The Kentucky Wildcats recently capped off their first year under head coach Mark Pope, following a successful tenure by John Calipari.
During his first year with the program, Pope led Kentucky to the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats ultimately lost to Tennessee, 78-65, in the NCAA Tournament. Before their loss in the Sweet 16, Kentucky defeated Illinois and Troy.
After Pope’s first season at the helm, Pope lost one of the team’s key contributors.
Koby Brea, arguably the most skilled scorer on the Wildcats’ roster, will be entering the 2025 NBA Draft.
“Blessed,” said Brea, while sharing an emotional message to Kentucky.
He then shared a long note.
“Everybody’s path is different, and I wouldn’t change mine for anything.” Brea said. “Every step of my journey has shaped me into the person I am today and I’m truly grateful for all the ups and downs I’ve experienced throughout my college career. While this moment is bittersweet, I’m excited for the next chapter of my life.”
Brea thanked his team, family and friends while speaking on the “next chapter” of his life, embarking on the professional basketball journey in the NBA.
“To my family and loved ones, all of my coaches, teammates, trainers, managers, professors, Flyer Nation and Big Blue Nation—thank you. I’ve been blessed to have so many amazing people around me,” he continued.
“And above all, I want to thank God. None of this would be possible without Him. With that being said, I’m proud to announce that I’ll be declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft.”
Brea played one season with the Kentucky Wildcats after spending four seasons at Dayton. In his final year, Brea averaged 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
