Kentucky basketball’s Trent Noah on Travis Perry leaving Lexington after freshman season

• Kentucky basketball player Travis Perry transferred to Ole Miss after his freshman season.
• Perry’s former UK teammates, Trent Noah and Collin Chandler, expressed sadness but support for Perry’s decision.
• Kentucky coach Mark Pope described Perry as a “terrific young man” and expressed disappointment about his departure.
• Perry explained his decision was based on what he felt was best for his basketball career and cited coach Chris Beard’s vision at Ole Miss.

LEXINGTON — Trent Noah was well aware of Travis Perry‘s state of mind in the days and weeks following the conclusion of Kentucky basketball‘s 2024-25 season. They were roommates, after all. And Perry was clear: He was debating leaving the Wildcats to enter the transfer portal.

Though Noah wasn’t blindsided, it didn’t make the news any easier to reckon with when Perry put his name into the portal April 22, the final day it was open.

“It definitely stung,” Noah said Monday.

That Perry won’t be back for a second season at UK wasn’t for lack of trying on Noah’s part.

“I did everything I could to keep him here,” Noah said. “He was one of my good friends, and he’s an excellent player. But, at the end of the day, you’ve got to do what’s best for you, and that’s what he thought was best for him. So I love him and wish him the best. Not looking forward to playing him, that’s for sure.”

That’s because Perry remained in the SEC, transferring to Ole Miss.

“I was very pleased with my freshman season at Kentucky,” Perry told reporters last week. “I feel like we had a great group of guys I was able to learn a ton from and just kind of transformed my game. It’s hard for any freshman coming in, especially for a freshman coming into the SEC — the best conference ever in college basketball. So I was very blessed to have that opportunity. I have nothing but love and respect for those guys. Wish them all the best.

“But whenever I got in the portal, I felt like (Ole Miss) coach (Chris) Beard’s vision for me was exactly what I was looking for, and I felt like we had a lot of guys coming here that wanted to win, wanted to compete at a high level, and I felt like I could come in and impact that.”

While Noah wants to see his former teammate — and fellow high school legend in the Bluegrass State thanks to the storied careers each authored — excel at Ole Miss, he admitted it’s difficult no longer having Perry around the Kentucky program.

“We were both freshmen, and we (leaned) on each other for little things,” Noah said. “(But) that’s just how it goes in this day and age of college basketball: You just try to put yourself in the best position. And he thought Ole Miss was the best position.”

Noah’s words Monday echoed those of UK’s coach, Mark Pope, who acknowledged last month he was “devastated” when he learned of Perry’s departure.

“I think he’s such a terrific young man,” Pope said May 13. “I think he’s a really, really special person. I think he’s got an old soul, and he’s full of wisdom. He just is everything that you want in a young man and a player.”

Perry’s candor, Noah said, was encapsulated in the way he moved on.

“He let the whole team know before (news of his transfer) went public and stuff like that,” Noah said, “just keeping us in the loop so we didn’t have to find out on social media.”

Not a determination he came to lightly, either.

“You only get so much time to do it: You only get so much time to play basketball,” Perry said. “So I felt like I just made the decision that myself and my family came to that was best for my basketball career. I’m very excited about it.”

Collin Chandler, the third (and final) member of the Wildcats’ freshman class last season, said Perry leaving was akin to “losing a brother.”

“That was really sad because we are so close. But … I feel like God has a plan for people, and that’s what he felt like he needed to do for him and his life, which we all have to respect,” Chandler said.

Just don’t expect him to take it easy on Perry if the Wildcats and Rebels square off next season.

“It’s just gonna be sad when we have to beat up on him when we play him in SEC play,” Chandler said with a smirk.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack. 

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