Harlan County High School all-stater Trent Noah announced on social media Sunday that he will return for his junior season as a member of the University of Kentucky basketball team.
Noah’s return helps maintain depth and experience in the Wildcats’ lineup, and the possibility of a bigger role for the former prep standout during the 2026-27 season.
After starting three games early in the season, Noah went on to have a down year as a sophomore. He ended up playing an average of just 10 minutes per contest, and averaged just 3.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists. He shot 35.5 percent from the floor overall and 33.3 percent from three-point range.
Entering his third year in head coach Mark Pope’s system, Noah is striving to increase his heightened production at the defensive end of the court, while looking to regain the touch that allowed him to depart high school as Kentucky’s fifth all-time leading scorer with 3,707 points. He averaged 29.9 points and 10.4 rebounds as a senior, leading his team to the Sweet 16 championship game — a loss to Travis Perry and Lyon County.
Noah’s role this season expanded when teammate Kam Williams went down with a broken foot in late-January, but his biggest contribution came on the glass. Noah pulled down multiple rebounds in eight of his last 13 games.
Offensively, Noah finished with nine points and three rebounds at Texas A&M and nine points and seven rebounds at Arkansas, but failed to score multiple buckets in any other high-major game this season. His best performances came in a 16-point, six-rebound effort vs. Tennessee Tech and an 11-point, six-rebound day vs. NC Central.
Despite inconsistent offensive production, Pope has frequently expressed his desire to see Noah be more aggressive offensively and continue shooting from distance — his specialty and a critical need for a team that struggled throughout the season from the perimeter.
“Probably want him to be a little more daring, a little more aggressive offensively,” Pope said late this season. “I don’t worry about Trent Noah making shots. He’ll make shots, he’s gonna make shots through the course of it. So I spend zero time on that but I do think he’s given us positive energy, positive physicality, positive ball security. … We’re gonna need him. Like, we need him. We have a very, very small, limited roster right now. So he’s important for us.”
Noah should get a chance to produce more consistently in year three at Kentucky. He has had a significant impact in games before, but it’s all about putting it together on a consistent basis.
The potential is surely there for the 6-foot-5 wing. His return is seen as a boost to the team’s roster, providing depth and veteran presence. He’ll have the opportunity to develop his skills further, particularly in shooting and physical strength, which Pope believes will be crucial for his growth.
