There is a Kentucky big man who has barely been mentioned during much of the offseason conversation, but Mark Pope is making sure Big Blue Nation does not forget about him.
While Malachi Moreno has understandably received most of the attention at the center position and Franck Kepnang has emerged as another intriguing piece of Kentucky’s frontcourt, Reece Potter has quietly been waiting for his opportunity.
Now, Pope has reminded everyone that Potter is still very much part of the plan.
The Kentucky head coach recently discussed his options at the five position and specifically pointed toward Potter as a player who has been overlooked after spending last season on the sidelines.
Potter was redshirted during the 2025-26 season, meaning Kentucky fans never really got the chance to see what the 7-foot-1 Lexington native could bring to the Wildcats.
But Pope clearly remembers what Potter accomplished before arriving in Lexington.
And his message should have Kentucky fans paying much closer attention.
“Reece Potter also is a guy that’s been off the radar for a year because we redshirted him last year,” Pope said, according to On3. “But he was a really good player at Miami of Ohio, and he’s got some physicality.”
That may not sound like the loudest statement of the offseason, but it could prove to be one of the more important ones.
Because Kentucky may have more depth at the five than many people realize.
POTTER HAS BEEN OUT OF SIGHT, BUT NOT OUT OF MIND
The easiest thing for fans to do with Potter is forget about him.
After all, he did not play meaningful minutes for Kentucky last season.
While Moreno was developing into one of the Wildcats’ most important young players, Potter was watching from the sidelines. While Kentucky’s roster went through significant changes, Potter remained largely out of the spotlight.
The Lexington Herald-Leader previously reported that Potter transferred to Kentucky from Miami (Ohio), redshirted during the 2025-26 season and planned to return for another opportunity with his hometown program.
Yahoo Sports also profiled Potter’s redshirt season, noting that the former Lexington Catholic standout barely saw the court after arriving at Kentucky and that the coaching staff made the decision to preserve his season.
That means Potter’s Kentucky story has barely started.
And that is exactly why Pope’s latest comments are worth watching.
KENTUCKY ALREADY KNOWS WHAT POTTER CAN DO
Potter is not entering Kentucky’s frontcourt without college experience.
Before transferring to Kentucky, he spent two seasons at Miami (Ohio), where he developed into a useful stretch-five option.
During his sophomore season, Potter appeared in 30 games and averaged 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds while playing 17.1 minutes per game.
His shooting ability is particularly interesting.
According to On3’s recent report, Potter connected on 37 of 93 three-point attempts during his first two seasons at Miami (Ohio), good for 39.8 percent from beyond the arc.
That is a potentially valuable weapon for a 7-foot-1 player.
Kentucky does not necessarily need Potter to become a high-volume offensive player. What the Wildcats could need from him is efficiency, toughness and versatility.
If he can stretch opposing defenses while also giving Pope a legitimate physical presence inside, Potter suddenly becomes a much more interesting piece.
And that appears to be exactly what Pope sees.
THE PHYSICALITY COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE
Pope specifically mentioned Potter’s physicality.
That word matters.
Kentucky is going to play in an SEC that routinely demands toughness in the paint. There will be nights when the Wildcats need to battle against powerful centers, absorb contact and win possessions around the basket.
Moreno gives Kentucky size and skill.
Kepnang gives the Wildcats an experienced and physical option.
Potter could provide another completely different look.
He is 7-foot-1, has experience playing the center position and has already demonstrated that he can shoot from the perimeter.
That combination could give Pope flexibility depending on the opponent.
There may be games where Kentucky wants Moreno’s offensive ability.
There may be games where Kepnang’s defensive intensity is the priority.
And there may be moments when Potter’s combination of size, shooting and physicality becomes the perfect answer.
That is what makes having three different options so valuable.
MORENO CANNOT DO EVERYTHING
There is another reason Potter’s emergence could become important.
No matter how good Moreno becomes, he cannot play every minute.
Pope knows that.
Moreno is expected to carry a major workload at the five, but a long college basketball season eventually tests every team’s depth.
Foul trouble happens.
Injuries happen.
Matchups change.
Players get tired.
And sometimes a coach simply needs a different style of player.
That is where Potter becomes important.
Pope recently emphasized that Kentucky has high hopes for its center rotation and suggested that, if the Wildcats can remain healthy, they believe they have a “really, really good setup at the five.”
That setup goes beyond Moreno.
It includes Kepnang.
