Fifth-year players—often referred to as “super seniors”—became a common sight in the NCAA this season with their extra year of eligibility due to the Covid pandemic. And, as Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves proves, they’re also going to be visible during the 2024 NBA Draft, joining the undergrads in the same pool of league hopefuls.
Antonio Reeves 2024 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Reeves, a 6’4” guard, spent his first three years at Illinois State, where he developed into a standout player in the Missouri Valley Conference. His junior year was his most productive season for the Redbirds, and it came after he declared for the 2021 Draft. In 33 games (all starts), Reeves averaged 20.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals on .469/.390/.818 splits, and was named the MVC’s Most Improved Player. He also earned a spot on the All-MVC Second Team and was a top-20 scorer in Div. I men’s basketball.
Following his junior year, Reeves transferred to Kentucky. Despite adjusting from a starter to a backup role, Reeves kept his scoring up, averaging 14.4 points on .416/.398/.783 splits and earning SEC Sixth Man of the Year for his efforts. Prior to this season, he was listed as one of the top-ten super-seniors to watch by Andy Katz, who declared: “Reeves is going to have an SEC player-of-the-year type season for John Calipari.”
Reeves may not have won SEC Player of the Year, but he still exceeded expectations. He started all 33 games played for Coach Cal and the Wildcats, averaging 20.2 points on blistering .512/.447/863 splits. His college career ended with a 27-point performance against Oakland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Reeves took home All-SEC First Team honors and will be one of four Wildcats in this year’s draft class.
Strengths
Reeves is a solid three-level scorer who can thrive in whatever role he’s placed in. He went off for several scoring outbursts during his time at Kentucky, including a 37-point explosion against the Arkansas.
He does a good job of finishing creatively at the rim, taking any contact that comes with it despite his 186-pound frame. Reeves didn’t get to the line often—only averaging four attempts from the stripe per game—but he was still efficient from the line. He improved his free-throw percentage from 65% as a freshman to 86% in his fifth year.
One of his go-to moves is the floater, which he takes and makes with ease. He fires it early and often when he can’t get to the rim. His overall midrange game is also sound, being able to make jumpers off the dribble and off the catch.
Reeves’s perimeter shooting is also excellent, as No Ceilings NBA’s numbers show:
“This will be his third straight season in which he’s shot at least 39% from three on more than 5.5 attempts. Additionally, Reeves ranks in the 97th percentile with 1.18 PPP.”
He buries a majority of his threes off the catch and creates separation with great handles. Reeves showcased his scoring ability at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine, where he scored 17 points in the first scrimmage.
HECK of a first scrimmage day at the NBA Draft Combine for Antonio Reeves who finished with:
17 points and four assists in 28 minutes of play
Someone will be getting a STEAL with this kid 😤😤pic.twitter.com/fkSGxsJfew
— TorresOnKentucky (@TorresOnUK) May 15, 2024
Reeves has put scouts on notice with his offensive talents. His three-point shooting will be the most translatable part of his game, especially with the upward trends of perimeter marksmen in the league.
Weaknesses
For all of Reeves’ work as a scorer, there are several flaws in his game that prevent him from being mocked higher on draft boards. For starters, there’s his age. Not a lot of teams will be looking for fifth-year players in the 2024 Draft, and Reeves, for all of his talents, is 23 years old. Additionally, he is not the best playmaker, only averaging 1.3 assists per game throughout his career and contributing 54 assists to Kentucky’s offense this season (1.6/game).
Reeves is also a glaring negative on defense. He only tallied 22 steals and eight blocks this season—with respective marks of 101 and 37 for his career. According to No Ceilings NBA:
“…he ranks in the 43rd percentile in overall defensive points per possession (PPP), per Synergy. If he gets drafted, Reeves will be just the eighth senior to do so since 2014 with a block rate under 1% and a steal rate under 1.5%. His company isn’t exactly littered with sterling NBA careers either.”
Both of those skills can certainly be developed as the draft gets closer and in the beginning of Reeves’ professional career. However, they are two main reasons why Reeves may be ranked lower on draft boards than most of his peers.
NBA Comparison
As one of the older sharpshooters in the 2024 class, Reeves’ game has shades of Matt Ryan, a 27-year-old wing whose two-year career has included stops with the Celtics, Lakers, Timberwolves, and Pelicans. Both are high-volume shooters who make their jumpers at a relatively high clip. However, they are also below-average defenders. Ryan’s offensive focus has still earned him solid rotational minutes, and the same could hold true for Reeves.
