Sophomore Kentucky basketball forward Tai Wynyard was suspended indefinitely from all team activities on Tuesday, with a Kentucky spokesperson explaining the punishment by using the always vague āviolation of team rulesā reason. Wynyard, who before coming to Kentucky played as a non-contract player on a pro team in New Zealand, hadnāt played in the teamās last 10 games due to a back injury, and he was projected to miss the rest of the season. He also wasnāt on the bench for the Wildcatsā home game against Vanderbilt last week, though a Kentucky spokesperson said that was because Wynyard āhad some academic obligations that he was attending to prior to our game.ā
Thereās one additional weird detail about Wynyard, which was uncovered by the Louisville Courier-Journal a few hours after the suspension was announced. According to messages sent by fraternity and sorority members at Kentucky, Wynyard showed up to at least one party alongside an armed student who said he was āprotectingā the basketball player. From the Courier-Journalās report:
The Group Me message circulated by sorority members in January stated: āthere is a (person) showing up to parties with the basketball player Tai Wynyard. (The person) showed up last night to our rush party and ... had a gun ... said he was āprotectingā Wynyard. ... If you go out tonight and see (person) DO NOT APPROACH (person). Share this to EVERY SISTER.ā
According to the Courier-Journalās source, Greek life members exchanged pictures and identified Wynyardās alleged bodyguard. The source also said that fraternity and sorority presidents discussed the incident with the Interfraternity Council, with the IFC telling members, āMake sure to be careful.ā A spokesman for the Kentucky IFC told the Courier-Journal that they do not comment on student disciplinary matters.
The Courier-Journal didnāt name the armed student because no criminal charges have been filed against him. They also contacted a Kentucky spokesperson, who said he could not comment on the timing of the suspension, or whether it was connected to this incident.
