Antonio Reeves hits pause on recruitment, Oregon emerges

Illinois State transfer Antonio Reeves has been on commitment watch from the time he left his official visit to Lexington last week. Kentucky emerged as the overwhelming favorite and it was no longer about if, it was about when.

A week passed following the visit and whispers of an imminent announcement grew louder and louder. Word leaked that a silent commitment to the program had taken place, and all that remained was Reeves going public with the decision to make it official. First it was Friday, then Saturday, then Sunday. Maybe Monday? Not that, either.

Reeves finally went public on Tuesday, but not with a commitment. Instead, he shared a list cut, leaving DePaul, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oregon and Xavier in contention. It wasn’t just a delay, it was a clear sign he’s hit pause on his recruitment completely.

The reason? Playing time and a clear role, a source close to the situation tells KSR. After reaching the conclusion that Kentucky was the choice, Reeves is now going back to the drawing board to evaluate his options, with one school emerging as a real contender. That program? Oregon, with a visit now on the table.

The opportunity for significant playing time and NIL money puts the Ducks in the thick of things.

“NIL is also a huge topic when it comes to consideration of schools,” the source told KSR. “The two most important factors here are how much he can earn in college, and how large of a role he can have on the team.”

Kentucky remains in the hunt, but the various moving parts on the roster ultimately kept Reeves from pulling the trigger this weekend, as expected.

“It’s not closed off to Kentucky,” a source told KSR. “It very well could happen, but there’s been some brake-pumping on both sides.”

Kentucky is still waiting for a final answer on Shaedon Sharpe, while also reaching out to South Dakota State star transfer Baylor Scheierman. Keion Brooks Jr. is also testing the draft waters and weighing his options regarding his future in Lexington. With Sahvir Wheeler, Oscar Tshiebwe, Jacob Toppin, CJ Fredrick, Daimion Collins, Lance Ware, Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston all expected back on next year’s roster, at minimum, Reeves simply wants to reevaluate his options and remain patient with a final decision.

“It’s more of a, ‘Let’s wait and see what else is out there,’ type of deal,” a source said.

The standout guard led Illinois State in scoring as a junior, averaging 20.1 points on 46.9% from the field, 39.0% from three and 81.8% from the line to go with 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per contest. He led the Missouri Valley Conference and finished top 20 in all of Division I. 

The Athletic ranks Reeves at No. 23 among the available transfers, with ESPN listing him at No. 30 overall.