Mark Story: Despite adversity, Trent Noah has stuck with Kentucky basketball

Mark Story, Lexington Herald-Leader on Oct 4, 2026

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Trent Noah’s best game in two seasons as a Kentucky Wildcat came Jan. 31 at the expense of “Woo Pig Calipari.”

In UK’s 85-77 road upset of Arkansas last season, Noah, the former Harlan County High School star, came off the bench to contribute nine points and seven rebounds to Kentucky’s 85-77 vanquishing of the 15th-ranked Razorbacks.

In the aftermath, one might have expected that Noah’s stellar play in such a significant Cats victory would have propelled him to a breakout role down the stretch with Mark Pope’s Wildcats.

Instead, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Noah made only 2 of 14 3-point attempts over the remainder of the UK season. After Arkansas, Noah only scored in two other Wildcats games the rest of the year.

So the player who scored 129 points in four games while leading Harlan County to a runner-up finish in the 2024 Kentucky boys Sweet 16 state tournament has only 144 points to show for his first two college seasons with UK.

“That’s the reason I am still here,” Noah said Monday during UK men’s basketball Media Day at the Joe Craft Center. “I feel like I haven’t played to the potential that I can play to. I’m super eager to get back on the floor and show the product (of) all the work that I’ve done since the offseason.”

The middle of the third decade of the 21st Century has been bittersweet for those UK fans who believe the “experience” of Kentucky basketball is more rewarding when there are homegrown players on Wildcats’ rosters.

Since the 2023 recruiting class, UK has signed five in-state stars directly from high schools: North Laurel’s Reed Sheppard (2023); Lyon County’s Travis Perry (2024); Noah (2024); Great Crossing’s Malachi Moreno (2025); and ex-Woodford County star Jasper Johnson (2025).

Of the five, only Noah and Moreno, set for a second season as Kentucky’s starting center in 2026-27, will have played multiple seasons for their home state’s flagship university.

Sheppard had such a stellar freshman season for UK in 2023-24, he became the third overall player taken in the 2024 NBA draft. The economic logic of Sheppard’s decision to turn pro was irrefutable, but his quick departure was emotionally vexing for the Big Blue Nation.

Meanwhile, after challenging freshmen seasons at Kentucky, Perry and Johnson each transferred after one year.

“Everybody has their own stuff going on, and everybody’s situation is different,” Noah said of the recent in-state players at UK. “So I’m not saying that everything is the same way (for every in-state player), and it’s obviously a hard decision. But I trust Coach Pope’s vision, and I trust what he tells me. I also think playing here is like playing nowhere else.”

Having scored 3,707 career points at Harlan County, Noah acknowledges that the stretch run of last season, when his 3-point shot stopped going in the basket, was disorienting.

Noah believes Kentucky’s roster construction for 2026-27, with the additions of creators Zoom Diallo (Washington) and Alex Wilkins (Furman) plus wing shooter Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State) from the transfer portal, will create the conditions that will allow him to “re-find” his shot.

“We’re full of shooting on this team, so spacing is not going to be an issue,” Noah said. “I think playing with a veteran point guard in Zoom, he really knows how to operate the game and control the game. ... He finds his shooters. Then Alex is super crafty with the ball. That’ll draw a lot of attention.”

Noah’s drive to earn a meaningful role in Pope’s playing rotation this winter has been slowed this offseason by hamstring maladies.

“I’ve had two separate hamstring issues, so it was not like I’m re-aggravating the same thing — which is good,” Noah said. “It’s better to have two different things going on than the same hamstring thing. It’s just an unfortunate event, but I’ve spent so much time with (UK athletic trainer) Brandon Wells, it’s unreal. He’s definitely seen me more than he’s seen his kids. But I should be back in a couple (of) weeks with no limitations, and we should move past this and never have to worry about it again.”

Noah reports that the rehabilitation work for hamstring injuries does allow for getting up shots.

“I’m shooting it well,” he said. “I’m limited right now. I’m obviously not running around a bunch, shooting a bunch, running corner-to-corner or anything in live play. But I can still get the reps in. I can still form shoot, catch and shoot, stuff like that.”

As Noah contemplates his third season at Kentucky, he is optimistic he can create more moments like the one he had at John Calipari’s expense last season at Arkansas.

“I think that there’s so much stuff that hasn’t been put out on the floor (by) myself and us as a team,” Noah said. “I’m super excited to finally break through as a team and keep advancing farther and farther, and then, individually, to do what I know I’m capable of.”

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