'I was just waiting patiently every day.' Koby Brea only wanted to hear from Kentucky in the portal

After four seasons at Dayton, Koby Brea was looking for a fresh start in what would be his final run in college. Coming off a season in which he shot 49.8 percent from deep on 6.1 attempts per game, he was one of the most sought-after prospects in the portal this past offseason. The likes of Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, and two-time defending champion UConn were all fighting for his commitment.

But there was only one program Brea wanted to hear from. His dream school, the University of Kentucky.

“It was really funny. I tell this story a lot,” Brea told reporters on Tuesday. “My family, throughout the whole transfer process, they’re just like ‘Oh what are you thinking? There’s a lot of schools that are hitting you up.’ And I’m like ‘Yeah, but there’s this one school that hasn’t reached out yet.’ And I was just waiting patiently every day like man, when are they going to hit me up?”

Brea grew up cheering for Kentucky, coached by then-head coach John Calipari. Devin Booker is his favorite player. He was raised not far from Karl-Anthony Towns, who is also Dominican like Brea. So once new head coach Mark Pope settled in as the new head coach of the Wildcats and got Brea on the phone, there was no turning down a move to Lexington.

Pope gave a good pitch, too.

“When (Pope) finally gave me the call it was through FaceTime and the first thing I saw was a big smile,” Brea added while rocking a huge, pearly-white smile of his own. “He was like ‘Man I need the greatest shooter in America to come to Kentucky.’ That was a really funny moment for me. From that day on I loved his energy and it was something I wanted to be a part of.”

Greatest shooter in America isn’t all that hyperbolic either when looking at the college basketball landscape. Brea entered the portal as inarguably the top three-point shooter available. At 6-foot-6, he’s a career 43.8 percent shooter from long range. It doesn’t get deadlier than that.

Koby Brea told @ZGeogheganKSR, “I mean, it’s the University of Kentucky,” when asked what stood out about Mark Pope’s recruiting pitch.

These guys certainly understand the Kentucky tradition. pic.twitter.com/fXXxTRoc1e

— Mario A Maitland (@MarioMaitland_3) July 30, 2024

Throughout his interview with the media, Brea was grinning ear to ear the entire time. He’s clearly ecstatic to live out a lifelong dream. Just being able to call himself a Wildcat brings a smile to his face.

“It’s the University of Kentucky. I can’t stop saying it enough. Every time I hear it, it’s like I’m hearing it for the first time. It’s always been a dream of mine to come here since I was little,” he said. “Just to be in this environment with so many greats and every day you walk in, the first thing you see in our gym is those banners. As a player, that’s enough motivation right there.”

While he was brought to UK to get buckets from deep, Brea is more than just a shooter. A two-time Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year, you don’t receive those types of awards by being a one-trick pony. Brea pointed to his playmaking skills and gravity as an elite shooter as traits he also brings to the hardwood. He stressed being an “underrated” defender both on and off the ball.

Injuries throughout his past have prevented Brea from putting everything together, but now that he’s had a full offseason to recover and prepare himself for the grind of the 2024-25 season, it’s time to show Pope what he invested in.

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.