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Q & A With Newest Kentucky Basketball Commit Reece Potter

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Kentucky basketball commit and Miami (OH) transfer Reece Potter
Miami (OH) Athletics

The week is off to a great start for the Kentucky Wildcats as they added 7-foot-2 Reece Potter to the roster on Monday.

Potter, a Lexington native, played two seasons at Miami (OH) before entering the transfer portal this offseason. He elected to fulfill a childhood dream to be a Kentucky Wildcat, choosing Kentucky over the likes of Dayton, North Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin.

In his own words, “They didn’t really have to sell me on anything,” Potter said to Kentucky Insider shortly after making it official with Mark Pope on Sunday night. “I have always known what the blue and white means, being a Kentucky kid, so it’s kind of hard to say no.”

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Potter spoke with Kentucky Insider about his recruiting process, commitment to Kentucky, and more!

Q: You entered the transfer portal in late March. When did playing for Kentucky start to become a possibility?

Potter: It was definitely later. So, I had a bunch of colleges reach out to me in the beginning, and then Kentucky. Coach Fueger messaged me like a month ago or so, with the opportunity to talk to me and to start to get to know me. I was trying to get towards the end of my recruitment, but as soon as Kentucky contacted me, I was like, ‘Oh, well, that’s where I’m going.’

Q: What other schools were involved in your recruitment?

Potter: I talked to Dayton a lot. I went on a visit there. I was talking to Wisconsin a lot. I was talking to Washington a lot, and then North Carolina was probably the one leading. You know, I talked to Coach (Hubert) Davis, you know, you know, every week for a while.

Q: What was Kentucky’s most consistent message to you through your recruitment?

Potter: They didn’t have to sell me on much. You know, growing up as a Lexington kid, the Kentucky jersey is something you dream about. I got told by Reed, Travis, Trent, like, it’s a dream come true once you put on that jersey and walk into Rupp Arena and people are cheering you. That’s kind of what they were selling me on.

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Then, just like the parts of developing. Every player last year. They mentioned the fifth-year guys last year, you know, Amari Williams, kind of the older players that had played a couple years of college basketball. Last year at Kentucky, they had bigger roles and kind of bigger minutes in the SEC, probably the best conference that’s ever been assembled last year, they all had better years last year, kind of as older players. It was just kind of crazy to me. You know, Lamont Butler had his most efficient year last year. Amari Williams came from a lower mid-major and had a better year. So that’s kind of what they sold me on, the developmental piece, and they’ve proven it.

Q: You still have two more years of eligibility. What is your goal for developing in that time? Will you finish your career out at Kentucky?

Potter: Yeah, I got a couple more years. I definitely got time to develop and kind of, you know, mold me into the player they can and they see. That’s the big thing I want to finish out my years at Kentucky. It’s home for me, like I grew up there. No place better to finish out my college career than at home.

Q: Now that you are committed, what part of playing at Kentucky excites you the most?

Potter: I grew up here, so I kind of knew a little bit about it. I knew Big Blue Nation was crazy, but I didn’t realize they were this crazy. This is kind of a surreal moment. It’s kind of like your dreams are coming true. I didn’t realize it last night when I told Coach Pope, now it’s hitting me. Just all the people reaching out, all the fans. It just, it’s kind of wild. It’s surreal.

Q: Mark Pope’s offense really fits big men that can shoot and pass. How do you feel like you can fit into that system?

Potter: It’s a get up a lot of threes, quick pace offense. More of an NBA style offense, which really intrigued me because the NBA’s kind of gone towards big men who can pass and shoot. That’s what they sold me on, and that’s what they do. Back to his (Pope) time at BYU and his other schools, that’s what they did. They had big men who could do multiple things. That’s kind of something I think I can get into and lean into.

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Q: Who do you model your game after or study on film?

Potter: I would like to say (Nikola) Jokic. He’s awesome. The way he’s able to do stuff is just insane. He’s not the most athletic dude out there, but nobody can stop him. That’s kind of who I look at, and try to do similar things he does. You know, obviously, I wish I could do it at the same level he does.

Q: What are your greatest weaknesses?

Potter: Weaknesses, everybody points it out, it’s probably getting bigger and stronger. Being able to rebound in traffic and finishing through traffic. That’s definitely something I’m looking forward to improving next year.

Q: Most underrated part of your game?

Potter: Most underrated, I’d say my passing ability. Being able to make some tight passes for guards and wings cutting and stuff. That’s something I look at, being able to be a little bit more of being able to be a little bit more of a playmaker sometimes out there to help relieve the pressure from the guards that are always just getting hounded all game.

