It took a little longer than fans may have liked, but Jaxson Robinson is a Kentucky Wildcat. The news that the former BYU star was pulling his name out of the NBA Draft and following Mark Pope to Kentucky broke shortly after lunchtime, a welcome addition to a roster that needed another big piece. Before Robinson’s announcement, Kentucky was on the cusp of most preseason Top 25s. With the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year in the fold, most college basketball writers have moved the Cats up, some as high as the top 15.
“Kentucky getting Jaxson Robinson is EXACTLY what Mark Pope needed,” Jeff Goodman tweeted. “Now the ‘Cats have a guy who can go make a play and get a bucket. I think they are a lock Preseason Top 25 team now, maybe even Top 15’ish.”
Aaron Torres went even further, arguing that Kentucky’s roster is on the cusp of the top 10 and can win the SEC.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony had Robinson No. 66 in his NBA Draft prospect rankings and said he wasn’t a lock to be selected. A year under the spotlight at Kentucky could change that. Last season, Robinson averaged a team-high 14.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists for BYU, shooting 42.6% from the field and 35.4% from three-point range en route to Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year honors. A three-level scorer, Givony believes Robinson could be the center of Mark Pope’s first Kentucky squad.
“Robinson now has a chance to be the go-to guy on what should be a preseason top-25 team in Pope’s first season. He’s the ninth transfer addition this spring, as Pope took over a roster with zero returning players and only one recruit committed. He’s likely to operate on the wings alongside Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh and Dayton transfer Koby Brea, leading the way for one of the best shooting teams in the country.”
This morning, CJ Moore ranked Kentucky No. 24 in his preseason Top 25 for The Athletic, calling the Cats “a team full of really good complementary players without a star.” Robinson’s news changes that, he wrote on Twitter.
Rob Dauster isn’t quite ready to call Robinson a star but said the addition gives Kentucky a “loaded” roster of shooters, veterans, and defenders.
We’ve got months to predict how Mark Pope’s first season will go; today’s news only amplifies the excitement. Check out more national media reactions below.
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