Despite late pressure, Antonio Reeves opts for blue-blood status

Antonio Reeves’ commitment to Kentucky became the most unsurprising surprise of the week, with the Illinois State transfer choosing the Wildcats over DePaul, Nebraska, Oregon and Xavier on Wednesday.

That announcement coming one week ago or going into the weekend not only would’ve been a shock, it was the expectation. The 6-foot-6 wing’s official visit went about as well as it could have, and he was on commitment watch from that point forward. Kentucky felt his official addition was imminent.

The weekend came and went, though, with no commitment — not publicly, anyway. Then Monday, then Tuesday, still nothing. Why? Hesitancy regarding playing time and role, along with some questions regarding NIL, sources close to the situation tell KSR.

Previously set on Kentucky, Reeves and his family briefly hit pause to reevaluate their options and speak with the remaining schools involved. NIL was a prominent topic discussed, especially after a recent string of lucrative endorsement deals with other standout players in the transfer portal. Money-making opportunities were limited at Illinois State in the first year of NIL, so it was certainly something to keep in mind when choosing his next stop. Oregon emerged as a late option for this reason, with the Ducks also making it clear a significant role would be waiting for Reeves in Eugene if that’s what he was looking for. A potential visit was discussed and mutual interest was shared.

Kentucky doesn’t make promises regarding playing time and role, that’s been known from the start. The Wildcats also didn’t have pre-arranged NIL deals waiting for Reeves like other schools involved in the process. The opportunities are there — Kentucky players made a killing this past season — but no set dollar figures or ready-made contracts to sign with companies at this stage. It’s a completely different pitch, one that emphasizes the importance of playing for a blue-blood program with a winning tradition and preparing for the next level. It was up to the standout transfer to decide what he valued more.

And that’s what he did. After making a surprise list cut Tuesday afternoon — days after a commitment was planned — Reeves spent the evening weighing his options and determining his priorities. Rather than making a quick buck with unlimited shot opportunities elsewhere, the Illinois State transfer decided to compete for a national championship at Kentucky.

“(John Calipari’s) goal is to win a national championship and that is my goal,” Reeves told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi. “I want to learn from who I feel is the best and that is Coach Cal and his staff. Coach Cal loves his players, he loves the game, developed pros and won a national championship. That’s what attracted me to Kentucky. Coach Cal is a very relatable guy. Also [assistant] coach Chin Coleman and my dad are really good friends. They went to the same high school at different times so they know each other from the city. I trust him 100 percent.”

The hesitations weren’t about being gifted a certain number of minutes or shots, but rather a chance to come in and compete right away. Reeves just didn’t want to have an end-of-bench role handed to him when others were fighting for the chance to let him play. Earning opportunities with NIL in Lexington were also made clear, alleviating any and all concerns in that regard. The program Reeves fell in love with on his visit was the program that ultimately won out in the end — even if it took a bit longer than expected.