career but finish his time contributing from the bench like Lukasz Obrzut did behind Randolph Morris while some fans wonder what would've been of a kid who by whatever reason never showed the potential he was hyped up to be in the beginning.

This is all not to say that Carter won't bounce back and make big plays for Kentucky, I hope he does. I just think it will be from a backup roll rather than a starting roll, and if you're Jared Carter or a Jared Carter fan, you just gotta be frustrated with the whole thing.

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