Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves declares for NBA Draft but leaves option open to return

A third Kentucky basketball player has declared for the 2023 NBA Draft, but Antonio Reeves is the first of those leaving open the option to return.

Reeves made his intentions known Tuesday, following previous announcements by Cason Wallace and Jacob Toppin, both of whom do not plan to return to UK.

“My time at Kentucky has been everything I dreamt it would be,” Reeves said in a post on social media. “Coach Cal and the staff pushed me to become a better all-around player and my teammates and I created bonds that will last a lifetime.

“I want to thank Big Blue Nation,” he continued. “You are the best fans in the country and we felt your passion all season long and everywhere we went.”

The Chicago native, who transferred to Kentucky from Illinois State, averaged 14.4 points per game, the second-most on the team, while making a team-high 80 three-pointers. He shot a career-best 39.8 percent from long range.

Players can submit paperwork to receive evaluations from the NBA and participate — if invited — in the NBA Draft combine which is slated to take place May 15-21. The deadline to return to school is May 31.

“I’ve spent time thinking about what’s best for me and my future,” Reeves said. “I’ve determined that testing the waters and getting information back from the NBA is the best thing for me at this time. … I’m keeping my options open.”

Reeves was named the Southeastern Conference’s Co-Sixth Man of the Year after his lone season with the Wildcats.

“Antonio is utilizing the rule in place of testing the waters exactly as he should,” UK head coach John Calipari said in a statement released by the school. “Scoring is a premium and Antonio can score on all three levels and showed growth as a player on both ends. I’m excited to see what kind of feedback he receives.”