Trent Noah’s Kentucky career has been shaped as much by the training room as the practice court, but the Harlan County native still talks like a player living the dream.
Noah said on media day that his hamstring situation is moving in the right direction, and a UK spokesperson confirmed a return is expected in the coming weeks. Noah also clarified that what he’s dealing with isn’t one lingering problem, but “two separate hamstring problems, hamstring issues.”
“It wasn't like the same thing was being reaggravated, which is good. It's not the summer and fall that I wanted, (but) hopefully I'll be back soon. But the path that I'm on and the path that God put me on might not be what I thought it would be, but I believe it's the right thing.”
He said a doctor told him that having two separate issues is actually better than dealing with the same one over and over.
That’s part of what makes Noah such an interesting voice in this whole situation: from the outside, his Kentucky journey might look like one long injury slog. He doesn’t describe it that way at all. Even with the setbacks, he says wearing the Kentucky jersey still feels like the dream he chased growing up.
“It’s definitely hard,” he told The Cats' Pause. “I feel like it can definitely mess with your mental, but I think that's the beauty of it. It gives you so much joy whenever you do get to play the game.”
He expanded on that point by saying time on the sideline can make a player appreciate the daily grind more than ever.
“I feel like if you stay healthy for so long, you might start taking days and weeks for granted,” Noah continued. “But, in the summer, whenever I got to be back for a week and a half, two weeks, I was having so much fun and (felt) so much joy on the floor because I've been sitting and watching. Obviously, that's not fun for anybody.”
For Noah, the pause has sharpened the meaning of simply being around the program. He said the chance to walk into the Craft Center, compete, and wear Kentucky across his chest now carries even more weight.
“It’s super special,” he said. “It's still the exact same way.
You can take it for granted, just playing basketball every day, (but) with my hamstring issue, it's kind of reminded me. It gives me joy the days that I do get to be on the floor and the days that I do get to walk into the Craft Center and go out and compete and wear the jersey.
It just makes it a little extra special (and) I'm not taking any opportunity for granted.”
The time away has also given him a different view of the parts of basketball players often ignore. Noah said he’s been able to learn from the sideline, picking up schemes and plays while helping in a coaching role during team work.
“If you're sitting and watching, you can do so much to help the team that I kind of think some people take for granted,” he said. “The coaches put us in the right spots to work coaching a team.
Whenever (blue team and white team are) playing each other, we're drawing up plays, we're going through the reads. You can get so much better just watching and kind of growing in a vocal aspect.
There's definitely pros and cons to it, but you got to make the best with the cards that you're dealt.”
That perspective has extended to the people around him, too. Noah said he’s grown especially appreciative of the staff keeping things moving behind the scenes.
“A cherry on top of that, that gives me peace, I'm working with two of the best strength and conditioning coaches and the best trainer in Brandon Wells,” Noah said. “He's seeing me more than he sees his kids times 1,000 right now.
I've spent so much time with him, I know him so well. I'm excited for his timeline for me and what we've done to be able to work together.
I feel like I'm progressing well and I'm going to be back in the next couple weeks with no limitations and should never have to worry about it again.”
So what has the rehab actually looked like?
“It’s very active, which is a good thing,” he said. “I've not been sitting around.
I've been very active in the sense of shooting and doing some low running movements and stuff like that. So, the first time whenever I get back, I should be able to intertwine smoothly back into the game, not really miss a beat.
Just take a couple days to get me back up to the speed of the game and I'll be ready to go.”
Noah’s tone stayed upbeat throughout, even as he acknowledged that injuries have limited him and that last season brought his worst statistical year at Kentucky. None of that has shaken his belief that there’s more to show.
“I’m so eager and hungry to get back on the floor,” Noah said. “I think that's the reason why I'm still here.
I think there's so much stuff that hasn't been put on the floor, myself and as a team. Just kind of do what I know I'm capable of.
“I feel like it's just been snowballing up and it's ready to be put on the floor,” Noah continued. “My time here wasn't finished.
I have a lot more product to put on the floor that hasn't been put yet. That's what makes me stoked for this year.”
He still has a couple weeks before he’s fully cleared, but Noah sounds ready for the moment when that door opens. Through the injuries and the frustration, he’s come out sounding more certain, not less, about what Kentucky means to him and what he can still bring once he’s back.
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