Q: You told me this staff “knows what it takes to win and how to develop players.” You could see that last season. Watching from afar, how impressed were you with Mark Pope’s first season?

Potter: It was extremely impressive. It was a group of people who weren’t the highly, most recruited people. Obviously, they should have been. Some people missed on that. You know, they got it done last year. The way Coach Pope and the staff were able to just gel that team together was very impressive to watch from an outsider. I know that took lots of practices, lots of communication, and then they were able to get it done. They had many top wins last year, just every time you think they would lose, they got it done on the court. So that’s just it’s how Coach Pope does it.

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Q: I’ve talked to multiple players about how different Coach Pope is compared to coaches they’ve had in the past.

Potter: Coach Pope is definitely a different type of coach that I’ve ever had before. Usually, a lot more anger, a lot different type of word choice than he probably uses. That definitely stands out to me the most, just how positive a guy he is. He’s just always trying to make his players feel good because that translates onto the court. He instills confidence in his players, which is really important to me.

Q: You mentioned talking with some friends, former and current Kentucky alums. What did you talk about?

Potter: I talked to a couple of them. So, I’m friends with Malachi, and then I’m friends with Travis and Trent and them. So, I talked to them a little bit throughout the years, just what it meant to them and how fun it was to play in that atmosphere, and how fun it was to put on that jersey. They were able to ‘hook’ me with that stuff.

Q: Are you ready to battle against Malachi?

Potter: We used to go at each other back in high school. So those were fun days. He’s a great athlete. I mean, he’s 7’1″. He blocks everything. So, it’s definitely fun to go against him. He’s a top talent. I mean, they’re considering him a lottery pick. So obviously, it’s going to be fun to go against that type of talent every day with him and then all the rest of the bigs.

Q: Two years into college basketball, what have you learned on and off the court that has made you better as a player coming to Kentucky?

Potter: Consistency. You’ve got to be an everyday guy in college. Whether it’s stretching, doing rehab, getting shots up. I mean, if you don’t — everybody’s a top talent. In high school, you can get away with it, but in college, everybody is trying to work hard to get to the next level and get to their dreams. So just being consistent, working every day, because you have to at this level.

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Q: How was your quiet visit to Kentucky?

Potter: I didn’t really do a visit. I mean, I’m from Lexington, so it was kind of like, I could have shown them around, honestly.

Q: Being around Kentucky and playing at Miami, there are big differences between the programs. Can you talk about that?

Potter: Miami was great. It was a great place, a great mid-major. They compete for MAC championships every year. I’d probably say that’s probably the biggest difference. At Miami, we were competing for MAC championships to try to upset teams. At Kentucky, you’re competing for national championships, and you’re the one teams try to upset.

Q: You mentioned being a Kentucky kid, growing up, I assume you were a Kentucky fan. What are some of your favorite Kentucky basketball moments/memories?

Potter: I definitely grew up a Kentucky fan.

I’d probably say the team that won it all with Anthony Davis. That was just how talented that group was. I feel like the whole team got drafted in the first round, so probably that.

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Q: Who is your favorite Kentucky player?

Potter: I feel like I have to say Daniel Orton. I trained with him my whole high school career, so I feel like I have to say him or he’ll get mad. Otherwise, I’d probably have to say his leading man, Demarcus Cousins, just how dominant he was in college. He’ll probably get a laugh out of that, I think.

Q: What are your biggest interests outside of basketball?

Potter: Definitely just hanging out with my teammates and friends. Those are your guys. Those have become some of your best friends. I’m just hanging out with them, watching movies, going to play golf, just stuff like that. Just being around them as much as possible because that’s what builds a team. That’s what influences winning.

Q: You were a talented pitcher in HS. What made you strictly focus on basketball?

Potter: Yeah, it’s actually kind of a funny story. I never played AAU other than when I was very young. I always played basketball in the winter and baseball in the summer. Going into my junior year, I tore my elbow again for the second time, and I had to get surgery again. One of the AAU teams reached out to me, and I had nothing to do. My elbow was torn. I couldn’t go play baseball. So, I was like, ‘I might as well just go play basketball this weekend.’ I ended up playing against a top five-star prospect and had a pretty good game. I got reached out to by Xavier and a couple of other big schools. I was like, oh, well, I might want to keep doing this.

After that, I just kept playing the rest of the summer, still thinking I wanted to play baseball. Then I had quite a few top offers and I was like, ‘Ah, I should probably pursue this.’ That’s when I started taking things really seriously. It took off from there.

