Busting Brackets
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SEC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

By Caleb Hightower

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: The arena sits unused after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: The arena sits unused after the announcement of the cancellation of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. The tournament has been cancelled due to the growing concern about the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – JANUARY 21: Keion Brooks Jr #12 of the Kentucky Wildcats (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – JANUARY 21: Keion Brooks Jr #12 of the Kentucky Wildcats (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

. . Wildcats . 3. team. 528.

2019-20 SEC Record: 15-3 

Similar to the beginning of just about every season, John Calipari (Kentucky head coach) doesn’t really have much time to sulk about losing valuable players from a season ago, because he has to focus on the incoming freshman class.

And while I think that we can all agree that Calipari knows what he’s doing when it comes to recruiting, that doesn’t mean that Kentucky fans shouldn’t stress too much about the Wildcats losing Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley, Tyrese Maxey, Nate Sestina, Kahlil Whitney, Johnny Juzang, Nick Richards, and EJ Montgomery (mostly to the NBA, but also to transferring, and no longer having any years of eligibility left). If you want to know how to successfully function as a collective unit, those guys showed you exactly what you ought to do.

Related Story. Kentucky 2020-21 depth chart. light

If there is one thing I know, it’s that you cannot count a John Calipari led Kentucky team out, but at the same time, I can see the Wildcats experiencing some rough patches in conference play.  As usual, they do have a few elite freshmen entering the program (that include 5-star prospects, BJ Boston and Terrence Clarke, and 4-star prospects, Devin Askew, Cam’Ron Fletcher, Isaiah Jackson, and Lance Ware) and a few high impact transfers (Rhode Island transfer, Jacob Toppin, Wake Forest transfer, Olivier Sarr, and Creighton graduate transfer, Davion Mintz).

Kentucky fans may have to be a little more patient with this group, as they most likely will need some time to gel, and get a feel for each other’s games. Nevertheless, Calipari understands how important it is for 18-19-year-old freshmen to grow up quickly in a competitive conference like the SEC. As well as why utilizing transfers effectively are crucial, which leads me to believe that he will have the Wildcats in a position, to possibly repeat as SEC regular-season champions.

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