Kentucky Basketball: Can Marquis Teague Be the PG Kentucky Needs Him to Be?

Marquis Teague has had a rough start to the season by all accounts. His stats are unimpressive and he does not look comfortable leading the offense.

That being said, Marquis Teague will be just fine. He is a capable point guard who will be leading the Kentucky Wildcats down the stretch of the season.

A number of things have not yet added up for Teague, but the transition to college basketball is always a rough one.

With a few more games under his belt though, Teague will show why he was one of John Calipari’s most coveted recruits.

Here is why Teague will live up to the hype for Kentucky.

Defense

Bottom line: Marquis Teague can flat out play defense. He gets in the face of the opposing point guard, harassing him so that he cannot start his offense.

Even if Teague is having an off night offensively, he can make up for it at the other end of the floor. Against the North Carolina Tar Heels, Teague forced Kendall Marshall into three turnovers and put endless pressure on the point guard. 

This will further help Teague as he can jumpstart his own scoring with a quick steal and an easy layup.

Teague’s quickness also allows him to help out on the low post, swiping at balls—and still get back to his man to deny the shot.

Teague is arguably the best defensive point guard of any of Coach Calipari’s protégés and will always be able to help the team from that standpoint.

Turnovers

Yes, Marquis Teague has struggled with turnovers. But what freshman point guard doesn’t?

Teague was used to being the man in high school, driving to the basket whenever he wanted and attracting so much defensive attention that his teammates were wide open.

Playing against the likes of the Kansas Jayhawks and North Carolina Tar Heels is very different.

Teague is learning how to play a new game in which he does not have to penetrate and score on every possession. He is still figuring out his teammates’ tendencies and how to get them the ball.

Last season, Brandon Knight experienced a similar struggle. Through eight games, Knight had 35 turnovers and just 29 assists.

Teague is actually performing better overall, with 23 turnovers and 33 assists. Still, early on in the season, both players looked similarly ill-prepared to run Kentucky’s offense. 

But as the season wore on, Knight became comfortable in his role. Taking his team to a Final Four isn’t bad for a guy who started out the year with turnover trouble.

There is every reason to believe that Teague can make the same turnaround that Knight was able to. 

Coach Calipari

John Calipari has undeniably coached some very talented players. However, it takes more than just talent to excel on a national stage, especially at point guard.

Almost everyone knows Cal’s point guard lineage by now: Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans, John Wall and Brandon Knight. 

All of those players came into college with their fair share of acclaim. What Calipari did was transform them into true college point guards. 

By all accounts, Teague seems eager to learn. If he keeps listening to his coach’s instruction, Teague will become a blockbuster point guard in no time.

It is not a coincidence that Calipari has coached so many successful point guards. He has a knack for teaching the position and Teague can benefit greatly from his instruction.

Freshman

Perhaps most importantly, Marquis Teague is just a freshman. He is learning how to deal with a completely new system, teammates and expectations. 

A lot is asked of a point guard. Teague has more responsibility than his fellow freshmen, which is part of why his mistakes are so much more pronounced. 

He has the ball in his hands on every single possession, often multiple times. Anthony Davis doesn’t have that kind of pressure.

The more Teague plays, the more he will get used to the speed and intensity of college basketball. His mental mistakes will start disappearing and he will be able to assert himself on offense.  

Help of Teammates

What Marquis Teague must keep repeating to himself is that he has help. He does not have to score, pass, defend and rebound all alone.

The Kentucky Wildcats have a roster brimming with talent. If Teague cannot find his shot, he has plenty of teammates who will be able to step up.

Teague should know that if he throws the ball somewhere within a mile of the rim, Anthony Davis will probably dunk it. If he gets stuck in the paint, he can kick the ball out to Doron Lamb for an open three. 

The good news for Teague is that while he figures everything out, he will be able to lean on his teammates.

Then later on in the season, he can repay them.

Lots of Time

Another overlooked luxury that will benefit Marquis Teague is time. It is still very early in the season (as his coach is so fond of repeating). 

Conference games haven’t even started yet. There are no tournaments for months.

Teague has time and will get meaningful game experience as the season progresses.

It is important to learn the plays and concentrate on passes, but one of the factors that can prepare a player most are game situations. The more playing time Teague gets, the better he will be.

Competitiveness

One of the most important ingredients for a winning team is a drive to succeed.

Mid-majors like the Butler Bulldogs, VCU Rams and George Mason Patriots are proof that talent can be secondary to competitiveness in a venue like the NCAA tournament.

Marquis Teague, despite his early miscues, has all the desire needed. He is one of the most excitable and vocal players for the Kentucky Wildcats.

In the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels, Teague took three of Kentucky’s first four shots. He only made one and at times looked out of control, but there are still positives to be found.

Teague is a competitor. He wants the ball in his hands and wants to show the opposition that he will not back down. 

Despite not converting early on against North Carolina, Teague showed the mentality of a winner that will carry him far. He just needs to learn when to take his foot off the gas.

Improvement so Far

True, the Kentucky Wildcats and Marquis Teague have only played eight games so far this season. There will be countless twists and turns to come, but so far, Teague has already shown improvement.

Throughout the first four games of the season, Teauge had 18 turnovers and 11 assists. That ratio is not what Kentucky wants out of its point guard.

However, in the next four games, Teague regrouped and had just five turnovers and 22 assists. That’s much more like it. 

Such a tremendous turnaround shows that Teague is listening. He is working hard and if he keeps up his effort as the season goes on, he will certainly become an elite point guard.