Co-Author: Wyatt Huff
Last summer, it wasn’t clear if Antonio Reeves would don a Kentucky uniform again. “I wasn’t sure at first,” Reeves put it himself. Not only did he return, he is likely to be named an All-American later this month, making good on the #AllAmericanAntonio movement on social media.
A former three-star prospect, Reeves has proved himself as one the best scorers in Kentucky basketball history. Sitting at 600 points on the season, already the 28th-best scoring season in program history, Reeves could jump into the top 20 and potentially even the Top 10 if he can play enough games to surpass 714 points. Something not many would have foreseen from the timid Illinois State transfer that joined Kentucky in 2022.
“He’s a different player. He’s made himself a pro,” John Calipari said. “Great layup shooter. Mid-range game, as good as anybody in the country. He’s shooting 50 percent. He’s also rebounding, defending better. He has lived in the gym.”
Throughout the season, Reeves has been a consistent producer for Kentucky to lean on, currently riding a six-game 20+ point scoring streak, and scoring 14+ points in 28 of 30 games this season. “It’s kind of like when he doesn’t get 20, like what?” fellow fifth-year senior Brennan Canada said. “On an everyday basis, he comes in and just brings it every single day. There’s no ups or downs. It’s always Antonio.”
That consistency on the court originates from consistency in the gym, putting up 500-1,000 shots per day. Something his father, Anthony, instilled in him at an early age, “If you give the effort, it is going to pay off.” The fifth-year Senior is averaging 20.0 PPG, tied for the most under John Calipari, while shooting an impressive 50.7% from the field and 43.5% from three-point range, both career-highs. “When he misses, he is stunned,” Calipari said.
Despite his impressive numbers, on a team with so much offensive firepower and multiple future NBA lottery picks, Reeves is often the player that does not get talked about enough, and that’s okay with him. “I just go out and play basketball.”
While Reeves will undersell himself, his teammate Tre Mitchell is sure to give him his flowers. “He’s a silent assassin,” Mitchell said. “He’s never going to talk about it. He’s never going to brag about it. Never showboating. He knows he’s going to go out there and do what he does. I haven’t seen anything like it.”
“He doesn’t get the attention he deserves… The one thing every single night that stays the same has been Antonio Reeves. We’re not in the position we are without him. On top of that, he’s a leader.”
On finalist lists for the Jerry West Award and Oscar Robertson Trophy, on All-American watch lists, the individual accolades will come. Reeves is focused on leading this Kentucky team to a deeper postseason run than a season ago. In one of his first interviews as a Wildcat, he said, “I want to win it all, and I want to win big.”
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