Kenny Gaines: UGA’s Back Court Catalyst?
By John Buhler
Kenny Gaines is about to begin his senior season with the Georgia Bulldogs’ Men’s Basketball Team. Can Gaines lead the strong UGA back court to the Tourney?
The Georgia Bulldogs’ Men’s Team is coming off back-to-back 20-win seasons under HC Mark Fox and are fresh off an NCAA Tournament bid in 2015, falling to an eventual Final Four team in the Michigan State Spartans.
UGA has a dangerous back court in Charles Mann, Kenny Gaines, and J.J. Frazier. With the Dawgs losing much of their inside presence, do they have enough on the perimeter to win in the physical SEC? If they are going to, I see Kenny Gaines as the piece that puts the Dawgs over the top.
No knock on the terrific talents that are Mann and Frazier, but Kenny Gaines seems like the most complete player in the UGA backcourt. Mann prefers to drive into the lane, draw contact, and sink free throws. Frazier can get blistering hot from the outside, just ask Mississippi State about that.
What I like the most about Kenny Gaines is the versatility he brings at the two or three. He is a career .369 three-point shooter, .467 from two, and rarely turns the basketball over with 1.1 turnovers per game.
More from ATL All Day
- Atlanta Braves: Felix Has Already Shown Enough to Win a Rotation Spot
- Atlanta Braves Implode Late To Phillies, Cole Hamels Remains Sidelined
- Kyle Wright Shines As Folty Struggles In Atlanta Braves Loss To Red Sox
- Atlanta Hawks Sweep Back-to-Back Games Over Weekend
- Atlanta Braves: Grapefruit League Play Check Up
Defensively, he average nearly a block a game his junior season (0.9 BPG) and had over a steal per game last year (1.1 SPG). At 6’3″, he has shown that he can effectively crash the boards in Fox’s rebounding heavy system (3.4 RPG in 2014-15).
Since Kenny Gaines has averaged over 10.0 PPG his last two years, I envision him surpassing that threshold to average over 10.0 PPG in his collegiate career. Gaines has a 9.7 PPG average through three seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs. I think that improved free throw shooting (a career .736 shooter from the charity stripe) and senior experience should put him over the top on 2015-16.
Though PG Charles Mann will set the tempo of the UGA offense and G J.J. Frazier will be the x-factor for the team as fifth starter/sixth man type of player, the Georgia Bulldogs will go as far as Kenny Gaines elevates the back court’s play.
More from UGA Basketball
- Georgia Basketball: The Bulldogs Land Their Point Guard
- Amir Abdur-Rahim Strengthens Atlanta Flavor In Athens
- Georgia Bulldogs: The Problem And Promise Of Tom Crean In Athens
- Tom Crean New Head Man For Georgia Bulldogs Basketball
- Georgia Bulldogs: Mark Fox Dismissal Not Clear Cut
The last two seasons have produced positive ORTG/DRTG splits for Gaines. Last season his defensive rating was sub 100 (98.5). If he can have an offensive rating similar to what he had in 2013-14 (118.2), Kenny Gaines could serve as the most important player on Mark Fox’s squad this winter.
Surely, it will take some time for Fox to adjust to life without Nemanja Djurisic, Cameron Forte, and Marcus Thornton down low, but if Kenny Gaines and the rest of the UGA back court can come out of the gate hustling in 2015, the Georgia Bulldogs could put together another 20+ win tournament-bound team in 2016.
Next: Mark Fox: Can Dawgs Win 20 Games, 3 Years in a Row?
More from ATL All Day
- Atlanta Braves: Felix Has Already Shown Enough to Win a Rotation Spot
- Atlanta Braves Implode Late To Phillies, Cole Hamels Remains Sidelined
- Kyle Wright Shines As Folty Struggles In Atlanta Braves Loss To Red Sox
- Atlanta Hawks Sweep Back-to-Back Games Over Weekend
- Atlanta Braves: Grapefruit League Play Check Up