Way-Too-Early Top 25: Who's in, who's out?
In the space of a few weeks, Kentucky has gone from disaster to contender, thanks to a key transfer portal pick-up.When we last updated the Way-Too-Early top 25 in late June, Kentucky dropping out of the rankings was the biggest storyline. The Wildcats had questions surrounding the status of Antonio Reeves, the health of Aaron Bradshaw, and there was little-to-no experience on the roster, period.
Just a few weeks later, Kentucky is once again the biggest storyline in the updated rankings -- but on the positive side this time. Not only are the Wildcats back in the top 25, they're comfortably inside the top 20 and could rise even more as the summer progresses and feedback from early practices begins to leak.
Reeves is back in the fold, giving John Calipari an experienced perimeter scorer who arguably was Kentucky's best offensive player last season. The Wildcats also added West Virginia transfer Tre Mitchell days after he entered the portal. Mitchell has produced at three different colleges already, and gives an inside-outside threat next to Ugonna Onyenso or Bradshaw down low. Speaking of Bradshaw, the long-term status of his injury seems a bit more positive than it was a few weeks ago. It's still unclear when he might play this season, but it's not all doom and gloom anymore.
Calipari now has four top-25 recruits on the perimeter to play alongside Reeves, as well as a reliable frontcourt producer in Mitchell to go with high-ceiling bigs in Onyenso and Bradshaw. The experience is (somewhat) there, the talent is there and the depth is there. Things are looking up in Lexington.
17. Kentucky Wildcats
Previous: UnrankedWhile questions remain over the experience and youth of this season's squad, there are no doubts about the talent level in Lexington. In ESPN's 2024 mock draft, released late last month, the Wildcats have two of the four highest-ranked college players (Justin Edwards, D.J. Wagner) and five players (Edwards, Wagner, Ugonna Onyenso, Aaron Bradshaw, Robert Dillingam) ranked inside the top 40 overall. If the newcomers can get on the same page, Calipari is spoiled for options.
Projected starting lineup:
D.J. Wagner (No. 4 in ESPN 100)
Antonio Reeves (14.4 PPG)
Justin Edwards (No. 3 in ESPN 100)
Tre Mitchell (11.7 PPG at West Virginia)
Ugonna Onyenso (2.5 PPG)
WTE Top 25: Duke or Kansas at No. 1 for the final edition?
With less than a month to go 'til the season begins, we're calling it: Kansas remains No. 1. The rest of the field sees some swapping around, but no new faces.
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