Trent Noah (UK Athletics Photo)
Even though Mark Pope has not really spent time talking to local media members since Kentucky’s 2025-26 season ended with 14 losses, he has been available for the UK Sports Network and select national media outlets.
He dropped a bit of surprise this week when he was on the “Inside College Basketball” podcast with national college basketball writer Jon Rothstein and was asked about who has been the biggest surprise on UK’s roster during summer workouts.
The Kentucky coach praised junior Trent Noah as the player not getting the attention/credit he deserves for what he has been doing.
The former Harlan County star had a solid freshman season and both Pope and UK players were bragging on Noah’s shot-making a year ago because of his shooting prowess. But once the season started, Noah shot only 36 percent overall from the field and 33 percent from 3. He averaged only 3.0 points per game and only scored in five Southeastern Conference games. He went 0-for-9 from 3 in the month of February.
But Pope certainly raised the expectation for Noah earlier this week.
“Probably the guy that’s getting talked about the least that is showing out right now is Trent Noah,” Pope said on the podcast. “He’s physical and he can really shoot it.
“Part of the issue last year was when we lost our point guard spot (Jaland Lowe to injury) and we lost a real creator vibe on our roster. It hurts guys like Trent who might not manufacture a lot of shots, but if shots can be manufactured for him, he’s going to make them all it feels like.”
Make them all? There goes Pope setting an unreal expectation again.
Pope did tell Rothstein there had been other pleasant surprises so far.
“This Ousmane N’Diaye is really, really interesting,” the UK coach said. “When you get to lay eyes on him, you’re going to … he’s just so long and he really shoots the ball.
“Justin McBride is a guy that hasn’t been talked about a ton who has had a ton of reps and is a very, very versatile player, brings some physicality.”
He also brought up center Franck Kepnang, a Washington transfer playing his seventh season, and Braydon Hawthorne, who redshirted at UK as a true freshman last season.
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“Franck Kepnang, if he can stay healthy — everybody’s seen what he can do when he’s healthy. He could have a big impact for us,” Pope said. “There are a lot of guys with the potential to step up and really be difference-makers. We’ve been talking for a year about Braydon Hawthorne, and we think he’s got it. He’s got a really high ceiling and a ton of potential.
“So we have a lot of guys that have a chance to step in and make an impact on this team, and we’re going to count on all of them to do it.”
8 Responses
Trent Noah would be hitting 3’s at 45% to 50% as would Travis Perry if they were given the proper start their 1st seqson by playing 18 to 20 min each their 1st 10 games to adjust to college ball AND if any of the pope staff knew how to coach using screens for them to get a quick glance at the bucket. Travis Fors was a phenomenal 3 pt shooter & Pitino had his big men setting screens along the 3 pt line. The lack of coaching has cost KY boys their opportunity to excel. It’s just basic BB, setting screens. Instead there have been ball hogs who won’t share the ball – so UK has had medicine groups of players who don’t care about UK or even about winning.
I agree last year he should have gotten more playing time but his freshman year him and Perry just weren't ready..they did play more than anyone thought they would as freshman we just didn't have the personnel to support them to be able to truly grow on the court. One thing was that Perry was actually starting at point guard for some games when Butler and Kriisa were hurt. I think if Perry would have came back his sophomore year that would have helped us last year. I think Perry would have played more than Noah because we didn't have a point guard last year and I think Perry would have been a better point guard then Aberdeen. Aberdeen was a true 2 guard. Perry can play both the 1 and the 2 and in my opinion he's better at the 1 because he's dangerous with the ball in his hands. I think if we had Perry this year he would backup Zoom Diallo and probably get about 16-18 mpg. Last year he would have gotten 18-20 mpg as the starting point guard when Lowe went down. I do think Noah can be the surprise on this team. If he works very hard this summer he can be someone who comes in the game and the other team will have to pay attention or he will burn you. You have to think about the 2 positions he can play the 2 and the 3. With Wilkins starting at the 2 and Hawthorne backing him up both Hawthorne and Noah will have to split time as the backup 2. Milan will play around 30 mpg. So whoever backs him up won't get as much time. K.Williams is the backup 3 and he will get about 15-18mpg. I think this year's team will play so much different than the past 2 teams that backups will get there number called depending on what we need. If we need shooting and rebounding Noah will play. If we need defense and guys who can get to the basket then Hawthorne will