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I could be wrong — and I am a lot — but I really believe that Antonio Reeves finished his career as one of the most under-appreciated players in Kentucky basketball history.
He was Southeastern Conference Sixth Man of the Year averaging 14.4 points per game during the 2022-23 season after transferring to UK from Illinois State. He made a team-high 80 3-pointers, had four 20-point games off the bench and scored in double figures in 26 games, including 37 in a win at Arkansas.
Reeves was not initially sure he would stay at Kentucky for a fifth collegiate season. He flirted both with the NBA and transferring to another college team before coming back to Kentucky.
Not only was he a team leader, but he averaged 20.2 points per game and shot 51.2 percent from the field, 44.7 percent from 3 and 86.3 percent at the foul line. He made 84 3-pointers and got to the foul line 131 times, both team highs. He developed a lethal floater and also got to the basket and finished in contact much more. On top of that, he improved his defense.
He was also Mr. Consistency for John Calipari’s team. He scored in double figures every game but one and had at least one 3-pointer in all but one game.
Reeves scored 1,155 points in two seasons at Kentucky. Only Bill Spivey (1,213) scored more points in a two-year span at UK.
Sporting News columnist Mike DeCourcy wasn’t sure how anyone could have left Reeves off an All-American team after all he did at UK this season.
“He is a terrific offensive player,” DeCourcy said. “He has been way under valued all season. We had Antonio on our third All-American team and he should be at least that for everybody.
“I have been disappointed by some votes. He’s definitely on the top 15 player list for anybody or should be. He was just undervalued due in part to the offensive weapons UK had.”
DeCourcy said Reeves’ consistency was perhaps his best trait.
“Look at the big shots he has made. He was a big shot maker from distance and on floaters when they needed a bucket to stop a run or get over the top,” DeCourcy said.
“I love what he did as an offensive player.”
4 Responses
I sure hope the rumor of Reeves getting screwed over by the UK coaching staff concerning n.i.l. isn’t true. Reeves proved to be unshakable when everyone else was crapping down there leg against the mighty Oakland squad.
They say Mitchell was the glue . I have to disagree . Reeves was the rock of this team ,
I agree he was way more consistent. You could count at least 20 from him every game. Reeves was also one of only 10 players in college history to score 1,000+ points at 2 schools. I don’t understand how the NBA wouldn’t have someone like him at least getting drafted. He’s a walking bucket. He was what a player ready for the NBA used to look like. 25 years ago he would be a lottery pick.
The media may have under appreciated him, but I don’t the majority of the fans did. It wasn’t hard to see that he was the only consistent player on the team.
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