May 13 — I’m sending a special thank you to Trent Noah after the holiday weekend.
The Harlan County guard’s decision to change his future college plans was met with joy throughout the community and by one special person in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Noah will wear the blue and white next season and it allowed me to give my mom an early Mother’s Day gift when I texted her with the news on Wednesday.
And before you question my motives, she received a card and a gift from me, but I could see the excitement of this born-again sports fan. Many of our conversations now involve sports, including how the Braves — my mom’s favorite team — played the night before or reminding myself which channel the Celtics are playing on.
Of course, I already knew this information, but I appreciated the gesture.
The same joy resounded during Mark Pope’s introductory press conference last month. Not only do we have an alumnus, team captain and national champion steering the ship, but we will also have not one, but two elite high school players staying home to play for the Wildcats.
Mom was admittedly disappointed when Reed Sheppard left after one season, but with her recruiting expectations rising late in the season, she accepted his selection. She just wanted to see two Kentucky kids in the backcourt next season. Mom still gets her wish.
The mindset seemed to be shared by more than 24,000 people at Rupp Arena on April 14. It’s not often you see a crowd this size show up for an introductory press conference. Forget Texas. Everything is bigger in Kentucky.
The renewed energy inside that building seemed to bring an entire fan base back to life. Big Blue’s heart was still beating, but it needed new blood pumped back into its veins.
Bringing back one of our own and stopping bluegrass’ best players from looking elsewhere meant a much-needed fresh start.
Kentucky was mired in postseason quicksand after 2019. The following season was canceled due to a pandemic. The Cats haven’t danced in 2021 and have won just one NCAA tournament game over the next three years.
The Groundhog Day atmosphere had come to an end. Boasting a top recruiting class didn’t seem to matter much when you don’t win tournament games. “I feel good about the group coming next year” or “We’re just young” became a broken record that spun on our turntable long after the party was over.
The world of college basketball has changed. John Calipari didn’t want to change from this. The complete recruiting system brought Kentucky success in its early years. Appearances in the Elite Eight and Final Four. A national championship and an enjoyable undefeated season until a Wisconsin team dashed the dream.
With NIL money and the transfer portal, you are only guaranteed one season with any player. A No. 1 recruiting class doesn’t mean postseason riches. Bragging about the number of players who have become first-round draft picks holds no weight when you become a final player in the NCAA Tournament.
I can’t imagine Pope cares about Kentucky’s standing on draft boards. He goes after the ideal player who adapts to his system and values the shirt he wears every night. He will also go after the highest-ranked recruits. It would be silly not to do so. I would look for him to secure several big names in the future.
Pope understands what it means to play for a school you and your family grew up watching and spent nights in the garage dreaming that one day you could hold Kentucky close to your heart.
Pope and Wildcats fans get that with Travis Perry and Trent Noah.
“At its core, Big Blue Nation is nostalgia,” Pope said in The Atlantic. “It’s the emotion you feel when you’re in the gym cheering on the team with your family, with your friends, the way you mark the moments of your life by what the Cats did that year or that night. I don’t want to just put it out there like, ‘Oh, it’s just nostalgia.’ Because that’s the essence of Kentucky basketball.”
It helps that the duo are two of the elite scorers in Kentucky basketball history. Perry remains at the top with 5,481 career points. He became the 10th player to score 5,000 points nationally before leading Lyon County to the state title.
Noah is Kentucky’s fifth all-time leading scorer with 3,707 points. He averaged 30 points per game this season and had a stellar state tournament, leading Harlan County to the state finals. He made a state-record 19 3s during the Sweet Sixteen and produced a 48-point game against Campbell County in the quarterfinals.
“Trent Noah is one of the elite shooters in this class,” Pope said. “He is a tough, tenacious player with a special physicality. As a native of Eastern Kentucky, Trent will bring grit, toughness and determination to a program that is representative of this state.”
Noah, a 6-foot-1 guard, has made 43% of his 3-pointers this year. The stats and numbers are impressive, but when we first see No. 2 and No. 11 suiting up for Big Blue, it’s going to be a big night.
Noah and Perry played together and against each other. Having a familiar face with a similar love for UK basketball could help with the transition.
“Now that we’re on the same side, we’re working towards the same goal,” Noah told Kentucky Sports Radio. “We’re trying to keep No. 9 together. To finally be on the same team, it’s really special. This is one of the first people I texted after (my decision), and I’m super excited to get to work with him.”
Perry and Noah appeared at the top of recruiting boards. They were ranked 72nd and 103rd by 247Sports, respectively. They will join a veteran roster that Pope assembled in the transfer portal, including a guard with Final Four experience, the Mountain West and Colonial Athletic Conference Defensive Players of the Year, a group of Power 5 starters, a McDonald’s All-American and the current NCAA 3-point percentage leader. Not a bad first month for the incoming coach.
The arrival of Perry and Noah at Kentucky could influence state recruiting in the coming seasons, instilling new confidence in players here at home.
“It gave Kentucky kids a lot of hope,” Harlan County coach Kyle Jones said. “Kids who grow up playing basketball know that one day they will have a chance, if they work, to play at Kentucky.”
You can never blame a child for making the best decision for themselves when choosing their college path. Many of our region’s players are destined to compete at the next level and will find the best location to meet their needs.
The same applies to all state colleges. Don’t forget northeast Kentucky.
But if you meet the standards and play at a high level here, Kentucky should always come calling. Competitors and elite players like Trent Noah and former Mason County great Chris Lofton should never leave state lines.
The Wildcats have contacted several Kentucky players in the past with positive results. Perry will become the sixth Mr. Basketball to sign with Kentucky since 2008, joining Dontaie Allen, Dominique Hawkins, Jon Hood, Darius Miller and Sheppard. But it doesn’t happen often enough.
Let’s start a new trend and keep the bluegrass boys in Blue and White.
I hope all the moms had an amazing holiday. You are celebrated all year long.
