33 Kyle Wiltjer

Kyle Wiltjer
Name
Kyle Wiltjer
Position
Forward
Class
SO
Hometown (Last School)
Portland, OR (Jesuit)
Ht
6'9"
Wt
239
Seasons
2011-12, 2012-13
Birthday
October 20, 1992

Kyle Wiltjer was born Kyle Gregory Wiltjer on October 20, 1992, in Portland, Oregon to Carol and Greg Wiltjer. His father, Greg Wiltjer, was a member of the Canadian national basketball team in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Wiltjer attended Jesuit High School in Beaverton, Oregon, where he led the school to two consecutive Oregon state championships.

Kyle Wiltjer averaged 19.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists as a senior for Jesuit High School. He was ranked 18th by ESPNU’s Top 100, 22nd overall by Scout.com, and 22nd by Rivals.com. He scored 11 points with two rebounds in the McDonald’s All-American Game and scored eight points with five rebounds in the Jordan Brand Classic All-American Game. Wiltjer scored 12 points for the World Team in the Nike Hoops Summit. He was named 2011 Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year and Oregon Class 6A Player of the Year. Wiltjer hit the winning shot with 1.7 seconds left to give Canada a 86-83 overtime victory over Argentina in the men’s bronze-medal game at the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 championship in July 2010.

On August 28, 2010, Wiltjer verbally committed to Kentucky. Wiltjer picked the Wildcats in a surprise announcement from the Boost Mobile Elite 24 event in Venice Beach, Florida. Wiltjer’s decision came without a visit to Lexington. He said, “I’m very excited to be a part of that team. The one thing is I wanted to surround myself with the best players. They have a great recruiting class coming in, and I thought it would be a great fit.” On November 10, 2010, Wiltjer officially committed to play at Kentucky. He chose Kentucky over California, Georgia Tech, Gonzaga, Kansas, Texas, and Wake Forest. He joined Marquis Teague, Michael Gilchrist, and Anthony Davis to create the nation’s top recruiting class.

As a freshman, Wiltjer saw action in all of UK’s 40 games on its way to the 2012 NCAA Championship. He averaged 5.0 points and sunk 35 3-pointers. He tallied 19 points on .500 shooting while adding three assists in a win over Penn State on November 19, 2011. He poured in a career-high 24 points to lead the way in a win over Loyola on December 22, 2011. He reached double figures in scoring (12) for the first time in his  career while also snaring four rebounds in a win at South Carolina on February 4, 2012.

As a sophomore, Wiltjer was voted SEC Player of the Week for the week of November 12, 2012 and was voted the SEC Sixth Man of the Year. Wiltjer averaged 10.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He shot 36.7 percent from 3-point range and 81 percent at the foul line. He had 50 assists in 33 games. On November 9, 2012, he hit a career-high four 3s against the Terrapins, while also blocking a career-best three shots and grabbing six rebounds while leading the Wildcats with a team-high 19 points. Wiltjer scored a game-high 23 points against Lafayette, hitting 7-of-11 3-pointers, a career-high in makes and attempts, on November 16, 2012. He tied his career-best with seven 3s and recorded his first-career double-double against Lipscomb with a game-high 23 points and a career-high 12 rebounds on December 15, 2012. On January 2, 2013, Wiltjer scored a game-high 17 points in a win over Eastern Michigan. He scored a game-high and career-high 26 points while grabbing seven rebounds, dishing out three assists, and tallying three steals in win at Ole Miss on January 29, 2013. On February 6, 2013, he posted a team-high 18 points including a 6-of-6 showing from the free throw line in a game at Tennessee. The 2012-2013 season ended in a disappointing loss to in the NIT.

On April 1, 2013, Wiltjer posted on Twitter: “I just want everyone to know I AM NOT TRANSFERRING. The thought never crossed my mind. I love Coach Cal and the staff, UK, and the BBN. After talking with coach and the staff I understand what I need to do. This summer, I’m going to work hard to come back next season better and stronger to help my team fight for #9!”

For the 2013-14 season, Wiltjer was going to be looking for time in a loaded frontcourt that would include incoming freshman forward Julius Randle, freshman center Dakari Johnson, Alex Poythress, and Willie Cauley-Stein. On June 24, 2013, Wiltjer posted a letter on Kentucky’s athletic department website announcing that he was transferring to find a “significant” role elsewhere, saying he will seek a situation to help him “compete the way I know I can. … wherever that may be.”

On July 19, 2013, Wiltjer confirmed his plans to transfer to Gonzaga. Wiltjer took to Twitter to make the announcement and explain that deciding to leave the University of Kentucky basketball program was a very difficult decision. “This past month has been very emotional and challenging for me. Whether to transfer or not has been one of the toughest decisions of my life, so I would like to thank everyone for being so supportive through this process. The last two years at UK have been a valuable experience and I’m very grateful for them.”

