Kentucky Basketball Player Breakdown: Antonio Reeves

Big Blue Nation is fully entrenched in the Kentucky Football season and rightfully so. However, basketball practice has started and we are less than a month away from the ‘Cats hosting New Mexico State. It may not seem like it, but hoops season is right around the corner. We’ve saved the best for last of our Kentucky Basketball player breakdowns with Antonio Reeves.

As a fanbase, we got a taste of what this team would be like during the GLOBL JAM trip to Canada. Kentucky was excellent on their way to a 4-0 record, but there are still some unknowns. The Zvonimir Ivisc saga took a recent step forward, and he physically got to Lexington on Thursday. Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso are on the mend but haven’t returned to practice yet. Now, we have made it through Pro Day and Big Blue Madness. Only the Blue-White game and two exhibitions stand between the ‘Cats and November 6th’s tip-off.

As part of the lead-up to the season, we have broken down every scholarship player on the roster. All of the new faces received film room breakdowns upon their commitments. The two other returning players, Ugonna Onyenso and Adou Thiero, have been highlighted as well.

• Aaron Bradshaw (FR)
• Jordan Burks (FR)
• Rob Dillingham (FR)
• Justin Edwards (FR)
• Joey Hart (FR)
• Zvonimir Ivisic (FR)
• Reed Sheppard (FR)
• DJ Wagner (FR)
• Ugonna Onyenso (SO)
• Adou Thiero (SO)
• Tre Mitchell (GRAD)

Now we will wrap up the series with Antonio Reeves. Let’s dive on in and take a look at what Kentucky can expect from one of the country’s best scorers his fifth season of college basketball. The 6’5″ fifth year senior is coming off of a season that saw him average 14.4 points per game while making a career-high 80 three-pointers on a career-best 39.8% shooting. Prior to coming to Lexington, Reeves scored 1,195 points in 89 games at Illinois State.

The best version of the 2023-2024 Wildcats probably has Reeves flirting with All-American status. He is an elite scorer, an elite shooter, and will provide valuable secondary playmaking alongside Wagner, Dillingham, and Sheppard in the backcourt. Taking a step forward on the defensive end will help sure up some questions about the ‘Cats defense and make Reeves more attractive to NBA scouts as well. However, no matter what, Coach Calipari knows who is go-to bucket getter is this season.

It is time to step inside the KSR Film Room and take a deeper look at Reeves’ game. We will breakdown his catch-and-shoot ability, his vastly underrated scoring off of the dribble, and take a look at how he can get all the way to the rim as well. Expectations are high for fifth year Antonio Reeves.

Elite Catch-and-Shoot Ability

Making 80 three-point shots at a 39.8% clip speaks for itself. The numbers back up the eye test that Antonio Reeves is one of the best shooters in all of college basketball. This season, Reeves should have an opportunity to shoot even more catch-and-shoot, unguarded three-pointers. That is the byproduct of playing with more, better playmakers. Guys like DJ Wagner, Rob Dillingham, and Reed Sheppard are all going to create open looks for the veteran shot-maker. With his ability to create off of the dribble as well, there is a world where Reeves could creep towards the 100 made threes mark. Let’s take a look at what makes him so effective from the catch.

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Coach Calipari had to manufacture a lot of Antonio Reeves’ three-point shots last season. Reeves is at his best when shooting off of the dribble actually, but he is still excellent off of the catch as well. He is a very good cutter off of screening action, has excellent footwork on the perimeter, and has a very quick release. You can see him here working off of floppy action and does a great job of getting his shoulders square to the rim while moving nearly full speed away from the basket. The footwork and balance that it takes to so smoothly get this shot off is high level. Not much you can do defensively to take this away.

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More players that can dribble, pass, and shoot will help Kentucky play faster. Reeves proved to be excellent at shooting in transition last season shooting 33-79 from three-point range in transition. He does a great job of running deep to the corners to flatten out the defense and has the footwork to catch-and-shoot while on the run. Here you see him stop on a dime as the ball is thrown ahead to the corner and he nails the three barely even touching the net. Such a quick release and excellent footwork to stay on balance at the point of release.

