4 questions to answer as Kentucky begins summer workouts

1. Can Jaxson Robinson take the next step as a go-to scorer?

Jaxson Robinson was the Big 12's Sixth Man of the Year this season and was terrific despite coming off of the bench. Now he needs take his game to another level.

In BYU's biggest wins during the 2023-24 season, Robinson was a massive factor. He had 23 points agianst NC State, 17 points against Texas and 18 points against Kansas. 

He had 25 of BYU's 67 points in its 2024 NCAA Tournament loss to Duquesne.

Kentucky needed someone on the perimeter who was going to be able to create shots on their own, play on the ball and be someone who could be 'the guy' when the Cats needed a bucket.

He has all of the tools to do so, but needs to be able to take that scoring from 14 a game to closer to 18 a game to be the guy that Kentucky needs.

“Jaxson Robinson has been one of the most improved players in the country for two straight years and is barely scratching the surface of his potential,” Pope said. “His growth trajectory is incredible." 

This is an ideal situation for Robinson and Pope. With their history together, they both know exactly what to expect from one another and also how to push each other to get the best out of each other.

His experience playing for Mark Pope will be extremely vital in numerous ways.

"Most importantly, for us and our locker room, he knows me," Pope added. "He knows how we play."