Big Blue Nation loves a team that fires up threes. Pope’s first team is well on their way to carving a space out in the storied history of Kentucky basketball.
One particular player is on an absolute heater. Koby Brea, the transfer from Dayton. In just a few games, Brea’s shooting has been nothing short of legendary, and his stats prove it.
Brea has hit an astonishing 20 of his 27 three-point attempts, giving him a jaw-dropping 74% from beyond the arc. Yes, you read that right, and no, that's not his free-throw percentage; that's 80%.
Koby Brea is shooting 79% from deep through 4 games. Here are all 19 attempts from this season.
— Steven Peake (@StevenPeakeKSR) November 21, 2024
Most of them don't even graze the rim. pic.twitter.com/jkKyREAYM1
To put this into perspective, his three-point percentage is better than 261 NCAA teams shooting from the free-throw line. That’s right—he’s more reliable from deep than most teams are from 15 feet.
The numbers get even crazier when you look at his effective field goal percentage: 92%, according to TeamRankings.com. For comparison:
Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, another efficient scorer, has an effective FG% of 90%—but he’s taken only five three-point shots out of 47 attempts.
On the other hand, Brea thrives on the deep three-pointers, making him an ideal fit for Mark Pope’s fast-paced offense.
Koby Brea has attempted 27 three-pointers this season
— WT - Lamont Enthusiast (@WildcatsTongue) November 23, 2024
He's made 20 of them (74.1%)
He's swished 18 of them (66.7%) pic.twitter.com/sqR83Q6gKy
For Kentucky fans, Brea’s shooting is a revelation that is well welcomed. His ability to stretch the floor has opened up driving lanes for Lamont Butler and Otega Oweh while creating nightmares for opposing defenses. They can't leave him no matter where he is on the floor.
This kind of shooting efficiency isn’t just impressive—it’s game-changing and breaking for opposing teams. Brea’s hot hand has made him a must-watch player and a critical piece of Kentucky’s offense this season, even though he only plays 22 minutes a game.
Koby Brea is on pace to make more 2's this season than he did the previous two years combined.
— Brandon Ramsey (@BRamseyKSR) November 23, 2024
He has always been a good ball handler and a good shooter off of the ballscreen, but now he has expanded his game to being able to attack the rim as well.
Good pace. Tough finish. pic.twitter.com/63N2gX6QWv
If he keeps shooting like this, Kentucky’s hopes for a deep March run just got even brighter. One thing’s for sure: every defense Kentucky faces will be scrambling to figure out what to do with him. The big issue is everyone is a great shooter for Kentucky. Key in on Brea, and they'll find the open man. They had 29 assists against Jackson State.
With Koby Brea lighting it up, the Wildcats are as dangerous as ever. Big Blue Nation, buckle up—this season is just getting started, but it could be a historic one.