Is this really surprising at all? Kentucky basketball is consistently one of the best teams in the country and this season is no different. Head coach John Calipari is once again bringing in one of the best recruiting classes in the country but this time there are also some returning pieces on the roster. And considering the Wildcats struggled a bit compared to expectations this past season, this more experienced roster could pay dividends for Coach Cal.
Most notably, the Wildcats added arguably the best transfer in the country this offseason in Reid Travis. A versatile forward who dominated at Stanford for the past few seasons, Travis is extremely talented and is coming off of a season in which he averaged 19.5 points (.527/.295/.675) and 8.7 rebounds per game. He should add some much-needed experience and leadership to the roster. Additionally, his consistent performances should help Kentucky avoid off games.
He is, though, not the only player in the rotation already with collegiate experience. Sophomores PJ Washington, Nick Richards, and Quade Green are all returning after last season and they should be major contributors this season. Washington, specifically, should emerge as one of the best players in the SEC this season, which is saying something considering the depth of the league.
But, enough talk about the known commodities. Now let’s jump into bringing attention to Kentucky’s highly-touted recruiting class. Ranked at No. 2 in the country (only behind Duke), this five-man class is bound to immediately impactful. In the frontcourt, both EJ Montgomery (No. 9) and Keldon Johnson (No. 13) project as elite bucket-getters at their respective positions.
Next, Ashton Hagans (No. 12) and Immanuel Quickley (No. 22) should both compete with the aforementioned Green for minutes at point guard. Lastly, Tyler Herro (No. 37) will be one of the best shooters on the roster and potentially the most important freshman joining the program, even if he is the lowest-rated.