In a well-deserved recognition of his exceptional talent, Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves has been selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Top 10 list for the 2024 Jerry West Award. This honor, named after the legendary Naismith Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player, marks the 10th year of the prestigious award. Reeves, hailing from Chicago, has been a standout performer for the Wildcats, leading the team in scoring with an impressive average of 19.5 points per game.
Reeves has been in scintillating form this season, displaying his shooting prowess with career-best percentages from the field (50.2%), 3-point range (43.1%), and the free-throw line (87.3%). His outstanding performances have included a stellar 30-point game against Louisville, followed by another impressive showing of 27 points against Illinois State. With the 30-point outing against Louisville, Reeves joins an elite group of players, including Oscar Tshiebwe, Malik Monk, and Jamal Murray, who have achieved multiple games with 30 or more points during the John Calipari era.
Consistency has been a hallmark of Reeves’ game this season, as he has reached double-figure scoring in all but one game. Furthermore, he has crossed the 20-point mark in an impressive 10 games. In fact, Reeves becomes just the second player under Calipari’s tutelage to achieve 20 or more career 20-point games, joining the likes of the 2022 National Player of the Year, Tshiebwe. Notably, Reeves has been particularly effective on the road, with seven of his career 20-plus point games occurring away from home.
In a testament to his remarkable career, Reeves recently surpassed the 2,000 career points milestone, combining his time at Illinois State and at Kentucky. As a Wildcat, he now stands just 142 points away from reaching the illustrious 1,000-point mark.
Fans can have a say in the final rounds of voting for the Jerry West Award by participating in Fan Voting, which starts on February 2nd at hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will carry the weight of one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
Reeves’ exceptional abilities have earned him the distinction of being the sole player from the Southeastern Conference to feature on the top 10 list for the nation’s best shooting guard. With his leading free-throw percentage and 3-point percentage in the conference, as well as high rankings in made 3s per game, points per game, and field-goal percentage, Reeves has unquestionably established himself as one of the premier shooting guards in the SEC.
The Wildcats will return to their home court, Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center, on Wednesday for an eagerly awaited match against Florida. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN. For the latest updates on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, fans can follow @KentuckyMBB on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as visit UKathletics.com.