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Q: What’s something unique about you that people may not know, on or off the court?

Potter: I have a great driver. I would probably say that. I’m terrible at golf. I’m probably like a plus 12 (handicap) or something. I’m horrible. But I’m a great driver and I’m terrible at everything else. I swing like it’s a baseball bat, and somehow I hit it straight.

Men's Basketball

The Bluegrass Call: Otega Oweh Returns To Kentucky For The 2025-26 Season

The wait is over. Otega Oweh is returning to Kentucky.

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Otega Oweh and Mark Pope
Chet White | UK Athletics

Big Blue Nation has been waiting weeks for Otega Oweh’s decision, and the moment is finally here.

After participating in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine and testing his luck against the best young talent in the world, Oweh has officially decided to withdraw his name from the draft and return to Kentucky for his senior season.

Jonathan Givony was the first to report Oweh’s decision on May 28, sending Wildcat fans into a flurry of emotion that their leading scorer from last year’s team is officially back.

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Before last season began, fans knew that Oweh was a highly regarded prospect with loads of potential, but until he proved it night in and night out, it remained uncertain who the star was going to be on the 2024-25 roster.

Many expected it to be Jaxson Robinson, who played under Mark Pope at BYU and held four years of experience under his belt at the collegiate level. Next in line was Lamont Butler, who also opted into his fifth-year option and brought Pope’s squad a level of confidence and dependability with the ball, having played deep into the season with San Diego State multiple times.

However, when the Wildcats were riddled with injuries, Oweh emerged as “the guy” in the blue and white. There’s countless moments you can reflect on from his junior session: locking up the nations’ best with Cooper Flagg, dropping 20 or more points on a nightly basis, embarrassing his former team, the Oklahoma Sooners, not only once but twice with his clutch performances, and ultimately walking off of the court as a leader, a mentor and a legend in every associated Kentucky fan’s eyes.

Oweh gave the season hope, taking on a role that was unexpected.

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When the final buzzer of the season sounded, many of the Kentucky faithful wondered what was next for double-zero, and if he wanted to “run it back” with Pope and company.

On April 15, Oweh declared for the NBA Draft, calling Kentucky fans the “best fans in the world.” At the time, the decision seemed quite scary for those keeping tabs on Pope’s second-year roster, but the last line in Oweh’s announcement remained crucial: “…while maintaining my NCAA eligibility.”

Looking back, maybe awaiting the decision was probably stressful for the best fans in college basketball, seeing the “former” Wildcat bully defenders in the combine and have his way offensively. Oweh waited until the day of the withdrawal deadline, and even had another workout the same day. Reports came out that he was receiving great feedback from the NBA programs, and that sentence sounds scary.

When he originally entered the draft process, he was presumed to be just be trying his luck, which did a complete 180 when he stated that he’s wasn’t doing anything “one foot in, one foot out” and that he wanted to achieve his dreams.

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Well, look at it now. The decision has been made and Oweh is going to put on the blue and white once again. He followed his heart, and soon his own form of the bluegrass call, “Oweh, Oweh, Oweh”, will be chanted throughout Rupp Arena after every captivating play and bring a fire to his soul.

The ninth championship in Kentucky basketball history is long overdue, but now, the odds are ever in their favor. Pope has his superstar back, and he’s prepared to lead his team its former glory.

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Men's Basketball

Otega Oweh Receiving “really, really good feedback” From NBA Teams Ahead Of Looming Draft Decision

As the deadline to withdraw looms, Otega Oweh has reportedly received very positive feedback from potential NBA Draft suitors.

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Otega Oweh's NBA Draft decision is coming down to the wire.
Chet White | UK Athletics

In the midst of all the extensive excitement regarding Kentucky’s incoming roster, many have taken for granted one of, if not the most important pieces on the potential team – that is, one Otega Oweh.

When the draft process began, Oweh’s entry felt like “testing the waters”, and not much more. But as the deadline for players to withdrawal has drawn nearer and athletes around the country return to their collegiate homes, #00 has yet to make a choice. What’s more? He’s only got until tomorrow. One way or another, Oweh’s official decision as to whether or not Kentucky will see him return for a second season will have to be made before the clock strikes midnight on Wednesday, May 27.

So, which way is the Lexington fan favorite leaning? Well, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander on the Eye of College Basketball Process, this may be a barn burner.

