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Men's Basketball

What We Learned From Kentucky’s Gold Medal Performance at GLOBL JAM

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UK Athletics

Last week, Kentucky participated in GLOBL JAM in Toronto where the Cats went 4-0 en route to a Gold Medal.

GLOBL JAM gave us our first look at the 2023-24 Kentucky basketball team, and there is plenty to get excited about. Here are some observations and takeaways from the event.

“Big Brother” Reeves

Getting Antonio Reeves to return for another season was significant, but his performance last week displayed just how significant. Averaging 23 points and shooting an unreal 58 percent from three through four games, Reeves took home GLOBL Jam MVP honors.

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An effortless scorer, Reeves has the ability to get hot in a hurry, especially on Saturday when he made a staggering eight threes against Team Africa. One reason he was so successful was the roster he has around him. With multiple players that can beat their man off the dribble and improved spacing, Reeves has the opportunity to improve on his SEC Sixth Man of the Year season.

It wasn’t just Reeves’ play that was impressive, but also his leadership. He spoke on that on Saturday: “That’s what I’m here for – to be big bro.”

Multiple Scoring Threats

Something that was made clear at GLOBL JAM is that Kentucky will have no shortage of scoring threats. Of course, Antonio Reeves led the way for the Wildcats, but behind him, different players stepped up in each game.

Looking at Kentucky’s backcourt with DJ Wagner, Rob Dillingham, and Reed Sheppard, they are all capable scorers, both inside and out, but striving at getting to the rim. On the wing, Justin Edwards and Adou Thiero showed their all-around skillsets, with Edwards being the Wildcats’ second-leading scorer behind Reeves.

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As for the bigs, Kentucky is notably without Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso. This led John Calipari to play Tre Mitchell at the five, which spread out the floor due to his shooting ability, something he liked. Even more promising, when asked how the offense will change when Bradshaw and Onyenso ultimately return, “No different. We’re doing the same stuff.

Glue Guys: Adou Thiero And Reed Sheppard

One of the most surprising and intriguing parts of GLOBL JAM was seeing the progression of Adou Thiero since last season. Thiero is much more confident and comfortable, no longer just showing flashes.

Thiero looks stronger, and he showed his all-around improvement this week.

Another guy who will demand playing time is freshman guard Reed Sheppard. One of the most surprising developments from last week was Sheppard’s play. He showed his ability to make the right play, and an all-around solid player, with a high IQ.

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Sheppard and Thiero may not be the most talented players or have the highest potential, but they are the most intelligent and have the versatility to play with any lineup. Due to that, they both will have more playing time than anticipated after their impressive play.


Kentucky fans have plenty to be excited about, and anticipation for Big Blue Madness is growing.

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Men's Basketball

Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno Earn Conference Preseason Honors

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Photo via Chet White | UK Athletics

On Monday, Oct. 12, Kentucky’s Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno both earned All-SEC preseason honors, with the Iowa State transfer selected to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team and the returning sophomore selected to the Preseason All-SEC Third Team.

Momcilovic is entering his senior season with the Wildcats, looking to follow up his junior campaign after reigning as the undisputed best shooter in college basketball. He averaged 16.9 points per game last year, with his shooting splits reading 50.6/48.7/87.8.

Leading the Cyclones to a No. 2 seed and being selected to All-Big 12 Second Team, it’s safe to say that this isn’t the first time that Momcilovic has been left off of the top list, making the Kentucky superstar hungry to prove the haters wrong on a much larger stage.

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Moreno is returning for his sophomore season after earning All-SEC Freshman Team honors last year, looking to show the Big Blue Nation everything he learned throughout the draft process and that he has changed this summer.

The Kentucky native was thrown into the fire, earning 30 unexpected starts for the Wildcats. He developed as the season went on, ending the 2025-26 campaign averaging 7.8 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.

With both Momcilovic and Moreno as staple players on this year’s roster, the SEC has slated Mark Pope’s team to finish seventh in the conference this season, finishing behind Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Vanderbilt.

