BB: summer recruiting and Trent Noah updates

Smeegs

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Nov 19, 2025
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We heard the EXACT SAME noise about Noah from Pope last off season. How he never missed, how he’d gotten in incredible physical shape, how folks were amazed at his improvement, etc.

And then the season began and it turned out he was not any better at all. I think I’m gonna decline to fall for the hype this time.
 

Anon668007

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Mar 31, 2026
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We heard the EXACT SAME noise about Noah from Pope last off season. How he never missed, how he’d gotten in incredible physical shape, how folks were amazed at his improvement, etc.

And then the season began and it turned out he was not any better at all. I think I’m gonna decline to fall for the hype this time.
I’m surprised the hype started so early this offseason.
 

RedwoodHigh

All-Conference
Nov 18, 2025
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Hey Mark Pope..this is why you won't be coaching Kentucky in two years. Get the hell on trying to gas BBN up about Trent Noah. No offense to Noah. I'm not trying to dog our own but Pope leaves us no choice. Circus show
Pope & Trent will be together at Ky for 3 more years while winning 82 more games with at least 2 sweet 16’s & a Final 4 .
Trent will go on to play Pro ball in Europe & then become a coach at a Power 4 school
 
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Jun 10, 2026
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Pope & Trent will be together at Ky for 3 more years while winning 82 more games with at least 2 sweet 16’s & a Final 4 .
Trent will go on to play Pro ball in Europe & then become a coach at a Power 4 school
Is Trent going to become a coach after next year lol? I'm on board if they get to a final four and win 82 games.

But seriously I'm not trying to just crap on Noah. Pope is doing him dirty. Just let him come in and perform as an underdog so we can praise him instead of acting like Larry Bird is loading. I like Trent and think he can contribute to winning but geez. You just cant sit here as the head coach of Kentucky and say Trent is the best defensive player on the team. Even if it's true you can't say it because that's going to be a ugly season.
 
Jun 10, 2026
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I seen where he said that about Trent while scrolling on Facebook but I assumed it was fake news. I was getting ready to start a thread about it but didn't because usually Facebook has all the fake stuff.

But then I come here and see it's true. Kind of disappointing. But hey nothing would be better than Trent killing it this year and having total confidence in his shot.

I'd love for him to prove me wrong.
 
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megablue

Heisman
Oct 2, 2012
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Hopefully, Noah has improved and is both stronger and quicker. When he receives playing time, he simply needs to let the game come to him, but needs to confidently take the shots when he's open for them. I hope this will be his best shooting year as a Wildcat. I can see him with a 40% rate from three on the season ...
 

UKCowboys

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Oct 14, 2019
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Hopefully, Noah has improved and is both stronger and quicker. When he receives playing time, he simply needs to let the game come to him, but needs to confidently take the shots when he's open for them. I hope this will be his best shooting year as a Wildcat. I can see him with a 40% rate from three on the season ...
He wouldn't be the first player to have a rough couple of seasons only to mature into a very good player. 15 years of one and done makes that a distant memory here
 

Wildcat_in_DC

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Nov 25, 2025
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Hopefully, Noah has improved and is both stronger and quicker. When he receives playing time, he simply needs to let the game come to him, but needs to confidently take the shots when he's open for them. I hope this will be his best shooting year as a Wildcat. I can see him with a 40% rate from three on the season ...
33% his FR year
33% his SO year

oweh shot better both of his 2 years but got tons of crap as a "non shooter" from fans. but with trent they keep believing he is something he hasnt been able to show.
 

Beatle Bum

Heisman
Sep 1, 2002
42,662
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Yes, let’s put more pressure on Trent Noah. Wish the staff would chill with this narrative. Let Trent be Trent.
Or maybe publicly encourage him by acknowledging his hard work and achievements. The pressure is on Trent regardless of what is said. Maybe he benefits from his coach publicly acknowledging him. Do you know Trent personally?
 

megablue

Heisman
Oct 2, 2012
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33% his FR year
33% his SO year

oweh shot better both of his 2 years but got tons of crap as a "non shooter" from fans. but with trent they keep believing he is something he hasnt been able to show.
I agree ... but am hoping this season will be his best.
But ... he has to MAKE the shots, of course.
 
