Travis Ford didn’t need much time to come away impressed by Kentucky’s latest look.
The former Wildcats guard, who now has coaching experience at Arkansas-Little Rock, saw enough in the exhibition win over Texas Tech to single out Malachi Moreno and Milan Momcilovic. Moreno finished with 15 points and six rebounds, while Momcilovic added 15 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Ford said Moreno left a strong impression on him for reasons that go well beyond the box score.
“Malachi Moreno I’m a big fan of. Big, big fan.
I think his best basketball is probably ahead of him,” Ford said. “But he’s great.
I say that because I know him very very well, very personally, knowing his family, and I just think the world of him as a person.
“Incredible family. Recruited his brother really, really hard.
His brother married one of my best friend’s daughters, so I’ve known Malachi for a long time, and highly encouraged him to come here. And he’s just going to get better and better.”
Ford was just as taken with Momcilovic’s shooting ability, calling him one of the toughest players to account for.
“It’s hard to describe. I don’t know of too many players in my head, and I’ve been around this game my whole life, that can make shots like he makes them,” the former UK point guard said. “I watched him on film, watched all his Iowa State games, and watched all kinds of stuff and the shots he makes are incredible.
“When you can shoot the 3 the way this team can, and you look at what a lot of these players did in the past, it always gives you a chance. You put defense stuff behind it, which they do.
Very good defensively. Very good physical defensive basketball team.
“But Milan is a hard guy to guard. Very hard to guard because he can get a shot off in so many ways, and he gets it off quickly at 6-9.”
In Other News...
Former Kentucky Players Are Making Some Departures Look A Lot Different
Kentuckys roster turnover has become easier to judge with a little distance, and the 2026 season is offering a revealing look at what some of those departures have meant elsewhere. The list of 38 former Wildcats now playing for other FBS programs shows just how widely the talent has scattered, with players turning up at new schools at every position and carving out roles that range from depth pieces to steady contributors.
For Kentucky, the interesting part is not just where those players landed, but how much they are playing once they got there. The article tracks their current schools, positions and production, and the range of impact makes the exodus look different depending on the name involved. Some departures have barely registered, while others have become much more noticeable reminders that roster management does not stop when a player leaves Lexington. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Biggest Question Before Kentucky Still Has No Clear Answer
Tennessee heads into its bye week with the same quarterback uncertainty that has hovered over much of the season. Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre have both gotten starts and neither has settled the job, with the offense sputtering at times and the turnovers piling up enough to keep the Vols near the bottom of the SEC in several key passing categories.
Josh Heupel said both quarterbacks are practicing well, but he stopped short of signaling any immediate change, leaving the competition open as Kentucky approaches. For Tennessee, the off week is a chance to sort through the options and try to find some stability before a game that could go a long way toward defining the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
What An Opposing Coach Already Sees In This Kentucky Team
Johnny Dawkins got a close look at Kentucky in an exhibition setting, and the former Duke star and current Central Florida coach came away impressed. He said the Wildcats already have the kind of talent, coaching and chemistry that can make them a much better team as the season unfolds, and he pointed to their length and versatility as traits that stand out right away.
For Kentucky, that kind of early read from an opposing coach matters because it suggests the ceiling is still ahead of them. Exhibition games only tell part of the story, but Dawkins view was clear enough: this group has the pieces to grow into something more dangerous once the season gets rolling, even if the best version of the Wildcats is still to come. [Read more 🡒]