KSR's takeaways from Kentucky's blowout win over Team Canada

Well, that was fun.

Matched up against a Team Canada squad featuring a pair of former top-100 high school prospects, veteran Division I double-digit scorers and a local superstar at the collegiate level, Kentucky absolutely steamrolled the competition, pulling off the 93-69 win to move to 2-0 to open the 2023 GLOBL JAM. It was a performance that locked the Wildcats into the international showcase’s Gold Medal matchup late Sunday evening, but more importantly, proved this squad has the pieces to be dangerous by the time the regular season rolls around in November.

KSR has the takeaways from Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto.

Reed Sheppard is going to play (a lot)

No, the North Laurel product did not earn a scholarship from John Calipari because he was named Mr. Basketball in Kentucky. He didn’t earn McDonald’s All-America honors because his dad was a Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

Reed Sheppard is here because he’s a damn good player — the best on the floor in Kentucky’s win over Team Canada. The 6-foot-3 guard was sensational on both ends, finishing with 14 points on 5-8 shooting and 2-4 from three while adding four assists, four steals, two rebounds and two blocks in 25:30.

And he did a lot of it while manning lead guard duties, bringing the ball up the floor and initiating the offense beyond simple catch-and-shoot looks. His biggest highlights came on two steal-and-slams, then a third block on the perimeter that led to another explosive dunk. Back-to-back 3-pointers to open the game, then a pull-up jumper from the right elbow while threading the needle on passes in transition, coming up with big stops on defense, you name it. Sheppard was nothing short of a star for the Wildcats in the blowout win.

Kid is going to play, and he’s going to play a lot.

Ball movement is sensational for July

The Wildcats had 24 assists on 31 made baskets in the team’s win over Team Germany to open the event, then followed it with 27 assists on 35 buckets against Team Canada. Five players with at least three assists in game one, five with at least three in game two.

Unselfishness has been a common talking point in early media sessions with this group, but I’m not sure anyone could have expected ball movement like this. Rob Dillingham, known for his flashiness as a scorer and creator in high school, went for nine assists while turning the ball over just once in 18:38. Adou Thiero, Kentucky’s starting four, had five. Sheppard with four, Tre Mitchell — again, starting five — and Justin Edwards with three apiece.

Look, this team has only had 10 practices together, with the two oldest players on the roster only arriving in late June. They’ve been a complete unit for weeks — and still haven’t been at full strength with Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyenso out — but play like they’ve been together years. Team Canada actually has been together for years and got their teeth knocked in with a home-court advantage in Toronto.

Tre Mitchell’s basketball IQ shows on both ends

It wasn’t the 20-point explosion we saw in his unofficial debut, but goodness, was the West Virginia transfer not phenomenal? Eight points on 3-7 shooting, but six rebounds, five blocks, three assists and two steals in 31:50 of action.

He wasn’t known for his defense in Morgantown — if anything, it was a knock on his game — but Mitchell has been terrific on that end of the floor as the only healthy five on the roster (and he’s not even a true five). He’s just been so active, getting his hands on shots and passes at a ridiculous rate while limiting fouls (three combined in two games).

And then offensively, his ability to read defenses and adjust accordingly is off the charts. He understands when to initiate and when to defer, when to attack inside and when to take the open catch-and-shoot looks. That’s what veterans are for, the ultimate cushion for young talent as they look to find their footing at the next level.

An underrated DJ Wagner performance

Nine points on 3-8 shooting with just two rebounds, two assists, one steal and a turnover in just over 25 minutes is probably a below-average day for most players of DJ Wagner’s caliber. He’d probably tell you he struggled — and to be clear, he did have his moments. But his ability to play through the mistakes and missed shots for a strong finish was rather impressive. He opened the game just 1-5 from the field, but finished with two made 3-pointers in the second half while continuing to make an impact in other areas.

“DJ is terrific,” Calipari said. “… He’s strong, he’s physical, can get to the rim. I’ll tell you what else he does: he fights through screens.”

Just something about his mentality and approach to the game that turns heads every time he steps on the floor. He started out cold, bothered at times by Team Canada’s length and physicality, but fought through for a strong finish. His confidence to keep launching, and then actually coming through with a make at the end of the third and another in the fourth to baloon the lead, was telling. Wagner knows what he brings to the table.

Justin Edwards gets shots to fall

The five-star wing pulled down nine rebounds while dishing out four assists and picking up a steal against Team Germany, but he scored just four points on 2-8 shooting, including an 0-3 finish from three. Then he started the next outing 0-4 from the field in the first quarter, struggling to get anything to fall inside or out.

Edwards wouldn’t have the most efficient finish, but he did earn five buckets, including three made 3-pointers on eight attempts from deep. It was a clear point of emphasis for the standout freshman, working to get anything to fall after a cold start in Canada. His confidence remained to keep launching on good looks, and before long, they fell.

His 16 points were second-most on the team, but he also added five rebounds, three dimes, two steals and zero turnovers in 19:35. Edwards is always going to fill the stat sheet thanks to his physical tools, but when his shot is falling, the smooth lefty has endless potential.

Antonio Reeves is Antonio Reeves

Look, it is what is it at this point. The fifth-year senior has been a professional bucket-getter for quite some time now, and that obviously hasn’t changed this summer. There’s a reason the game’s leading scorer is the sixth topic brought up in a list of game takeaways. Put simply, Antonio Reeves is expected to go for 23 points — he scored 20 or more in 10 games last season, double figures a total of 26 times. This is what he does.

The Chicago, IL native converted 10 of his 15 attempts overall, including three of six from three while adding one rebound, one assist and one steal in 29:06. He gets to his spots with ease and just knocks down the shots he’s supposed to make.

Reeves is the safety net every team in college basketball would kill to have — some tried this offseason. When things get hairy with the newcomers, he’s someone you trust to go get the Wildcats a bucket. A crafty finish at the rim, a mid-range pull-up or a catch-and-shoot look from three, the 6-foot-5 guard can do it at all three levels. Calipari has given him the freedom to launch at will, just as we saw to close out his debut season. Now, he’s got the veteran tag attached to his name with his teammates — he describes himself as “big bro.”

That’s going to pay off with this young (and very talented) group.