Film Room: Trent Noah

This one didn’t take like to come to fruition. On Tuesday afternoon Trent Noah announced that he had been released from his National Letter of Intent at South Carolina. Then, just over 24 hours later, Coach Cody Fueger dropped a “boom tweet” signaling that good news was on the horizon. Soon after, Noah announced that he would be staying in-state and suiting up for the University of Kentucky.

The three-star, Top 150 prospect from Harlan County High School brings Coach Mark Pope’s scholarship roster count to 10 players. Noah finished his high school career fifth all-time in KHSAA history scoring 3,707 points. Of course, fellow Kentucky signee Travis Perry is the state’s all-time leading scorer with 5,481 points. The 6’6″ guard averaged 32.3 points and 9.8 rebounds in the Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena while leading Harlan County to the state championship game before ultimately falling to Perry’s Lyon County squad. He shot an incredibly 19-34 from three-point range during that four-game run which included a 48-point performance against Campbell County.

As always, we’ve been hard at work inside the KSR Film Room breaking down the Wildcats’ latest addition. Coach Pope added an incredibly skilled offensive player that was one of the best pure three-point shooters in the Class of 2024. Trent Noah is likely a developmental piece that will do his best work for Kentucky in the coming years, but that isn’t to discredit what he could do sooner rather than later. Skill and shooting are at a premium under the regime. Don’t be surprised if Noah carves out a role as a high-level catch-and-shoot threat. However, regardless of what he brings to the table this season, locking up an in-state star to develop in Lexington is big for this staff as they reset the culture. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at what Kentucky is getting in Trent Noah.

Elite Shooting Ability

If you are going to have one elite it skill it pays for it to be shooting. After producing shooting splits of 56%/43%/88.9% throughout his senior season, Trent Noah took things to another level during the Sweet 16. That is where the Harlan County product shot an incredible 56%/56%/88% while leading the Black Bears to a runner-up finish. His state tournament run made him legendary in the Bluegrass state, but his play on the 3SSB Circuit with Midwest Basketball Club is what garnered nationwide attention. Here is what On3 Senior National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw had to say last summer.

“Trent Noah had a very good summer on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit. It was the consistency throughout that really stood out. For starters, the jump shot. He is a weapon off the catch, with deep range and a quick and confident release. Noah has good footwork of movement, and maintains good balance throughout.”

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Especially when evaluating film of a player that wasn’t necessarily at the highest levels of high school basketball nationally, it is important to find directly transferrable skill. It doesn’t matter if he is playing for Harlan County or the University of Kentucky, Trent Noah is going to run off of staggered double screens. His ability to set his feet and get this shot attempt off quickly will transfer to high-level college basketball.

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This is good, old-fashioned hand down, man down. Noah receives the pass on the wing and gives a little jab step to his defender. That move is just enough to get the defender to drop his hands, so Noah elevates and knocks in the three-point attempt. At 6’6″ on the perimeter he doesn’t need much space to get a clean look.

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It takes a high skill level to be moving at full speed, stop on a dime with a behind-the-back dribble, and rise up into a three-point attempt. Trent Noah isn’t going to wow you with his athleticism or explosiveness, but his very fluid and has great footwork. That comes into play frequently on the perimeter and is part of why he is such an effective three-point shooter. He is always on balance and has his feet set even when on the move.

Underrated Ability Off the Bounce

At Kentucky, especially early in his career, whatever playing time Trent Noah earns will be related to his shooting ability. However, down the road, his underrated ball-handling could unlock his true ceiling. The 6’6″ guard has a tight handle, uses his body well to play through contact, and is very comfortable finishing around the basket. Due to his size at Harlan County, it wasn’t uncommon to find Noah scoring in the post like a forward. Those skills translate to being a high-percentage finisher at the end of his drives. With the pressure he will put on opposing defenses due to his shooting ability you can expect to see him have some success attacking closeouts. The ball skill is impressive and will make Noah more than just a shooter at some point in his career.

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There is a level of fluidity to Noah’s game that is really impressive. He can change direction and make multiple moves to get to his spot. This clip showcases what he can do off of the bounce and how his size allows him to finish at a high level inside. Again, this likely won’t be his strong suit in Lexington, but it is good to have the skill level.

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There is a world where Trent Noah could develop into a small-ball, pick-and-pop 4-man before he graduates. A college strength and conditioning program will serve him well in the coming years. However, even with his size on the perimeter, Noah is very comfortable playing off of ballscreens. Here he is able to reject the ballscreen as his defender starts to cheat over the top for fear of giving up a three. Then, he makes a strong pro hop back to his right hand to finish. This is a play you could see Noah making even early on in his career at Kentucky.

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Having a high skill level off of the bounce can translate to more three-point shots as well. Noah has proven his ability to run off screens and make catch-and-shoot threes, but he also can make them off of the dribble. Here is an example of how he can freeze the defense with some dribble moves before elevating into his shot. Also, this clip once again showcases Noah’s balance and overall footwork. Everything about his game screams high-level shooter.

Evaluation

The pure shooting ability is what stands out the most when evaluating Trent Noah. He has excellent footwork off of screening action, can space the floor deep beyond the arc, and has the positional size to get more clean looks from the perimeter. It will be the shooting ability that translates soonest to the collegiate level. Noah is a very comfortable and confident ball handler which could allow him to attack closeouts and use his size to finish around the rim against smaller defenders. He doesn’t have the raw speed or athleticism of many high-major players, but the skill level closes the gap. Establishing a floor as a high percentage catch-and-shoot threat is a good start for Noah. Anything he provides beyond that is icing on the cake for Coach Pope and the Wildcats.