And it includes Potter.
KENTUCKY FANS HAVE NEVER REALLY SEEN POTTER
Perhaps the most fascinating part of this story is that Kentucky fans have not yet seen the real Potter in a game.
That creates a massive unknown.
Fans know what Moreno can do.
They have seen Kepnang’s college career.
But Potter remains something of a mystery.
He arrived in Lexington with an established reputation from Miami (Ohio), then immediately disappeared from the court because of the redshirt decision.
That means the first time many Kentucky fans see him play meaningful minutes could essentially feel like watching a new player.
And sometimes those players can surprise people.
Potter has already spent a year inside Pope’s program.
He has had an opportunity to learn the system.
He has had time to work with Kentucky’s coaches.
He has also had the benefit of practicing and developing without the pressure of immediately having to perform in games.
Now he gets his opportunity.
THE LEXINGTON CONNECTION MAKES IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL
Potter’s Kentucky story is also different because this is home.
The 7-foot-1 big man is a Lexington native who starred at Lexington Catholic before beginning his college career at Miami (Ohio).
He grew up around Kentucky basketball.
Now he has the opportunity to actually wear the Kentucky uniform.
That alone makes his situation one of the more interesting stories on the roster.
He did not come to Lexington simply because it was another college opportunity.
He came home.
And after sacrificing an entire season through the redshirt decision, Potter now has a chance to finally show Big Blue Nation why Pope wanted him in the program.
THE REDSHIRT YEAR MAY HAVE HELPED HIM
There is always a risk when a player misses an entire season.
Rust can become a problem.
Timing can become a problem.
But there can also be benefits.
Potter had an entire year to develop without the pressure of playing through every minor issue.
He could focus on his body.
He could learn Kentucky’s system.
He could watch his teammates.
He could understand what Pope expects from his centers.
And he could prepare for his opportunity.
Now, the challenge is turning all of that preparation into production.
DON’T EXPECT POTTER TO REPLACE MORENO
It is important not to misunderstand Pope’s comments.
There is no indication that Kentucky is preparing to move Moreno out of the starting role or that Potter is suddenly expected to become the team’s primary center.
That is not the story.
The story is depth.
Kentucky needs players who can contribute when their number is called.
Potter may not need to play 25 minutes every night.
He may not need to score 15 points.
He may simply need to give Kentucky 8, 10 or 12 productive minutes when the matchup calls for it.
If he can defend.
If he can rebound.
If he can knock down an open three.
If he can absorb contact.
If he can give Moreno a legitimate break without Kentucky’s level of play dropping dramatically.
Then he has done his job.
And that could make him extremely valuable.
POPE’S WARNING SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED
There is a reason Pope specifically brought Potter up while discussing Kentucky’s center situation.
Coaches do not usually spend time reminding people about players they have completely forgotten.
Pope knows what Potter looked like at Miami (Ohio).
He knows what the big man has done inside Kentucky’s program over the past year.
And he knows what kind of physicality Potter can potentially bring to the court.
That does not guarantee success.
But it does mean Kentucky’s coaching staff sees something worth developing.
And that is enough to make Potter one of the more intriguing players to watch heading into the new season.
BIG BLUE NATION MAY SOON DISCOVER WHAT IT MISSED
For months, Reece Potter has been one of the easiest Kentucky players to overlook.
That may not last much longer.
The moment he steps onto the floor and starts playing meaningful minutes, the conversation could change quickly.
Suddenly, Kentucky fans will have a chance to see the player who once averaged 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds at Miami (Ohio).
They will see the 7-foot-1 frame.
They will see the shooting ability.
They will see the physicality Pope has emphasized.
And they will finally get an answer to one of the biggest questions surrounding Kentucky’s frontcourt.
What exactly does Reece Potter bring to this team?
Nobody knows for certain yet.
But Mark Pope clearly believes there is something worth paying attention to.
And if Kentucky can keep Moreno, Kepnang and Potter healthy, the Wildcats could have a center rotation that is far deeper and more versatile than the offseason conversation has suggested.
For now, Moreno remains the headline name.
Kepnang remains an important piece.
But Potter?
He may be the forgotten weapon waiting quietly in the background.
And if he makes the most of his opportunity, Big Blue Nation may look back at Pope’s comments and realize that the Kentucky coach was trying to tell everyone something long before Potter had the chance to prove it on the court.
The “forgotten” big man
may not be forgotten for much longer.
