Georgia star Kenny Gaines will not play in the Bulldogs’ exhibition opener against Georgia Southwestern on Thursday and at this point it appears unlikely he’ll be back for the season opener at Georgia Tech on Nov. 14.
Coach Mark Fox declined to go into specifics other than to say Gaines has been “very sick.” The 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior guard from Atlanta started all 32 games and was the Bulldogs’ second-leading scorer and leading 3-point shooter this past season.
“Kenny has been ill,” Fox said Wednesday. “He will not play Thursday. He has not practiced. And really no timetable for a return. We know he’ll return at some point this season. He’s been very sick. He is getting better but he’ll not play tomorrow night.”
The Bulldogs, coming off a 20-14 season and second-place finish in the SEC, play host to Georgia Southwestern in an exhibition game at Stegeman Coliseum Thursday night at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
Asked whether Gaines might be able to get back in time to play the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta, Fox said, “I think there’s still hope there, but I’m a little pessimistic about. A lot of it is about how he responds.”
With Gaines out of the lineup, Georgia has the option of sliding over 6-5 point guard Charles Mann to the shooting guard position and starting sophomore J.J. Frazier at the point or playing one of several other players at Gaines’ position, including sophomore Juwan Parker or Kenny Paul Geno.
“We’ve had some spirited discussions from our staff,” Fox said. “Even among the guys who you think would automatically start, who have been there before, it’s been a competition.”
Georgia returns three starters from last year’s squad, including Mann, Gaines and senior forward Marcus Thornton. Freshman Yante Maten is expected to get significant playing time at the center position and a major competition has been ongoing for the minutes of Brandon Morris, a starter who was dismissed after a marijuana arrest this past summer. Parker, Geno and senior Cam Forte and battling for playing time there.
