Mark Pope names Kentucky's best shooter and defender in 2024-25

Mark Pope brought a pro-style offense with him from BYU, one that prioritizes both shot volume and efficiency with as many (or few, depending on which way you look at it) as 35 3-point attempts per game. That’s who Kentucky is going to be this season, as the first-year coach has made clear.

“This is us as a team. We make shots,” Pope said last week. “We put together the best shot-making team in the country, OK?”

That’s what makes his first couple of portal moves so ironic, bringing in three of the best defensive transfers in college basketball. Three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year Amari Williams was his first addition from Drexel, followed by the reigning two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in Lamont Butler from San Diego State. Then he added Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh, who “spent his entire season last year picking up the point guard full court in the Big 12,” as Pope put it the day he signed with Kentucky.

Right when the college basketball world questioned if Pope was changing his coaching identity in Lexington, he went out and got “the best returning shooter in college basketball next year” in Koby Brea, along with fellow snipers Jaxson Robinson, Kerr Kriisa, Andrew Carr and Ansley Almonor. His three incoming freshmen can fill it up, as well, Travis Perry, Trent Noah and Collin Chandler combining for 10,775 career points in high school with their offensive accolades going on for days.

He brought in the best of both worlds, a nice mix of shooting and defense lining the roster. Who stands out from the pack, though? Pope was put on the spot to share his unfiltered, non-coachspeak answers on KSR’s Sources Say Podcast.

Who puts the ball in the hoop better than the rest? The Kentucky head coach went with the rookie from Lyon County.

“Best shooter? Travis Perry,” Pope told KSR. “You could qualify that a hundred different ways. Travis is not the best off-the-move shooter, he’s not the best one-on-one shooter, he’s not the best in-game shot-maker yet, but I’ve never had a player in the summer come in and make 100 out of 100 free throws three days in a row. I’ve never seen that at any level of basketball. I’ve never seen it. It’s pretty cool.”

As for the team’s best defender, Pope says that’s actually been a topic of conversation at the Joe Craft Center in recent weeks. Several Wildcats are competing for that prestigious honor with their eyes on SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

Who is the current clubhouse favorite? He’s expected to start at point guard for Kentucky this season.

“Best defender? Lamont Butler,” Pope said. “Now, Amari (Williams) is going to be so mad at me. We actually had this conversation in practice (Thursday) because Lamont had three steals and deflections in ball screens where he sprinted to recover and then challenged the pass-out and got three deflections almost in like five possessions. I called him out and said, ‘Lamont is trying to be the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. The only problem we have, Amari, is that your boy is beating you out right now!'”

It’s not a unanimous pick among the players going into the season, others promising to surpass the San Diego State transfer when the games get rolling.

“Amari got mad about that, and then Otega (Oweh) is like, ‘What about me?!'” Pope added. “Then Kerr Kriisa, because that’s who he is, is like, ‘Nah, I’m gonna be the (SEC) Defensive Player of the Year.’ We’ve got a bunch of guys that can do it.”

I’m not sure anyone would complain about Butler and Williams finishing as co-SEC Defensive Players of the Year. Maybe Oweh and Kriisa can make it a four-way split?

We’re good with any and all of the above.