John Calipari reacts to Keion Brooks returning for sophomore season

Keion Brooks Jr. is officially returning for his sophomore season with the Kentucky Wildcats, he announced Tuesday. This comes after Brooks’ dad told CatsPause on Monday that his son was returning to UK for another year.

The Indiana native appeared in all 31 games for the 2020 SEC champion Wildcats, and he made six starts while averaging 4.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game while shooting 47.2% from the floor.

Brooks scored in double figures five times in 2019-20, including a promising end to the season. He played an important part in the 18-point comeback at Florida with 10 points and two triples while also hitting two critical shots in the final minutes to cap off the miraculous rally.

It’s not often John Calipari gets to coach a former five-star recruit for more than one season in Lexington, so as you can imagine, he’s thrilled to get another year to help Brooks reach his ultimate potential.

“Keion improved as much as anyone on our team,” Calipari said in a press release. “This season was great for him. He learned about himself, he learned about the game and he learned about what it takes to be special. And let me say this: I truly believe Keion Brooks is going to be special.

“Keion is one of the greatest kids we’ve had. He’s got a caring heart, but on that court he has a competitive spirit with skills, length and athleticism that set him apart. He can play multiple positions on offense and defense because of that length and athleticism.

“I’m so excited to get another year to watch his growth and to be with him throughout the season.”

Expect big things from Brooks in Year 2. He’s got the potential to become an All-American-level player in Lexington and hear his name called in the 2021 NBA Draft.