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Antonio Reeves has played 123 college basketball and his IQ matches his experience. The 6’5″ guard moves very well off of the ball and is excellent at making the right cut off of screening action. He moves with good pace, explodes at the point of the screen, and reads the defense very well. Coming off of the baseline pindown in this clip you see the Providence defender go up through the screen. That path triggers Reeves to plant his left foot hard and flare the screen towards the corner. It is those extra couple of feet on the closeout that allow him to squeeze this three-point attempt off. Great read, beautiful footwork, and high level shot.

Shooting off of the Dribble

There are a lot of players who can make open, catch-and-shoot three-point shots. However, shooting it off of the dribble requires another level of skill. Antonio Reeves has proven throughout his career that he is even better shooting off of the dribble than from the catch. Per Synergy, Reeves rated as “excellent” at shooting off of dribble scoring over one point per shot including an 18-36 clip from three-point range. Being able to create your own jump shots allows you to increase your volume of attempts and puts even more pressure on the defense.

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Last season, Kentucky had to manufacture a lot of offense due to a lack of playmaking. Even called plays, like this zoom action, were often met with poor execution. Sahvir Wheeler completely whiffs his screen and Oscar Tshiebwe doesn’t really make contact either. However, Antonio Reeves is such a talented scorer that it didn’t really matter. He does a great job of taking that second dribble to get more separation and squeezes off a tough pull-up jump shot. This shot comes against a very good defender that is bigger and longer than Reeves as well. Heck of a shot.

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These are the shots that can potentially make Antonio Reeves an All-American this season. When the ball is in his hands, especially at the end of the shot clock, he is as capable of anyone at getting a bucket. He handles the ball well enough to create separation, has the size to squeeze off contested shots, and is obviously a high-level shooter off of the dribble. Reeves is always on balanced and stays stacked regardless of the move he is making. His ability to bail out an offense that has gone stagnant or needs something at the end of the clock is a major luxury.

Underrated Playmaking Ability

Admittedly, Antonio Reeves’ playmaking is primary for himself. He has just 155 assists compared to 202 turnovers in his 123 career games. However, while he isn’t going to be relied upon to create scoring opportunities for others, he can absolute creating scoring opportunities for himself. Reeves is a good ball handler, is fluid athletically with the ball, and has an excellent intermediate range finishing package. Let’s take a look at the film.

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Part of what makes Antonio Reeves such an effective scorer is the work he does before he gets the basketball. Young perimeter players should watch him to study his footwork, movement, and how he reads the opposing defense. On this play, Reeves lifts up on the wing as the ball is driven which creates a closeout situation for his defender. He is always going to attract aggressive closeouts due to his shooting ability. Then, he quickly attacks to the middle with two dribbles and finishes with the little runner in the lane. More overall playmaking in Kentucky’s backcourt should help put opponents in more long closeout situations against Reeves.

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SHOOT ‘EM ALL, ANTONIO has always been our catch phrase for the fifth year senior’s three-point shooting. However, it might also apply to his floater. Coming off of zoom action, Reeves’ defender has to chase on his hip so he can’t settle behind the handoff for a three-point shot. However, by chasing, it allows him to turn the corner and get into the paint for his patented floater. That is exactly what turns a good scorer into a great scorer. The defense simply has to make decisions between the lesser of two evils.

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This is beautiful offensive execution. Plays like this will become commonplace this season with Tre Mitchell in that spot instead of Oscar Tshiebwe. Antonio Reeves rejects the handoff as his defender overplays to that side and cuts to the rim. Then, after one power dribble, Reeves plays off of two feet and splits the defenders for a layup at the rim. Once again, high basketball IQ is on display here along with impressive athleticism. Reeves should be the beneficiary of a 5-out offense with Mitchell’s passing ability.