BB Recruiting

Why Antonio Reeves Is a Good Fit at Kentucky

Published

4 years ago

May 2, 2022

UK Athletics

Following Tuesday’s reports that Antonio Reeves could delay his decision to May 10th-15th, the transfer from Illinois State surprised the Big Blue Nation on Wednesday as he announced his commitment to Kentucky.

Reeves’ decision conveniently came just hours after the NBA confirmed Shaedon Sharpe’s eligibility for the 2022 NBA Draft, so take that for what you will.

With that being said, Kentucky is receiving one of the best scorers available in the transfer portal in Reeves, and we will discuss why he is such a good fit at Kentucky.

Fills a position of need

Despite bringing back the unanimous national player of the year, a Bob Cousy finalist point guard, and bringing in two McDonald’s All-American freshmen, there is not a pure scorer, which is where Reeves comes in.

Losing two players of a similar mold, Davion Mintz and Kellan Grady to graduation, Kentucky is in need of shooting and scoring, and Reeves most certainly brings that. Last season, Reeves averaged 20.1 points, and did so efficiently, doing so on a usage rate of 28.6% and while shooting 46.9 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range, and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Unlike Mintz or Grady, Reeves is a better all-around scorer and has shown that he can provide scoring as more than a spot-up shooter.

He is a bucket getter

One of Kentucky’s biggest weaknesses in recent years has been scoring within the half-court offense. Just last season, Kentucky was rated just slightly above average in shots taken in the last 4 seconds of the shot clock, (62nd percentile).

That weakness is a strength of Reeves’, as last season he ranked in the 88th percentile nationally in late clock situations, and received an “excellent” grade by Synergy. In addition, Reeves earned the same grade as an overall offensive player, pick-and-roll ball-handler, jump shooter off the dribble, and isolation scorer.

What does this mean? In short, Reeves can get you a bucket when it’s needed most.

Veteran leadership and his “Chicago mindset”

In an interview with The Athletic’s Kyle Tucker, Reeves talked about what he can bring to Kentucky, saying, “With the experience I have in college, I can be a leader. I can be one of the guys who helps the younger players to understand how to play, what their role is, teach them the pace of the game. And just that Chicago mindset, being gritty and giving it all I got.”

As the current roster stands, Reeves will come in having scored more points in college basketball than anyone else on the team (1,195). While the level of competition hasn’t been the same, Reeves has scored 17 against Ohio State and 25 against a Big-Ten winning Wisconsin team in hislast two matchups against Power Five teams. His experience and scoring ability will bring much-needed stability to the backcourt next season.

Coming out of high school, Reeves was not a highly recruited player nor has he yet to prove that he can play on college basketball’s biggest stage. However, he will bring his Chicago toughness and will fight to help Kentucky towards the goal of a national championship.

A leader, a scorer, and a fighter. Kentucky got a good one folks.

BB Recruiting

Kentucky Basketball Receives Prediction to Land International Star Nikola Kusturica

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2026

Tristan Pharis

Kentucky basketball has taken over as the favorite for Serbian star Nikola Kusturica, a projected lottery pick in 2028, with a prediction backing the Wildcats.

Just when many believed Kentucky’s roster was complete in terms of contributing players, Mark Pope might have an ace up his sleeve.

Last week, it was reported that Kentucky was among the frontrunners to land 6-foot-8 Serbian wing Nikola Kusturica. At the time, Gonzaga was thought to be the team to beat, having a more defined role to offer, compared to Kentucky, who has one remaining roster spot and a good amount of depth in wing positions.

Since then, things have shifted in a big way.

Gonzaga received a commitment from 18-year-old French guard Juwan Ekanga-Ehawa on Sunday. By Tuesday night, the Wildcats received a Crystal Ball prediction from 247Sports’ Travis Branham to land Kusturica, with a confidence level of 7 out of 10.

The 6-foot-8 wing currently plays for FC Barcelona in Spain’s Liga ACB and EuroLeague system. He just turned 17 years old and is reportedly seeking a two-year college opportunity before becoming draft-eligible in 2028, where he is already being projected as a lottery pick.

The on-court résumé speaks for itself. In the 2025 FIBA U16 EuroBasket, he averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while leading Serbia to a championship and was named tournament MVP. He also helped Barcelona capture the Adidas NextGen Finals championship last month, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds in the title game against Real Madrid.

Next, Kusturica will represent Serbia in the FIBA U17 World Cup from June 27 to July 5, and a college decision could come before then.

Mark Pope is carrying a lot of momentum in recent weeks after retaining Malachi Moreno and adding Milan Momcilovic to this season’s roster, as well as landing the first top 10 prospect of his career in Ryan Hampton. If he can close on Kusturica, that would cap off the roster in a significant way and continue to change the narrative around his recruiting ability.

BB Recruiting

Kentucky Earns Commitment From No. 6 Prospect in 2027 Class Ryan Hampton

Published

2 weeks ago

June 7, 2026

Kai McClelland

Photo via UK Athletics

How about a Sunday boom in the recruiting world for you BBN?

Ryan Hampton, the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2027 class, has officially committed to the University of Kentucky! This is Mark Pope’s first top-10 prospect that he’s earned a commitment from.

Hailing from Rockwall, Texas, Hampton recently took an official visit to campus with his family, which began on Friday, June 5 and spilled into Sunday, June 7, his commitment day.

The five-star wing averaged 21.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during the most recent EYBL Circuit, playing for LivOn and Nightrydas.

Hampton was the first recruit in the 2027 to officially visit with the Wildcats, and now he’s the first to call their shot early and choose the blue and white.

Pope has signed Milan Momcilovic, the No. 2 ranked transfer, and Hampton, his first top-10 high school prospect just in the past week.

It’s been a crazy week for recruiting, with the narrative around Pope’s ability slowing fading as the top guys continue to be attracted to the Kentucky brand.

BB Recruiting

Fast Riser Big Man Yann Kamagate Receives Scholarship Offer From Kentucky

Published

1 month ago

May 18, 2026

Tristan Pharis

Fresh off the first live recruiting period of the offseason, Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats have extended their first scholarship offer of the 2028 class.

Yann Kamagate, a prospect who went from unranked to the top five in 247Sports’ most recent recruiting rankings, received an offer from the Wildcats, he confirmed to KY Insider on Monday.

“Not everyone gets the chance to be seen by greatness,” Kamagate told KY Insider. “I’m grateful for the offer from Kentucky.”

Kentucky assistant coach Mikhail McLean, who works with the Wildcats’ big men and their development, watched Kamagate first-hand this past weekend in the Adidas 3SSB circuit in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The 7-foot big man was the talk of the weekend, displaying a high motor, extreme athleticism — a reported 7-9 winspam — and great feel for the game. On the circuit, he is averaging 13.9 points, a circuit-leading 10.4 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game.

Originally from the West African country of Burkina Faso, Kamagate moved to the United States just a year ago and has only been playing basketball for three years. Now, he is challenging for the top spot in the 2028 class.

He is currently represented by former NBA player and UCLA star Luc Mbah a Moute. Which is relevant as he is currently playing for the California Adidas team, Compton Magic, and attends La Cañada Flintridge (Calif.) St. Francis.

The offer is the latest signal that Mark Pope’s staff is casting a wide and aggressive net this offseason, and targeting players whose trajectories are trending sharply upward. Kamagate fits that profile exactly.