As the transfer portal opens and roster movement reshapes college basketball for the season ahead, decisions still loom for the Kentucky Wildcats, but one more player has announced their intentions: Trent Noah.
Entering the offseason, Noah found himself in a difficult position, weighing the value of staying with Kentucky, his home-state team he grew up cheering for, against seeking a larger role elsewhere.
Thankfully, the Bluegrass boy is staying home, as Noah announced on Sunday that he is returning
to Kentucky for a junior season. He made the announcement on Twitter, saying, “I’m back.”
Looking at Noah’s two seasons at Kentucky, it has been a mix of promise and inconsistency.
After a freshman season where he was expected to play a few minutes, he was thrust into 15+ minutes per game due to injuries. After showing flashes, such as an 11-point performance in a road victory against Tennessee, the hope for a big sophomore leap was there.
Getting into much better shape, summer reports had him tabbed as one of the best shooters on the team going into last season. As we have seen with players in the past, summer reports didn’t equate to in-season production. Given early-season opportunities, including three starts, Noah failed to make the best of them. On the season, he averaged just 3 points on 10.6 minutes per game, fewer minutes than his freshman season.
With his decision to return, Noah will still have more NIL opportunities at Kentucky than he would almost anywhere else in the country. On the court, he is choosing the respectable hard path, knowing that he will have to work and play himself into a role, and Kentucky will need him to be better next season.