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College Statistics:

Per Game

SeasonGGSMPFGFGAFG%2P2PA2P%3P3PA3P%FTFTAFT%ORBDRBTRBASTSTLBLKTOVPFPTS
2011-1240011.61.84.1.4380.92.0.4440.92.0.4320.60.7.8150.71.11.80.40.10.40.71.15.0
2012-13331023.83.58.4.4211.93.9.4841.74.5.3671.41.8.8101.13.14.21.50.40.41.31.510.2
UK Career731017.12.66.0.4271.32.9.4691.23.2.3900.91.2.8120.82.02.80.90.20.40.91.37.3

 

Totals

SeasonGGSMPFGFGAFG%2P2PA2P%3P3PA3P%FTFTAFT%ORBDRBTRBASTSTLBLKTOVPFPTS
2011-1240046271162.4383681.4443581.4322227.815264470165172744199
2012-133310784117278.42162128.48455150.3674758.810351021375012144251336
UK Career73101246188440.42798209.46990231.3906985.812611462076617316995535

 

UK Career Game Logs

DateOpponent GSMPFGFGAFG%2P2PA2P%3P3PA3P%FTFTAFT%ORBDRBTRBASTSTLBLKTOVPFPTS
2011-11-11MaristW019712.583710.70002.00000 1341021214
2011-11-15KansasW0300 00 00 00 000000010
2011-11-19Penn StateW028612.50047.57125.40056.8331123001319
2011-11-20Old DominionW01114.25002.00012.50001.000235002213
2011-11-23W02238.37526.33312.500221.000538222319
2011-11-26PortlandW01514.25012.50002.00000 022000022
2011-12-01St. John’s (NY)W01215.20013.33302.00000 033001012
2011-12-03UNCW05111.000111.00000 00 000000002
2011-12-10IndianaL0700 00 00 00 000100110
2011-12-17ChattanoogaW02337.42900 37.42900 123000139
2011-12-20SamfordW02227.28613.33314.25000 134000135
2011-12-22Loyola (MD)W025711.63645.80036.50078.8752241100124
2011-12-28LamarW01112.50000 12.500441.000011001107
2011-12-31W01525.40023.66702.00000 022000124
2012-01-03Little RockW01416.16715.20001.00000 202010222
2012-01-07South CarolinaW0823.667111.00012.50000 011000115
2012-01-11AuburnW0403.00002.00001.00000 000000000
2012-01-14TennesseeW09111.00000 111.000221.000011000135
2012-01-17ArkansasW01525.40023.66702.00000 202000004
2012-01-21AlabamaW0613.33300 13.33300 011001003
2012-01-24GeorgiaW0824.50001.00023.66700 022101116
2012-01-28W01403.00002.00001.00024.500000000102
2012-01-31TennesseeW01413.333111.00002.00000 145001112
2012-02-04South CarolinaW018514.357310.30024.50000 2241000112
2012-02-07FloridaW01125.40003.000221.00000 303001216
2012-02-11VanderbiltW01212.500111.00001.00000 011000012
2012-02-18Ole MissW01956.833221.00034.75000 0111001013
2012-02-21Mississippi StateW0400 00 00 00 000000100
2012-02-25VanderbiltW0100 00 00 00 000000010
2012-03-01GeorgiaW01935.60001.00034.75000 022300029
2012-03-04FloridaW0813.33302.000111.00000 112100003
2012-03-09W0700 00 00 00 000001010
2012-03-10FloridaW0713.33300 13.33300 011100003
2012-03-11VanderbiltL01134.750111.00023.66700 011003128
2012-03-15Western KentuckyW0802.00000 02.00000 112001330
2012-03-17Iowa StateW03111.00000 111.00000 000000013
2012-03-23IndianaW0612.50001.000111.00000 000000013
2012-03-25BaylorW0712.50001.000111.00000 000000013
2012-03-31LouisvilleW0823.66712.500111.00000 101010005
2012-04-02KansasW0301.00000 01.00000 000000000
DateOpponent GSMPFGFGAFG%2P2PA2P%3P3PA3P%FTFTAFT%ORBDRBTRBASTSTLBLKTOVPFPTS
2012-11-09W12469.66723.66746.66734.7501562033319
2012-11-13L13225.40013.33312.50000 123400025
2012-11-16LafayetteW124816.50015.200711.63600 0442000023
2012-11-21W12448.500331.00015.20000 134001239
2012-11-23LIUW12025.400111.00014.250221.000134501127
2012-11-29Notre DameL13127.28623.66704.00023.667235020226
2012-12-01BaylorL123111.09102.00019.11100 112000023
2012-12-04SamfordW12739.33324.50015.200331.0000774100210
2012-12-08PortlandW12258.62545.80013.333111.0000332102012
2012-12-15LipscombW024812.66713.33379.77800 57122101223
2012-12-22MarshallW02239.33314.25025.40000 235000018
2012-12-29LouisvilleL01947.57100 47.571221.0000331003114
2013-01-02Eastern MichiganW022715.46749.44436.50001.0002352011117
2013-01-10VanderbiltW01415.20013.33302.00000 101100132
2013-01-12Texas A&ML01902.00001.00001.00000 022000100
2013-01-15TennesseeW026610.600441.00026.33334.7501452021017
2013-01-19AuburnW029613.46237.42936.500221.0001345102117
2013-01-22AlabamaL035610.60058.62512.50013.3332572103114
2013-01-26W02338.37535.60003.000221.000213100218
2013-01-29Ole MissW0351019.52657.714512.41712.5001673300226
2013-02-02Texas A&MW03224.50012.50012.50056.8330552036210
2013-02-05South CarolinaW02414.25002.00012.500221.000156000345
2013-02-09AuburnW022411.36425.40026.333441.0001232102114
2013-02-12FloridaL02335.60023.66712.50000 202000107
2013-02-16TennesseeL128515.333310.30025.400661.0002460012118
2013-02-20VanderbiltW02025.40013.33312.500221.000033012037
2013-02-23MissouriW01802.00001.00001.00046.667011300104
2013-02-27Mississippi StateW02117.14314.25003.00000 033300022
2013-03-02ArkansasL02125.40013.33312.50000 145100235
2013-03-07GeorgiaL029516.31335.600211.18200 0441000212
2013-03-09FloridaW02007.00004.00003.00000 224000010
2013-03-15VanderbiltL02145.800441.00001.00023.6672130000010
2013-03-19L01014.25012.50002.00000 000000032