:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60136711/Screen_Shot_2018_06_20_at_10.44.26_AM_718x490.0.png)
247 Sports updated their “way too early” preseason All-American teams on Wednesday, although it really does not seem that early.
If this list had been updated on Tuesday, there would not have been any Kentucky Wildcats. But with the addition of Travis Reid, the Cats now have a first-team preseason All-American.
First-Team
- Carsen Edwards, Purdue
- R.J. Barrett, Duke
- Reid Travis, Kentucky
- Dedric Lawson, Kansas
- Luke Maye, North Carolina
Kevin Flaherty of 247 Sports had this to say of Reid:
All Travis does is produce: Two years ago he averaged 17.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and he had averages of 19.5 and 8.7 a year ago. Kentucky doesn’t bring back anywhere near that kind of proven production, and his leadership and experience in the locker room would be as welcome a factor as his presence on the glass.
Yesterday, John Calipari reiterated that he always chooses talent over experience, but said Reid was impossible to pass up because he has both. Reid comes to Kentucky as a Stanford graduate who spent four years in the Pac-12, including a sophomore year that was cut short due to a medical redshirt.
Having that kind of experience in Lexington will be somewhat unfamiliar territory for Kentucky fans, and expectations are already high for the two-time first-team all-conference team in the Pac-12.
If Reid finishes the year on the All-American list, you can rest assured that this will be a special season. That is especially true if any of his teammates join him. Perhaps that could be PJ Washington, who actually made the ‘Other Players To Watch’ section:
Washington may have the best shot of any current Kentucky player to earn All-America honors after averaging almost 11 points and six rebounds per game as a freshman. And he upped those averages to a near 14-8 in the NCAA Tournament. But if Reid Travis comes to Kentucky, that will eat into Washington’s pie quite a bit as they bring a lot of the same traits.
Next season can’t get here fast enough!