Amidst wave upon wave of transfer portal news and speculation (heavy emphasis on the latter), bits and pieces of team relevant news get easily lost in the tide. While Mark Pope and his recruitment posse were on the road looking for fresh faces, one player pledged his continued allegiance to Lexington back home.
Third-year forward and Harlan County native Trent Noah will return to Kentucky, as was reported by On3, likely ducking more lucrative offers in the process. Big Blue Nation will always be happy to retain a true blue player like Noah, and his staying power in Lexington is especially impressive with the way that the NIL system and transfer portal are operating right now.
But, as neat as it is for him to stick around, his role within Coach Pope's ever-evolving system is less clear now than it has ever been. Noah's ultimate fate will depend on the team's eventual makeup, but for the time, his consistent involvement is far from guaranteed.
Noah's Role Can't Be Concrete
Now before you come at me, BBN, I love #9 as much as the next superfan. Noah's corner triple and ensuing celebration on the road at Arkansas this past season was enough for me to sing his praises to the high hills of Harlan County forever.
But beyond the highlights, Noah put up just three points and two boards in 10 minutes of clock on an average night. His field goal percentage sat at just 35% and, from long range - where Kentucky needed him especially - he came in slightly lower, at 33%.
For two seasons now, Noah's numbers have been nearly stagnant, with his flat three-point average from this past year actually being the greater of his dual campaigns. While it'll certainly be nice to have ample SEC experience waiting in the wings, if Pope's team comes together as planned, Noah's minutes could dwindle even further than they already have.
An Anticipated SEC Juggernaut
With both Robert Wright III and Tyran Stokes visiting campus, Kentucky's staff clearly has a vision for a squad led by a handful of the nation's biggest names. That isn't to say that an injury won't come into play or that someone won't play as planned, but outside of those cases, Noah's role is one without shape.
At then end of the day, Cats fans will always back a Kentucky kid in blue and white; no matter where Noah ends up in the rotation, that will undoubtedly remain true.
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