Three Kentucky Wildcats with the most to prove in the exhibition vs. #1 Purdue

Which Kentucky players have the most to prove against Purdue?

Kentucky forward Trent Noah (9) celebrates the three pointer during the first half of their first round NCAA men’ s basketball tournament game against Troy on Friday March 21, 2025 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When the Kentucky Wildcats take on the Purdue Boilermakers on Friday, this will be the Kentucky debut for a lot of players. This team seems to have great chemistry, but they will put it to the test on Friday against the best team in college basketball.

Let's take a look at the three Wildcats that have the most to prove in the exhibition against #1 Purdue.

Three Kentucky players with the most to prove against Purdue

Kam Williams

Oct 11, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Kam Williams (3) competes in the three point contest during Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Tulane transfer Kam Williams is going to be a star in Lexington, and the NBA scouts are starting to catch on. Williams is projected to go in the lottery of different NBA Mock Drafts thanks to his ability to shoot the ball. When Williams got to Lexington, fans knew he could shoot, but we learned over the last few months that he is becoming an elite defender. So far, in the few times fans have seen Williams on the floor, he has seemed timid to shoot the ball at times. Williams is an elite shooter, and he needs to let it fly against Purdue on Friday. If Williams is a 40% shooter from deep, it takes this team to a new level.

Malachi Moreno

Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) pumps up the crowd during his introduction at the 2025 Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. | Matt Stone/The Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The freshman big man Malachi Moreno is going to be an absolute stud for Kentucky, but the question is whether or not that will be this season. The five-star will be asked to play a lot early in the year because of the injury to Jayden Quaintance. Moreno will make his Kentucky debut on Friday, having to guard one of the best frontcourts in the nation. The Wildcats need Moreno to be excellent in this game if they are going to win. The seven-footer needs to prove in this game that he is a playable option for Coach Pope while JQ rehabs.

Trent Noah

Kentucky Wildcats forward Trent Noah (9) waits for a ball Thursday, March 27, 2025, during practice ahead of the Sweet 16 March Madness tournament game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The talk of the offseason has been sophomore Trent Noah. He is the only returner on this list, and it sounds like he has taken his game from just a shooter to an all-around player this offseason. In the Blue-White Game, Noah was creating his own shot at a level we did not see from him a year ago. Knowing Noah is a Kentucky native, fans were really hoping he would pan out, and it seems that will be the case. Noah needs to take this momentum he gained all offseason and shoot the ball well against #1 Purdue on Friday.