The drama surrounding Cam’Ron Fletcher evolved Monday when Kentucky Coach John Calipari said on social media that he had asked the freshman to step away from the team in order to “reflect.”
This came two days after television cameras showed Fletcher being consoled near the sideline late in Kentucky’s loss to North Carolina. After that game, which resulted in UK’s fifth straight defeat, Calipari lamented how a player could “cop an attitude.”
On Monday, Calipari tweeted: “We have asked Cam Fletcher to take some time and step away from the team. He needs to reflect and do some soul searching to get his priorities in order.
“Any attitude or actions that are detrimental to this team will not be tolerated. And that goes for everyone on the team.”
Fletcher, a four-star prospect from St. Louis, played two scoreless minutes against North Carolina. That followed three straight games in which he played four scoreless minutes against Notre Dame, one scoreless minute against Georgia Tech and 13 scoreless minutes against Kansas.
Calipari’s request that Fletcher take time to reflect surprised Tim Holloway, who was Fletcher’s AAU coach.
“It’s hard for me to comment because I really don’t know the details,” Holloway said. “I know Cam is a hard-nosed player. Cam is a winner. Cam is a kid who will fight through adversity. So, it sounds like he’s got to fight through this adversity, and we are going to be here to help him.”
Through six games, Fletcher is averaging 8.7 minutes and 2.2 points.
Through social media postings, Calipari seemed to say that players must adjust to Kentucky’s basketball program, not the other way around.
“We have a culture here that’s been built over the last 11 years,” Calipari posted. “AND IT WILL NOT CHANGE. Through good times and bad, the culture is meant to change individuals and change maturity levels. This hurts our team, but this is about Cam and his future.”
Holloway said that Fletcher had a clear idea of what Kentucky basketball was about when he committed.
The AAU coach said he did not know how to interpret the need for Fletcher to take time away from the UK team.
“I don’t know if that’s a temporary thing or that’s a permanent thing,” he said. “We’ll wait and see.”
Not counting entry into an NBA Draft, at least 12 players have left the program with eligibility remaining during Calipari’s 12 seasons as Kentucky coach. Freshman Kahlil Whitney left the team at about this time last season.
The other 11 are Quade Green, Kyle Wiltjer, Darnell Dodson, Jemarl Baker, Ryan Harrow, Johnny Juzang, Sacha Killeya-Jones, Tai Wynyard, Marcus Lee, Charles Matthews and Stacey Poole Jr.
During Calipari’s time as coach, 41 UK players (counting Enes Kanter) have been selected in an NBA Draft.
“Obviously, it’s feast or famine at Kentucky, right?” the AAU coach said. “I understand that. Cam understands that. He understood that when he went there. That thought was at the forefront.
“This is not what I would have expected to have been the outcome.”
Calipari said he had spoken to Fletcher and the player’s mother, Tamika Fletcher, before posting on social media.
“They know I care about him and I love him,” the UK coach posted. “But they also understand that there are changes that need to be made. It’s his job to decide whether he can perform within this culture both on and off the court.”
