Mark Pope, the new head coach of Kentucky, signed the nation’s best three-point shooter from the previous season, whose BYU team attempted the third-most three-pointers.
After visiting Lexington, Koby Brea, a transfer guard from Dayton, signed a contract with the Wildcats on Wednesday. He chose the Cats over North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, UConn, and other elite teams.
“By the numbers, Koby Brea is the most efficient mid-to-high major player in college basketball in the last decade,” Pope stated in a press release. “Next year, he will be the top returning shooter in college basketball. Koby is a wonderful man with an amazing family, but he is also a dangerous man. He will be essential to our ability to play the kind of basketball we enjoy most. Big Blue Nation is about to go on an amazing journey with Koby and this bunch.”
According to Brea, “His (Pope’s) style of play complements my strengths as a basketball player,” Jonathan Givony of ESPN reported. When it comes to making 3-pointers, he has shown himself to be among the greatest. Nobody in college basketball is able to shoot as well as I can—off the catch, off the bounce, and off the move together.”
“Assisting Coach Pope and the University of Kentucky in raising another trophy is the main goal I have in mind. Changing that eight to a nine! In addition, I’m excited to learn from Coach Pope, improve my skills, and be challenged daily to be the best version of myself. My family and I discussed it, and we agreed to use this offseason to train like pros, obtain
In 2022–23, Brea played in 28 games and made 10 starts as a junior. He shot 37.0 percent from three-point range and 36.3 percent from the field while averaging 6.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game.
Brea averaged 29.1 minutes per game while playing in 33 games for a Dayton team that finished the regular season as the No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament and made it to the Round of 32. Brea started four games this past season. He shot 51.2 percent from the field, 49.8 percent from three, and 87.5 percent from the free throw line while averaging 11.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists a game. It was his second year being named the A10 Sixth Man of the Year.
Brea, who is ranked 100th on the transfer portal and 14th as a shooting guard by 247sports, averaged 14.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game in the Flyers’ two NCAA Tournament games. She also shot 55.6 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from three.
Brea went for 21 points in a victory over St. Louis, 18 points in a victory over VCU, and a season-high 22 points in a road win over SMU.
