In just his second year leading the charge for Kentucky, Kenny Brooks led his 2025-26 Wildcats team to a record-breaking run from long range. The Cats 341 made threes set a single-season program record, led by a similarly historic 99 makes from Amelia Hassett. Yet somehow, some way, headed into his third year, Brooks believes his squad is primed to raise that bar even higher.
Brooks, in a clip form FOX 56 News' Jordan Adams on X, highlighted the importance of keeping center Clara Strack at the center of Kentucky's operation; part of opening up her game is surrounding her with players that will compliment her skillset inside.
"Last year, we had to adapt a lot," Brooks said, circling a spot for improvement on a Wildcats squad that made it as far as the Sweet 16, in spite of their faults. "We had four kids get drafted to the WNBA, but their strength was not shooting. So a lot of times she [Strack] was bombarded, she was crowded, she was double-teamed."
Basically, if Strack is to operate at her highest possible level, Kentucky needs to space the floor around her. Brooks' words are one thing, but the Big Blue Nation doesn't have to look far to see the evidence of this philosophy in his recruiting.
Even in losing the aforementioned Hassett, this bunch of Wildcats can absolutely flame from distance.
A Three-Point Focused Kentucky Team
Not only is Asia Boone running it back in the blue and white this season (she shot 36.5% from three last season, netting 96 attempts), but we've got names across the board coming in who have exhibited the ability to score consistently from distance.
Transfer guard Diana Collins (39.8%) is a highlight, accompanied by freshman Emily McDonald (who won a three-point contest earlier this year, for what that's worth) and Savvy Swords. The latter shot a scorching 50% from three in the 2024 U17 World Cup.
Memorial Coliseum should see as many, if not more wins this season, and more scoring than ever should come from deep. So long as Strack continues her upward trajectory, and Brooks' plan to prioritize her goes, well, to plan, Kentucky could be primed for a real run.
Year after year, the hiring of Coach Brooks looks better and better. He's yet to replicate the Final Four that helped make his name at Virginia Tech, but if he continues to meet the game's modern standards, raising the blue and white ceiling all the while, that may be the next thing to change.
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