PJ Washington had a hard cast on his sprained left foot and was using a “knee scooter” to get around the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena.
So as Kentucky began its drive toward a ninth NCAA championship with its 2019 NCAA Tournament opener against Abilene Christian Thursday night, the Wildcats were essentially forced into a trade.
They gave up their leading scorer, leading rebounder and most experienced NCAA tourney veteran.
With Washington on the UK bench, they gained a high-decibel “assistant coach.”
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Kentucky Wildcats forward PJ Washington (25) sits on the sidelines with a sprained foot as the team warms up before the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Abilene Christian Thursday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville.