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The landscape has changed for a typical college basketall star. Most freshmen expect to play early, leave early and spend as little time on the bench as possible in between.

That's why John Calipari knows he's got a special player in Doron Lamb, a McDonalds All-American who, despite proving he is a star in the making, has yet to start a game at Kentucky.

It's a heck of thing right now because he could be in my office saying I want to start, I need to be starting and I'd have to deal with that," Calipari said of Lamb, who has never complained about his role as the Wildcats' sixth man.

There hasn't been much to complain about recently. Lamb set a Kentucky freshman scoring record with 32 points in the Cats last game.

Calipari says his stock continues to rise.

"There's less pressure on him than anyone on the team and he just goes in and lets it fly," he said.

Calipari hasn't ruled out inserting Lamb in to the starting lineup in the future. Either way, he'll be one of the team's leaders in minutes played, he said.

Lamb has got used to the role, even though he can't remember the last time he played on a basketball team and didn't start.

"It was tough at first but I realized I'm doing good off the bench. I'm just playing good right now so I'll keep doing it," he said.

Lamb is a dynamic scorer with an above average basketball IQ and has no trouble quickly slipping in to the flow of play as soon as he gets his chance.

"His feel for the game is beyond a normal player," Calipari said.

His smooth game is coupled with a relaxed personality and Calipari had to prod Lamb early in the season to crank up his aggressiveness and tempo.

Day to day it's still a work in progress but when it's time to play, Calipari admits Lamb is a gamer.

"I got to get him to practice with more of a motor than he does but when that ball is thrown up, he goes." Calipari said.