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Wait and See

Despite many reports predicting Oweh’s return to Kentucky, he’s received some “really, really good feedback in the past four or five days,” said Norlander, who previously thought he was “almost a guarantee” to return to Rupp. “I would still pick that he comes back to Kentucky, but apparently what he’s gotten back recently has been good on that end.”

“So, we wait and see on that.”

Undoubtedly, Oweh’s decision looms large in regard to Kentucky’s roster construction, in addition to the priceless impact he had on the team and community’s culture in Mark Pope’s first year. If he were to leave, major backcourt minutes would be blown wide open for the taking, and questions of a potential additional player would certainly begin to circulate.

Until then, though, all the Big Blue Nation can do is sit back, support their starting small forward, and wait. Either way, Oweh had a special year in Lexington. Even if it doesn’t run it back, the best fans in the nation will support this particularly special Cat for a long time to come.

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Q & A With Kentucky Basketball Signee Andrija Jelavic

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Croatian Kentucky basketball signee Andrija Jelavic holds a Q&A with Kentucky Insider as he prepares to move to Lexington this summer.
ABA League

When thinking about Kentucky basketball’s additions this offseason, one may overlook Andrija Jelavic.

Not for a lack of talent, as the 21-year-old led the ABA League, a top 10 league in Europe, in rebounding. It’s largely due to his surprise announcement. It was reported in early April that Kentucky had been in contact with a talented stretch big, and less than a week later, he was committed.

In the weeks since, Jelavic has been focused on finishing his season with KK Mega Superbet, who lost last week in the Serbian SuperLeague Quarterfinals. Now for Jelavic, the focus is on getting to Kentucky and trying to raise a banner.

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Ahead of his move to Lexington, he sat down with Kentucky Insider for a Q&A.

Q: When did playing for Kentucky start to become a possibility?

The first contact with them was when we played against Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade Arena (March 17th). I had a good game and I heard that Kentucky was interested in talking to me and already that was a dream to me.

Q: What makes playing for Kentucky a dream? Coach Pope mentioned that you cried when talking about playing at Kentucky. What makes it so emotional for you?

It’s just that basketball is my life and it’s very important to me. When the fans started to text me and comment on my posts to be a Wildcat, I saw that Kentucky fans live for basketball and to be a part of something so special means so much to me. I got emotional a bit.

Q: Talking to the staff, what is their vision for you? What did they say in your recruitment?

Their vision for me is what I already am, a big man (four man) that can stretch the floor with my shooting, dribble, scoring and playmaking, while also being a very good and versatile defender on the other side of the floor. I also think I can make the team better with my off ball movements and scoring that way.

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Q: Speaking of your play style, which players do you model your game after or study on film?

I model myself after players like Lauri Markkanen, KAT and Kevin Durant.

Q: You mentioned KAT, a former UK player. Have you spoken to any former Kentucky players, and what do you know about Kentucky growing up?

I exchanged some messages with Koby Brea because I’m gonna be wearing his number 4. About Kentucky, I always knew that they are the biggest franchise in college basketball history, and just everything about them is legendary.

Q: What are some things you and Koby talked about? Did he give you any advice?

He just told me to go be great and that he can’t wait to see me play. Also, that he likes my number decision.

Q: You talked about talking with Koby Brea, have you spoken to any of your upcoming teammates yet? If so, what about?

I have exchanged some messages of excitement and responsibility with my teammates. We all agree that the ultimate goal is the same and that is to bring a championship to Kentucky, to the state and the fans.

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Q: It’s been some time since you committed. Have you been cleared to play? Is there an application process or any visa things that have to be sorted?

I committed to Kentucky while my season was still not finished. I actually just finished my season with Mega a week ago, and I did all the application processes and everything. So I will be cleared to play soon.

Q: What part of playing at Kentucky excites you the most?

Definitely playing at Rupp Arena and celebrating victories with the fans.

Q: What are your goals this season and for your career at Kentucky?

Definitely to bring many wins and hopefully a Championship to Kentucky. To be a player that Kentucky will always remember.

Q: What are your biggest interests outside of basketball?

I like to watch anime, and tv series and movies. Also like playing video games sometimes.

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Q: What is your opinion on American food? What is your favorite food from Croatia?

My encounter with American food was really short, so I can’t say much, but as far as I have seen, I liked it. From Croatia, I like cevapi very much.

Q: Do you have a nickname you’d like to go by?

Up to now, I always went by ‘Jela,’ but we will see what my nickname will be here at Kentucky.

Q: When do you plan to arrive on campus?

I don’t have the exact date yet, but it will be soon. A week or two.

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