Don’t sleep on Trent Noah — because the coaches sure aren’t.
What started as just another summer workout in Lexington quickly turned into a showcase for the freshman from Kentucky, as Noah delivered one of the most surprising performances of the offseason so far.
> “He looked like a guy who’s not just happy to be here,” one insider said. “He looked like a guy who wants minutes.”
Calm, Confident, and Clutch
During a live scrimmage portion of practice, sources say Noah caught fire from deep — knocking down four straight threes, including one over projected starter Kerr Kriisa, who could only shake his head and smirk. But it wasn’t just the shooting. Noah was communicating on defense, battling on the boards, and even took a charge that got the gym buzzing.
One assistant reportedly turned to another coach and said, “We might need to talk about the second unit again.”
Rotation Shake-Up?
Noah came in projected as a long-term development piece — someone with size, a sweet stroke, and a strong work ethic. But after this week’s showing, he might be forcing his way into real minutes.
> “He’s making things complicated — in the best way possible,” a staff member said. “When a kid plays like that, you have to give him a look.”
And Mark Pope? Let’s just say he noticed. After practice, he was seen chatting with Noah one-on-one for nearly 10 minutes — and while nobody caught what was said, the body language said plenty.
BBN Reacts
Word of Noah’s performance has already trickled out to message boards and social media, with fans rallying behind the in-state kid. One fan wrote:
> “If Trent Noah keeps doing this, we’re gonna need a new nickname for him. Maybe ‘The Flat Gap Flame’?”
Another fan added, “I don’t care what the rotation is — play the guys who want it. And Noah clearly wants it.”
What It Means
In a summer full of transfers, hype, and high expectations, a local freshman quietly rising up the depth chart might be the most Kentucky story of all.
So while the spotlight’s been on names like Boogie Fland, Otega Oweh, and Amari Williams — don’t be shocked if Trent Noah starts getting real burn when the lights come on in Rupp.
He’s not just practicing.
He’s earning.
