While this era of Kentucky basketball is built on elite youth, the addition of Reid Travis gives the Wildcats something they haven’t had in a while: an experienced All-American talent.
The Stanford graduate transfer enters Lexington with all the tools necessary to be the most productive player on a national championship contender, and that’s saying something considering how much depth on this roster.
His four years of experience at the power conference level instantly make him an invaluable asset for John Calipari and company.
Inside the Numbers
The 6-8 forward averaged 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last season for the Cardinal en route to First Team All-Pac-12 honors.
He scored in double figures in 34 of 35 games and shot 52.7 percent from the floor after shooting 57.9 percent and 55.7 percent the previous two seasons.
Perhaps most importantly, he’s played 2,911 minutes throughout his college career, which is easily the most of any Kentucky player in recent years.
Season Outlook
Travis is undoubtedly one of the preseason favorites to capture SEC Player of the Year thanks to his combination of skill and experience.
Kentucky’s frontcourt is easily among the deepest in the country, and Travis should mesh nicely with players like PJ Washington, Nick Richards, and EJ Montgomery.
Sometimes, there is an adjustment period needed when players transfer, but that seems unlikely with a veteran player like Travis.
Teams won’t be able to focus solely on Travis in the paint due to the other playmakers on the roster, and that should open up plenty of opportunities for him to have a monster season.