Antonio Reeves

Reeves was a key contributor for his first two seasons, earning a spot on the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) all-bench team as a sophomore. He declared for the 2021 NBA draft, but ultimately chose to return to the Redbirds for his junior season. In the 2021–22 season, Reeves averaged a career high 20.1 points per game And was named second-team All-MVC, however the team was not successful and coach Dan Muller was fired. With the coaching change, Reeves decided to transfer to a winning program.[1]

Reeves ultimately chose Kentucky and coach John Calipari. [2][3] As a senior, he mostly came off the bench for the Wildcats and ranked second on the team in scoring behind All-American Oscar Tshiebwe at 14.4 points per game. At the close of the season, Reeves was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) co-Sixth Man of the Year. [4] He again tested the NBA draft waters and considered another transfer, but ultimately chose to return to Kentucky for a fifth year granted to players whose eligibility was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Entering his fifth year, Reeves was named preseason second-team All-SEC.[6] As the season wore in, Reeves emerged as a key player for the Wildcats and senior presence for their talented recruiting class. In January 2024, he was named to the 25-man Wooden Award midseason watch list in recognition of his performance, along with teammate Reed Sheppard.[7]