play. It just depends what we need in the game. I do believe Noah will get more and more playing time. The guys who have played in front of him in his college career have all moved onto other teams. That's what burns me up more than anything. Is when you play someone to get them experience then they leave at the end of the year you got burnt. This happens to Pope more times then not. I would talk to the players get a feel for what you think they will do and play guys accordingly. We have a chance to get all of these guys back for another year except Kepnang. So what would I do if I was Pope? I would play Reece Potter over Kepnang because Reece Potter will need the experience to get better and possibly get a ton of playing time on the 27-28 team. That's like McBride and N'Diaye both have another year after this one so what do you do? Play whoever is making the team better a little more. This is as every position. Like I can see Morton being a backup guard this year playing about 15-17 mpg. He can use this year to get better and possibly start as a 5th year senior. Can you imagine the 27-28 team if Diallo/Wilkins/Milan/McBride/Moreno all come back except Moreno if we could get 3-4 starters back and 4-5 guys off the bench back who contributed this year we would have a scary good team in 27-28. I think at the most we will have 3-4 guys off this team declare for the draft Milan, Moreno, Zoom, and say Kam Williams has a big year as the 6th man and is the 6th man of the year in the SEC. We still have a lot of pieces that will come back in 27-28 with Alex Wilkins being a preseason first team all SEC candidate and McBride, N'Diaye, Noah, Potter, Hawthorne and Mason Williams all back. I think by conference play Mason Williams will be the backup point guard. I think as a sophomore depending on who we bring in he could either be the starter or play a ton of minutes as a sophomore. With Mason Williams we have our first real point guard under Pope who can do everything it takes to win. He plays with what he has and that's what I love about Mason. On offense he takes what the defense gives him and he can create and if you leave him open he will knock down the 3. The one thing he can do at a elite level is defend and facilitate. I'm a big fan of his game and I think he will learn a lot from Zoom this year.
You typically have solid & balanced views of the players & team as a whole,, even if it may not he exactly how I see things. Your comments are always informative & detailed – very clearly presented. I enjoy the comments of most of the most frequent VV followers.
Have a good day!
I'm not a fan of Jon Rothstein. He clearly doesn't like Kentucky. Never has and never will. He claims to be "neutral" in college basketball and not have a favorite team but to me he has always shown alot of love for Indiana. Anyways I think Pope can brag on Trent Noah all he wants but im not going to believe it until I actually see it in the games. He said the same thing last year and he would go 2-3 games in conference play and never get off the bench and this was team that was riddled with injuries. Collin Chandler basically beat Noah out of minutes the last 2 years. If Chandler would have just went to BYU out of high school then that would have helped Noah develop more and more because he would have received a lot more playing time. This year I think Noah can get 8-12 mpg maybe average around the same maybe 4ppg 3rpg. I do believe his shooting percentage will go up to around 40%. I think he's a year away from cracking the real rotation. You get 5 years now so he will have this year and 2 more years. The last 2 years he's here he will go from like 6th man 7th man role as a senior to maybe a starter or another 6th man role. I do believe his senior year he will average about 7-8 ppg followed by a 5th year were he cracks double figures at like 11-13 ppg. He will be very close to if not pass the 1,000 point club when it's all said and done. Just for him being here for a third year gets me excited because he could be on the verge of a surprise year this year.
Look he could very well be the best "horse" player on the team or best practice shooter. You have to make them in the game . Period . End of story. Ive watched him in warm ups before a couple games. He hardly ever misses. Thars warm ups. Making that translate to a game apparently and obviously is between his ears.
Noah came out of Harlan County burying three's. He has been shooting lights out ever since. That's until he enters a college game. Then he couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a base fiddle. Perry finally figured it out after two years. Some said he would flourish at Ole Miss. Wrong. In two years in the SEC he averaged 4 pts and Less than One assist per game. Maybe Noah will join him next year.
Perry worked his way into the starting lineup at Ole Miss and has some games hitting better than 50% of his 3’s. This season will be even better. More minutes makes a big difference for any sharp shooting player.
Playing against mediocre talent should help Perry. He just needs to stay out of the Big Boy Leagues.
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