By LARRY VAUGHT

BIRMINGHAM — John Calipari is not ready to say freshmen John Wall and Eric Bledsoe will be in the starting lineup together when Kentucky opens play next month, but the UK coach says there’s no doubt the two are going to play a lot together.

“On defense, they are together all the time in practice now. On offense, I only have two point guards and I try to put them on different teams (in practice). They may start together, but they will play a lot together because they are two of our very best players,” said Calipari during his appearance at the Southeastern Conference Media Day here Thursday.

Calipari said sophomore DeAndre Liggins, a point guard last year under former coach Billy Gillispie, will be a wing player, not a point guard.

Why?

“Because he’s not a point guard,” Calipari said.

The UK coach said as of today, Darius Miller likely would be his third point guard if he needed to use one.

Calipari says Bledsoe and Wall could make UK’s full-court press extremely effective even though he only started putting in the press at practice Wednesday.

“If we have John and another wing in the game and Eric playing the interceptor (position), our press could be very good,” Calipari said.

Obviously, Wall is the more highly touted played. He’s being mentioned as a potential national player of the year and even projected as the possible No. 1 pick in next year’s NBA draft. However, UK star Patrick Patterson says Bledsoe is the freshman that has surprised him the most.

“He’s just as quick, fast and good as John,” Patterson, who was also at Media Day, said. “He’s a tremendous athlete. He can jump out of the gym. He has tremendous strength. He’s not afraid to jump up on anybody.”

That included Patterson, UK’s best inside player last year who turned down a chance to go to the NBA to come back for his junior season.

“The first day in practice he jumped up and pinned my shot off the glass. That surprised me,” Patterson said. “But I won’t be the only guy he surprises like that.”

Calipari says both Wall and Bledsoe play with no fear, which he how he wants his point guards to play.

“Those two are not afraid to make plays,” Calipari said. “They won’t always make them, but they are not afraid to try.”

Calipari even said Wall had grasped more of his offensive concepts quicker than any freshman he’s coached.

“John works hard and is a great leader. He recognizes the offense and throws the ball to the right guys. He knows what he is doing, which is unusual this early in practice,” Calipari said. “I have no idea what he might do in a tough game on the road, but this kid is pretty special.”

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