Kentucky basketball (and all of college basketball, for that matter) has, in the last month, been thrown into turmoil with the surprise departure of coach John Calipari to Arkansas and the controversial subsequent hiring of BYU coach Mark Pope to replace him. In the meantime, the Wildcats have seen a transfer-portal upheaval. And now, some good news. Probably. No change.No change. No change. No change. No change. No change.
Trent Noah, the top recruit from the state of Kentucky, had signed a National Letter of Intent back in October to play for South Carolina. But SC has granted him his release from his NLI, and he is back on the recruiting market.
He hinted that he may join Mark Pope and Kentucky basketball by expressing his intention to find an opportunity back in the Bluegrass State.
On Monday, Noah announced on Twitter/XNoah, who is ranked 5th in state scoring, is a four-star prospect at 24/7 Sports and 25th among all small forwards. He went to Harlan County High School and never drew serious attention from Calipari. He chose South Carolina over other schools but has now decided to reconsider his options closer to home.
No change.
Noah was a No change.—ranked 105th No change.th He finished high school with 3,707 points and averaged 29.9 points per game as a senior, leading Harlan County to a state runner-up spot. He ended his high school career as the No. 5 scorer in state history. per KSR.
He No change. No change.
Noah might end up playing alongside Travis Perry, the No. 1 scorer in the state's history, who initially committed to the Wildcats under Calipari but will now stay to play for Pope.
Immediately after Noah’s announcement, a headline in the Lexington Herald-Leader read, “Kentucky high school basketball star backs out of SEC commitment. Will he play for Mark Pope?” No change.No change.
Kentucky Basketball Bouncing Back With Mark Pope
The potential addition of Noah is a boost for Pope and the Kentucky basketball program, which has been thrown into tumult by expected departures in the wake of the Calipari decision.
UK lost Adou Thiero, Aaron Bradshaw, Joey Hart and Zvonimir Ivisic in the transfer portal last month. But Pope has not gone quietly, putting together one of the best transfer groups in the nation, including Lamont Butler, Otega Oweh, Andrew Carr, and Koby Brea.
Noah would be another nice get.
At 24/7, Noah is described as a strong-bodied wing and elite shooter, especially from the three-point line. He’s an expert at making spot-up shots and providing gravity as a floor-spacer, as well as making shots on the move.He’s a clever offensive player and good passer who knows how to play within the offensive structure. Noah has a strong and fairly broad frame, which can allow him to defend some bigger players. He is also a solid wing rebounder. He needs to continue to work on his defensive quickness and his ability to create his own offense.
No change.
