27 threes per game? John Calipari: "This may be a team to take that many"

Kentucky launched a total of 18.0 3-pointers per contest in 2022-23. The year before? 17.5. Then 19.1 in ’20-21, 14.8 in ’19-20, 16.4 in ’18-19, 14.8 in ’17-18 and 19.9 in ’16-17 — the closest to the 20-attempt-per-game threshold John Calipari has had during his time in Lexington. Before that, the next-closest was 18.6 per game in 2010-11, John Wall’s squad launching 18.3 each outing the year before in ’09-10.

To open the Wildcats’ run in the 2023 GLOBL JAM in Toronto, Kentucky took 27 total 3-pointers against Team Germany, sinking nine. West Virginia transfer Tre Mitchell led the way with four makes, followed by fifth-year senior Antonio Reeves with three and blue-chip freshman DJ Wagner with two.

A significant part of that? Just take a look at the shot chart. Long twos were essentially non-existent with the exception of two pull-up makes from Rob Dillingham — hey, sometimes you’ve got to let the kid cook, right? That’s what the “ultimate green light” is for.

Beyond those attempts, Kentucky’s output was essentially all outside or inside looks.

Calipari says it isn’t by accident. The Wildcats have the pieces to play a run-and-gun style of basketball while using the dribble-drive to get paint touches and kick-outs for 3-point looks in the halfcourt, as well.

“My team a couple of years ago was one of the fastest teams, and I’ve had De’Aaron Fox — a lot of fast teams. This team should be a really good 3-point shooting team. At the half, we’re 3-15. Like, what? And then we come out and we make threes and you separate.”

If you liked the 27-attempt model, you may want to get used to it. Because Calipari wants this group to launch at a high volume, knowing that the potential for efficiency is there. It’s a team of shot-makers, and if they all hit a combined, say, 12 3-pointers per contest, the opposition has no chance.

And if shots aren’t falling, they’ve got the attackers and finishers to win that way, too.

“We took 27. This may be a team to take that many,” Calipari said. “It could be where you bury people because you make 12. But we’re also a team that can get to the basket because the kids are — these kids are a little rougher and more physical than normal freshmen. It’s a good group. It’s a good group.”

The Hall of Fame coach said at halftime he wanted the Wildcats to take more threes after shooting 15 before intermission. He’s had four teams since he got to Kentucky not average that many in an entire game.

Expect that to change in 2023-24.