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Im The Village Idiot

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I still believe there’s a good basketball player in Trent Noah. He will benefit from having shot creators to set him up. Think he has a good chance to be the contributor people are hoping for in Braydon.
 
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Wildcat_in_DC

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I agree ... but am hoping this season will be his best.
But ... he has to MAKE the shots, of course.
i'm not sure what noah has done to get playing time. my fear is pope will fall in love with the 10-11 guys we have on the roster and revert to playing tons of players, rotating guys in and out early in the season. thats fine against the cupcakes, but you need to lean on 7-8 guys for the real games.
 
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tls

Heisman
Nov 7, 2007
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He is a very good positional defender. He guarded Nate Ament in the game at Knoxville last year and more than held his own. Of course, he's white and that bothers some folks on here.
 
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megablue

Heisman
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i'm not sure what noah has done to get playing time. my fear is pope will fall in love with the 10-11 guys we have on the roster and revert to playing tons of players, rotating guys in and out early in the season. thats fine against the cupcakes, but you need to lean on 7-8 guys for the real games.
I understand and agree 100%. Noah, along with all the others, should only get minutes that have been earned and help the team win, most importantly in March. Production is the key for everyone, especially with 14 scholarship players. Necessarily, some will only get "walk-on" minutes to close out games. ... and Noah could be one of them. We'll see ...
 

ComebackCats98

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I’ve watched Noah take over major high school games and score 40+ points in person like Reed Sheppard did in high school. The talent and shooting ability is there. I also think he’s a very solid rebounder for his size. I don’t think his strength is creating his own shot. However, I think having guys like Diallo and Wilkins who can create will help open him up a lot.
He struggled to shoot last year, but who was going to create offensively? Aberdeen was forced into the PG role and did reasonably well. Jasper Johnson isn’t a creator and neither was Chandler. I know it’s popular for some to bash the local guy who wanted to be here, but I think he’s very capable of having a Derek Willis like impact.
 

theKybluedude

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Jul 2, 2025
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Pleased to see Trent mature and develop. Like where he said he’s working to use the shot fake and dribble to get into the free throw area to create. He can score on pull ups in there and pass. He’s strong and a high iq player. Effort is there.

Proud of him that he stayed the course and didn’t transfer. I’m sure he can contribute in his own way. Loves putting on that UK uniform. Pulling for him.
 
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Major_Tom

Sophomore
Apr 16, 2010
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Or maybe publicly encourage him by acknowledging his hard work and achievements. The pressure is on Trent regardless of what is said. Maybe he benefits from his coach publicly acknowledging him. Do you know Trent personally?
This formula didn’t work last year. In fact he seemed nervous and pressing. But hey, I’ll be thrilled to be wrong.
 

FitchandMurray29

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Dec 11, 2021
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This thread kinda diverged into a Trent thread. It’s funny I feel like when most really boosted him up before playing a game here, I was more skeptical. Then after he’s struggled a couple years the sentiment has completely flipped and now I find myself defending him.

Honestly there’s a lot of parallels between him and Justin McBride.

You bring up McBride’s horrendous performance and shooting his first two years in college “players can’t improve!?!?!?” type responses flood the board. If Trent had a sub 250 KenPom SOS on a sub 200 type team situation, I’m confident he would also look much better.

Trent really struggled in those times last year Pope would panic and try bringing him in for a floor spacing 3 point threat. In the 13 games Trent played in where he had 10 or fewer minutes, he made zero 3s. He shot 44% from 3 in the games he played more than 10 minutes. If you draw the conclusion he shot better against worse teams, you’d definitely be on to a contributing factor and I’d point you back to McBride…