Collin Chandler Is Catching Fire — And Kentucky Might Be Witnessing the Birth of Its Next Great Shooter
There are hot streaks in college basketball… and then there’s whatever Collin Chandler is doing right now. At this point, calling it a heater almost feels disrespectful. This is something sharper, something steadier, something that feels like it’s been building for months beneath the surface like a fuse that finally reached the flame.
Through the opening stretch of Kentucky’s season, Chandler has gone from a quiet sophomore returning from a long layoff to one of the most dangerous perimeter threats in the entire SEC. And he’s doing it with the kind of calm, repeatable rhythm that makes shooters special. The numbers don’t lie:
18-for-35 from deep. A blistering 51.4%.
Multiple games with four made threes.
Thirteen straight contests (dating back to last year) with at least one triple.
It’s not a fluke. It’s not a lucky week. This is a shooter walking into his identity.
And what makes this run even more remarkable is where Chandler came from. Before his Kentucky debut, he spent two years on a mission trip two full seasons without playing competitive basketball, without game reps, without defenders flying at him at full speed.
“I hadn’t shot with a defender closing out at me for two years,” he admitted, half-laughing, half-relieved that those days are behind him now. When he finally arrived in Lexington, he had to relearn timing, spacing, rhythm, and confidence in real games. The adjustment wasn’t immediate. Chandler said himself it took longer than he hoped.
But something clicked late last season. Something subtle. Something honest.
“As soon as I got it going and kind of understood what I needed to do… I was able to shoot the ball better.”
You can see the comfort now. You can hear the confidence in his voice. And you can feel it every time he rises into that gorgeous, compact release.
It’s not just the work though he shoots constantly. Every Division I guard does.
What separates him is what basketball people call clarity. The game has slowed down. The reads are sharper. And his teammates have learned something very simple:
If Chandler is open, you give him the ball.
Kentucky’s offense knows this. The coaching staff knows this. And Otega Oweh made it crystal clear after practice:
“It’s green. Every time.”
“If you’re in a scramble, find Collin. He’s gonna shoot it, and it’s probably good.”
That trust isn’t manufactured it’s earned. Of Chandler’s 18 made threes this season, 15 have been assisted. The Wildcats look for him. They know those shots change momentum, stretch defenses, and open the paint for everyone else. Chandler may not yell after he hits them, but the bench does plenty of talking for him.
Beyond the shooting, he’s becoming one of the most reliable two-way guards on the roster. He’s fourth on the team in scoring, pulling down rebounds, creating assists, and, quietly, he’s tied for the team lead in blocks an absurd stat for a guard. He has just four turnovers on the entire season despite being one of the most active perimeter players on the floor.
This isn’t just a shooter catching a lucky wave. This is a player who has spent months rebuilding himself mind, body, rhythm into someone Kentucky can trust.
And Big Blue Nation is noticing.
Every time Chandler curls off a screen, the air changes. Every time he squares his shoulders, you feel the crowd lean forward. Every time the ball leaves his fingertips, you hear thousands of fans inhale at once.
This is what happens when a player’s confidence meets opportunity.
This is what happens when a long road back meets the right moment.
And the scary part the part that should make SEC coaches lose sleep is the simplest truth:
He’s still getting better.
Collin Chandler has gone from a quiet returner to a storyline, from a developing shooter to a focal point, from someone finding his footing to one of the hottest hands in college basketball.
And if this is just the beginning?
Kentucky may have found the kind of weapon that changes seasons.
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