KSR Today: Freshmen interviews, Otega Oweh talks TBT, and Mark Stoops

Good morning, folks! With The Basketball Tournament, SEC Football Media Days, NBA Summer League, and high school recruiting events having all wrapped up within the last week, we’re finally hitting the slow point of the summer. But we’ve got one last trick up our sleeve as we head into August and football talking season.

Later today, local media will have the chance to sit down with Kentucky’s trio of incoming freshmen (the ones that are on campus, at least). After talking with nearly every member of next season’s Wildcats over the last several weeks, we’re down to the rookies. Jasper Johnson, Malachi Moreno, and Braydon Hawthorne will all answer questions from the media this afternoon. Now that we’re over halfway through summer practice, these three have a better idea of what it’ll take to earn playing time from day one. There will be plenty to talk about.

The only freshman not stepping in front of a microphone today will be international big man Andrija Jelavić, who recently finished his school year in Croatia and is in the process of making his way to the Bluegrass State. Head coach Mark Pope is optimistic Jelavić will arrive on campus as soon as possible, so we’ll have to wait just a bit longer to hear from the 21-year-old.

As always, we’ll have in-depth reports on everything the freshmen have to say here on the website and over on the KSR YouTube channel. While you wait, dive into the rest of this morning’s news and notes.

Otega Oweh talks TBT scrimmage

During his first-ever youth basketball camp, held at the Sports Center complex in Lexington, Otega Oweh briefly sat down with reporters to talk about hosting a camp and what that experience has been like for him. But we couldn’t let him get away without asking about Kentucky’s scrimmage last week against La Familia, UK’s alumni team that was recently eliminated from The Basketball Tournament.

“It was a great scrimmage, actually,” he said. “Real competitive throughout the whole game. We was going back and forth, great energy. Obviously we got the win, so it was definitely fun. We have a good group. That’s a team with a bunch of pros, we held our own, so it was really fun.”

Oweh also discussed the differences in playing against a team composed of former pros compared to one of only college players. Dive into the full five-minute interview below to hear everything the SEC Preseason Player of the Year candidate had to say.

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Mark Stoops went on ESPN Radio yesterday

Thanks to a recent report on how UK plans to divvy up its revenue sharing, which turned out to be false, another battle between basketball and football fans has broken out online. But regardless of your position on that (which should be to cheer on each program for ultimate success), both programs have to eat first if the athletics department wants to be financially supported. Head football coach Mark Stoops addressed that Wednesday through an appearance on ESPN Radio.

“Listen, the basketball, the history of this place is remarkable,” Stoops said. “Traditionally, heck, we’re top one, two, you know, basketball tradition forever. We need to stay there. Everybody knows that. Everybody roots for that.”

“I said this in Atlanta at the SEC Media Days, the word that to me that comes to mind, and I truly mean this, is grateful,” he added. “You go through ups and downs. This has been a challenge for everybody the last two or three years. Last three years in particular. It’s been a real challenge for head coaches at every school. We all have our obstacles, and we all have our good. I think it’s up to us to embrace that.”

Kentucky MBB extends new 2026 offer

And this one goes to Maximo Adams, a 6-foot-7, 200-pound small forward from Sierra Canyon (Harbor City, CA). Pope and assistant coach Cody Fueger offered Adams during a call on Wednesday. His older brother, Marcus Adams, played for Pope at BYU during the 2023-24 season. The the likes of Michigan State, Houston, Illinois, UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Kansas, among others, are also involved.

Adams is coming off a terrific stretch on the Nike EYBL circuit this summer that saw him average 18.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per outing. The Rivals Industry Ranking currently has him ranked 46th overall in the 2026 class. Adams will look to start taking his official visits later in the year.

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Antonio Reeves is headed to Charlotte

The Charlotte Hornets are ready to give Antonio Reeves another shot at an NBA career. ESPN’s Shams Charania broke news of Reeves signing a two-way deal with the Hornets, which came on the heels of a solid Summer League performance by the former Wildcat as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans — which is where he spent his rookie season in 2024-25.

Across 44 games played for the Pellies last season, Reeves averaged 6.9 points in 15 minutes per outing while shooting 45.6 percent from the field, 39.5 percent from deep, and 80 percent from the line. The 24-year-old will attempt to find his role on a roster filled with young guards/wings, but there will be opportunities for playing time, as the Hornets expect to be on the outside looking in once again for the postseason.

The Charlotte Hornets are signing guard Antonio Reeves to a two-way NBA deal, sources tell ESPN. The 2024 Pelicans second-round pick averaged 6.9 points and 40% 3-point shooting in 44 games as a rookie last season.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 23, 2025

Sign up for the KSR Golf Scramble at Woodson Bend Resort

Registration for KSR’s Somerset Golf Scramble at Woodson Bend Resort is available to KSR listeners interested in golf. Want to play? Find three teammates and sign your team up for Monday, September 8, at Woodson Bend at Lake Cumberland.

The day will include a live broadcast of KSR from 10 a.m. to noon (open only to golfers), lunch, and 18 holes of competitive golf in a scramble format. Each golfer will also receive KSR-branded apparel and other tee gifts upon arrival at the course. Find even more info below from the tournament’s event website.

Don’t wait until spots are filled up. Sign up here today.