Brooks, Cats Ready for 2026-27 Season
The Kentucky women’s basketball team held its annual media day on Tuesday, with head coach Kenny Brooks addressing the media.
Kentucky finished 25-11 last season and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Center Clara Strack headlines the returners for Brooks this season. The Buffalo, New York, native averaged 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. She also blocked 91 shots, breaking her own school record in the process. Strack should become UK’s all-time blocks leader this season.
Brooks knows that Strack needs to become even more of a leader this season, and he continues to work with her on that process.
“She’s constantly in my office, and we’re constantly talking about something to that magnitude without talking about it,” Brooks said. “If you try to tell a kid exactly what to do, they’re going to memorize it and then it’s not going to become theirs. But she’s been in my office for the last two years, and whether she knew it or not, we were talking about how to be a leader. And that’s the way that I always do it. We don’t do media training. We don’t do captains’ meetings and stuff like that. Because if they think they’re coming in for that reason, I’m not sure if it’s going to become theirs. But if they come into my office every day, and I give them a little bit without them knowing it, then eventually they think it’s theirs.”
Asia Boone is also back for the Cats this year. Last season, the lefty made 96 three-point baskets, the second highest total in a season in program history. Boone averaged 10.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game last year. Brooks needs to see more from Boone this year, after having one year under her belt at UK.
“I think instead of us talking about what’s the next level, we just really want her to be the best version of what she gave us,” Brooks said. “Last year, she didn’t have to open her mouth, and she would still be effective because the other players would pick up that slack. Now she’s got to be able to help the freshmen, help them understand, not only what I’m talking about, but what to expect when they go into these venues and playing at a high level. And then, just like I said, be the best version of what she was last year. And shoot the ball when we need it exceptionally well, we’re going to go to her, and I don’t know if she’ll get the same kind of look she got last year because Toni really facilitated a lot of that, so they’re coming in a different way. And so she’s going to have to find her way to get open, and it’s going to be a little bit different because she’s not an unknown now. Everyone knows who she is, and so it’s just a different challenge for her, and that’s the way she has to accept it. And I think she’s up for the task, and she’s playing well, and she just needs to just be ready and offer some more leadership, too.”
Brooks assembled his roster through both the transfer portal and high school recruiting. In the portal, UK was able to add Diana Collins (Alabama), Me’Arah O’Neal (Florida) and Ayanna Patterson (UConn). Kentucky also added Ajša Sivka from Slovenia. Brooks has high hopes for Sivka, who comes to Lexington with outstanding credentials.
“She’s going to lead us in turnovers the first half of the year just because everyone else is still trying to get on her page,” Brooks said. “She sees the game differently. She sees it a little bit quicker than a lot of players, and sometimes she throws the ball to somebody who’s not looking, but they’re open, and I’ll ask her, what did she see? She said, ‘They were open.’ I said, ‘Yeah, but they weren’t looking.’ So we’re just trying to get on the same page. But she’s an exceptional talent. Obviously, that’s why she got drafted. And we’re happy to have her, and she’s come here, and we’re going to need some leadership from her as well because she’s played in some very high-level basketball games with some high-level players, and we’re going to lean on her for that expertise.”
From the high school ranks, Kentucky put together one of the nation’s top recruiting classes. McDonald’s All-Americans Maddyn Greenway, Emily McDonald and Savvy Swords all signed with Kentucky. Brooks talked about Greenway and Swords on Tuesday.
“She’s a very smart player, so picking up the offense is nothing new to her,” Brooks said about Greenway. “And what she’s picking up is she’s picking up tendencies. In high school, and just like with everyone else, they play one speed. She’s learning how to play with tempo. But I think the biggest thing for her, with me, is that she’s extremely coachable, and she wants it. A player of her magnitude, with her accolades, they could come in, and they could be thinking that they are the bee’s knees. They could think that they are the best thing in the world. But she’s come in, and she’s humble. She understands what’s around her, and she’s just trying to do what she can to get better. And she’s been a lot of fun to coach. She’s been frustrating to coach, only because she’s a freshman. But she’s been a pleasant, not a surprise, but she’s been pleasant to coach because she’s very coachable, and she just wants to continue to get better.”
The UK head coach also likes how Swords can do lots of things on the floor.
“Love Savvy. Love her versatility, love everything that she brings” Brooks said. “She comes from a strong family background with basketball. Her father is the head coach for the G League version of the Nets. She’s been around basketball her whole life. Obviously, her sister’s an All-American candidate. She just picks everything up so quickly.”
Brooks’ third Kentucky team features solid returnees, strong transfer portal additions and an outstanding incoming class. Building the chemistry between all of these units will be key to the Cats’ success this season.
