Trent Noah may unlock a bigger role with an improved offense

Mark Pope is starting to get a better feel for what his roster at Kentucky can become, and Trent Noah is beginning to stand out in that picture.

During a recent appearance on John Rothstein’s podcast, Pope pointed to Noah as a player who has been productive early in summer workouts and may be positioned for a bigger role this season.

“Trent Noah is physical, and he can really shoot it,” Pope said.

Mark Pope now sees a clearer path for Trent Noah

That evaluation comes with important context from last season. Kentucky dealt with inconsistent backcourt due to injrues and struggled at times. This hurt generating opportunities for shooters like Noah. Pope made it clear that impacted how the sophomore’s production looked on paper.

“Part of the issue last year was when we lost our point guard spot and we lost the real creator vibe on our roster,” Pope said. “Trent might not manufacture a lot of shots, but if shots can be manufactured for him, he’s going to make them all, it feels like.”

Kentucky enters the year with a deeper group of ball handlers and more consistent perimeter creation. Naturally, it will improve spacing and shot quality for role players. Having guards who appear to be less injury-prone with high assists rates like Zoom Diallo should benefit the Cats.

For Trent Noah, the formula is simple. If he can get cleaner looks, the shooting will translate.

The staff has emphasized improving offensive structure, and Noah seems to have benefited from that early. While he’s not expected to take on a primary scoring load, his ability to stretch the floor will be valuable piece in Kentucky’s rotation.

Noah’s role last season often came in short bursts but had some worthwhile performances that contributed to massive wins. This year the expectation is that Kentucky’s improved guard will provide a more defined role.

Pope didn’t overstate projections, but his tone beamed confidence in what Noah can do with the right tools around him. If Kentucky’s offense translates ideally, Noah’s shooting (and others) could turn into a terrifying weapon for the upcoming season.