While Kentucky had been having a terrific offseason after the hiring of Mark Pope, the roster for next year was still missing a key piece. That was until BYU transfer guard Jaxson Robinson made the call for the Cats, withdrawing from the NBA Draft and committing to Kentucky.
Robinson was one of the top targets for Kentucky ever since Pope took the job in Lexington. Not only did he have a successful career with Pope as his head coach, but he also fit exactly what Kentucky needed. It was a no-brainer.
Robinson played two years at BYU for Pope, averaging 11.4 points per game across 66 games. He was BYU's leading scorer last season at 14.2 points per game off of the bench.
Despite his success last year, and in the two years under Pope, there is still more room for growth says the Kentucky head coach.
“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."
Robinson was the Big 12's Sixth Man of the Year this season and was terrific despite coming off of the bench.
In BYU's biggest wins, Robinson was a 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 NCAA Tournament loss to Duquesne.
Robinson is a terrific three-level scorer, headlined by his ability to shoot the ball. He shot 35.4 percent from three but is streaky.
"He is an elite level shooter, is increasingly dangerous off the bounce and at the rim and has the potential to become a big-time playmaker," Pope added. "Jaxson guards with length and balance and understands how important it is to build strong relationships with his teammates.
"On a personal level, I’m so excited I get to finish his college journey with him in pursuit of Kentucky’s ninth national championship.”
This was by far the biggest win for Mark Pope and the Cats this offseason. It was a major position of need and a player who was obviously very aligned with Pope and his system.