Big Blue Nation has been split on Trent Noah from the moment he started getting real minutes.
Spend five minutes on social media — or in a Lexington sports bar — and you’ll hear it. One side sees a smart, unselfish basketball player who moves the ball, spaces the floor, and plays the game the right way, with genuine Kentucky pride. The other side says the quiet part out loud: if Noah wasn’t a kid from the mountains, he wouldn’t be on the floor.
That debate is no longer theoretical.
With Kam Williams officially sidelined by a broken foot, the safety net is gone. Even in the best-case scenario, Williams wouldn’t return until just before the March 7 regular-season finale against Florida. The worst case? His season — and possibly more — is over.
Either way, Kentucky doesn’t have the luxury of waiting.
For the foreseeable future, Trent Noah is no longer a feel-good story. He’s a necessity.
Mark Pope’s vote of confidence
When Mark Pope was asked about the sudden shift in Noah’s role, he didn’t hesitate.
“Well, he just played a couple minutes last game, couple minutes of this game. He hasn’t played much before then,” Pope said. “He’s gonna have to play now. And he can — he’s a good player. He actually is going to help us win… He’s going to get more minutes, and he’s going to be really great. He’s going to help us.”
That wasn’t coach-speak. That was a clear message.
Trent Noah is in the rotation now, whether Big Blue Nation likes it or not.
What Trent Noah brings — and what he doesn’t
Let’s be honest. Noah is not the athlete Kam Williams is. Williams’ length and lateral quickness are difficult to replace, and Kentucky will feel that loss on the defensive end.
But Noah brings a different skill set that still fits what Pope wants to do.
Spacing: Noah is a legitimate shooter. Defenses can’t sag off him, which keeps the floor spaced much the same way it was with Williams on the court.
Passing: He’s an excellent passer from the four spot, capable of initiating offense from the top of the key and making the right read in Pope’s free-flowing system.
Rebounding: He’s tougher than he looks. Just ask the Texas big man he ripped a crucial rebound away from shortly after checking in Tuesday night.
The concern, of course, is defense — specifically lateral quickness. That’s where Pope may have to get creative. Sliding Mo Dioubate to the three defensively, mixing in more zone or press looks, and protecting Noah from quick guards could all be on the table. Players like Noah, Chandler, and Jelavic could all benefit from that kind of adjustment.
A poetic “Kentucky kid” showdown
If Noah is going to settle in, a confidence boost would help — and he might find it in the most poetic way possible.
This weekend against Ole Miss, Noah will share the court with another Kentucky kid who took a very different path: Travis Perry.
Perry was once expected to come off the bench for Kentucky before ultimately heading to Oxford. Now, he returns to Rupp Arena wearing a Rebel jersey. Two Kentucky kids. Two choices. One spotlight.
For Trent Noah, the excuses are gone.
The safety net is gone.
And the debate inside Big Blue Nation is about to end.
It’s time to play.
