Antonio Reeves Immediately Shows Off Range in Bahamas Win

The Big Blue Nation was unsure of what exactly Antonio Reeves was bringing to the John Calipari’s basketball team. If his first Kentucky basketball exhibition is any indication of what’s to come, the Cats’ backcourt is in excellent shape for the 2022-23 season.

A 6-foot-5 senior guard from Chicago, Reeves played his first three seasons of basketball for Illinois State. As a junior he averaged more than 20 points per game and shot 39 percent from behind the three-point line. They’re impressive numbers, but how would his talents translate from the Missouri Valley Conference to the SEC? So far, so good.

Antonio Reeves received the starting assignment in his first game and did not disappoint. He knocked down 4-of-5 three-pointers to score 12 points in the Kentucky win over the Dominican National Select Team.

“I’m loving it, just running with the team, coming out here and enjoying the brotherhood and playing hard on the court,” he told Jack “Goose” Givens during a postgame radio interview with JMI Sports.

In addition to his dead-eye shooting ability, Antonio Reeves was comfortable with the ball in his hands. He also did not appear to be deficient on the defensive end, using his length to bother opponents. Reeves recorded one of the Wildcats’ 13 steals. Kentucky turned 18 turnovers into 23 points. The Cats were quick to run in transition, scoring 30(!) fast-break points.

“That’s what we’ve been working on the whole summer, just practicing on our defense, practicing on our offense, and translating it on the court. That’s what we did today,” said Antonio Reeves.

The tumultuous aftermath from the Saint Peter’s loss created cries for more perimeter shooting throughout the BBN. A year ago John Calipari heavily relied on the transfer portal to reload his team. This offseason he only added one player to his backcourt from the portal. If Antonio Reeves can consistently play at this level for the Wildcats, college basketball is in trouble.