The full lists of the All-SEC Teams can be found below:

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First Team

  • Rueben Chinyelu (Florida)
  • Juke Harris (Tennessee)
  • Thomas Haugh (Florida)
  • Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State)
  • Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt)

Second Team

  • Amari Allen (Alabama)
  • Alex Condon (Florida)
  • Milan Momcilovic (Kentucky)
  • Jordan Smith Jr. (Arkansas)
  • Matas Vokietaitis (Texas)

Third Team

  • PJ Haggerty (Texas A&M)
  • Malachi Moreno (Kentucky)
  • Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn)
  • David Punch (Texas)
  • Billy Richmond III (Arkansas)

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Men's Basketball

Otega Oweh Shows Flashes in First NBA Preseason Appearances

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Photo via Getty Images

Former Kentucky standout Otega Oweh took another step in his basketball career on Tuesday night, making his NBA preseason debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder and taking on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Oweh came off of the bench and played 28 minutes, finishing with six points, six rebounds, two steals, one block and an assist. The former Wildcat struggled offensively, shooting only 3-of-9 from the field and missing all four of his free throw attempts.

Despite the shooting struggles, Oweh showed flashes of his defensive ability and physicality that made him a fan favorite during his two seasons in Lexington.

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The Pelicans escaped with a 116-110 win, leaving the Thunder with a 0-1 record. The next night wouldn’t draw a different result, with Oweh’s team losing by two and only playing the beloved superstar a total of 16 minutes.

Due to foul trouble, this would be the only minutes he would receive, ending the game with two points on three shots.

Oweh was selected with the 41st overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Thunder after averaging 18.6 points per game during his senior season at Kentucky, joining former Wildcats Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Although his preseason debut wasn’t the offensive performance he might have hoped for, Oweh will have more than enough opportunities to prove himself as he looks to earn a role in a professional rotation.

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Competes at Annual Pro Day Inside of Rupp Arena

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Photo via Marissa Gilchrist | UK Athletics

Kentucky held its annual Pro Day on Tuesday, Oct. 6, where NBA scouts were able to watch the team go through individual drills and a live game-like scrimmage. There are plenty of takeaways that stood out during the two hour practice. Let’s dive into it:

1.) Franck Kepnang Shows Off in the Paint

The first thing that stood out was transfer big man Franck Kepnang, with the seven-foot big from Washington dominating in the paint. Starting with the individual drills, he showed his size and ability to get downhill off of a pick-and-roll.

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The bigs went through a finishing through contact drill, and the new Wildcat seemed unfazed by the pads being pounded against him. With Moreno and Kepnang running the paint together, it will make it very difficult for opposing teams to stop both of them.

2.) Ousmane N’Diaye Has High-Scoring Performance

Overseas big Ousmane N’Diaye was another standout in front of the NBA scouts. In the first six-minute “quarter”, N’Diaye led all scorers with eight points.

He showed off his ability to score at all three levels, hitting multiple threes and also demonstrating his ability to score in the paint. N’Diaye wasn’t playing the five spot, which really allowed his team to stretch the floor and help with spacing.

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With Moreno, Kepnang, N’Diaye and Reece Potter all standing at seven-feet tall, Mark Pope has the opportunity to run a four-big lineup all while each player hones a different skillset. Having this much size will pay dividends come time for conference play.

3. The Forwards Do a Little Bit of Everything

A few other players who performed well were Milan Momcilovic and Braydon Hawthorne. Momcilovic played very unselfish during the inter-squad scrimmage, looking to first get his teammates involved and not forcing his game whatsoever.

He did hit a nice step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer in the second “quarter”, highlighting his 10-point performance. Hawthorne had some great looks from beyond the arc and did a phenomenal job getting his teammates open, driving and distributing the rock.

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He finished with six points and one assist.

Overall, the whole team appeared molded together and played as a unit rather than just isolation ball, which is a great sign in early October. There is no shortage of individual talent on this roster, and that was evident on Tuesday, with leaders and experience at every position.

The wait is almost over BBN. Kentucky will take the court in its first exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 16, when Little Rock comes into town. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET and will air live on SEC Network+.

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