Confidence Rebuilt, Gabriel Owning His Destiny
Wenyen Gabriel isn’t one to bury his head in the sand.
His freshman season didn’t go as planned. Confidence – or more accurately, a lack of it – was the primary culprit.
“Going through that learning curve last year, a lot of questions come up about yourself and things like that,” Gabriel said. “It’s just a little struggle.”
John Calipari has seen it too many times to count. Newcomers, facing competition they can’t overwhelm with talent on an everyday basis for the first time under the white-hot spotlight of Kentucky basketball, tend to experience some self-doubt.
“All of a sudden every game is on national television, all of a sudden you shoot three air balls and all of a sudden oh my God, I can’t play,” Coach Cal said. “Then the season ends.”
That’s where Gabriel found himself this spring.
One minute, Gabriel was a five-star freshman who played himself into a starting role and earned the praise of his coach with incredible effort. The next, his season had ended with three straight scoreless NCAA Tournament performances and only 17 combined minutes played.
While his classmates De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo were preparing to become lottery picks, Gabriel was going back home to Manchester, New Hampshire.
“When you go back home, it’s kind of a relief,” Gabriel said. “You’re with family, everyone that really knows you from the beginning. It’s just like a moment coming back to truth.”
The truth, above all else, was his own identity as a talented basketball player with a motor that just won’t stop running. The person he credits most with helping him rediscover that is his mother, Rebecca Gak.
“I think that was the biggest conversation I had when I was at home,” Gabriel said. “I sat down with her for probably an hour, just talked like how we used to talk. She just reminded who I was, why I do what I do.”
The why for Gabriel begins with his family’s roots in South Sudan. They would flee the civil war there to Cairo, Egypt, before eventually settling in New Hampshire, but it’s his family’s roots that fueled him as he became one of the most sought-after players in the class of 2016.
“I could be a soldier out there in Africa right now,” Gabriel said. “She reminded me of the things I’ve done, reminded me about my heart and how I care about my family and just all the things that I’ve done in the past, it brought it back to light.
“I don’t know, the support I have from my city, just seeing all the people supporting me back at home just reminded me what kind of impact I have on my community there and what kind of impact I have on my country, South Sudan, and just the things that I can do in the future. Knowing all that opportunity brought a lot of hope to me, brought a lot of energy. And they say I’m a high-energy player. I just remembered that.”
With that in mind, Gabriel went to work.
Over the course of three weeks, Gabriel transformed his body through intensive training. The results were striking.
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Gabriel did exactly what Calipari demands of every one of his players: He took ownership of his own confidence.
“This thing is a daily grind of building your own self-esteem, your own confidence,” Calipari said. “I can’t build it for you. You work and then you have to have demonstrated performance. If you’re not building your own confidence, more than likely you’re breaking it down yourself.”
Confidence rebuilt, Gabriel came back to campus.
“I feel like I’m a completely different player,” Gabriel said. “Last year I don’t think I showed what kind of player I am at all. I might have had a few spurts that showed what I could be, but that potential right there is what I’m really striving for. It’s why I work every day. It’s why I’m in the gym. It’s why I play. I don’t play to do what I was doing last year.”
Already, Gabriel’s new attitude is being noticed by teammates.
“He’s just coming out to kill,” Tai Wynyard said. “He’s coming out to ball. He’s hoopin’ this year. I already knew he would be just because that’s what he’s been telling himself ever since he’s been here. Last season didn’t work out too well for him at the end, but this season he’s definitely going to be hoopin’.”
The thing is, UK needs Gabriel to do more than just hoop. As the only player with any kind of meaningful experience on Coach Cal’s youngest team yet, Gabriel is being counted on as a leader. The role might be new to him, but Gabriel – who averaged 4.6 point and 4.8 rebounds as a freshman – hasn’t hesitated in taking it on.
“Wenyen has been the most helpful to me out of all the veterans,” Nick Richards said. “He’s actually telling me what to do, how to become a better player, what to do on the court, what not to do off the court, what is the best fit for you and how Cal is going to approach you in particular games.”
On that front, Gabriel says there is one thing his younger teammates must remember about their coach above all else.
“Coach Cal, he wants us all to succeed,” Gabriel said. “The main thing is you gotta work to get what you want. Cal’s going to give it to you if you work for it.”
Gabriel has worked for what he wanted last year. Sure, part of him wishes it would have all come easier. But when he really thinks about it, it’s that struggle that will make the success even sweeter.
“When I look back, I just remember that’s what you need to get through this,” Gabriel said. “You need that. That’s what gives me my edge and makes me different. That’s what you need. Because it’s going to be hard here. No matter what, you’re going to go through the ups and downs and you just can’t get too down on yourself. My main goal this year is about positivity, promoting that and staying positive on myself.”
