NCAA Basketball: Top 25 team frontcourts heading into 2021-22 season

While the guards’ struggles were in the spotlight for Kentucky’s awful past season, the frontcourt wasn’t exactly much better. Olivier Sarr, considered to be one of the best transfers last offseason, was up and down for the Wildcats. Freshman Isaiah Jackson was their best frontcourt player and he’s now off to the NBA.

But even without Jalen Duren or even Kofi Cockburn, the Wildcats revamped frontcourt should be much improved. West Virginia transfer Oscar Tshiebwe didn’t fit with Derek Culver at his prior stop but will be the clear-cut starting center and defensive anchor for the team.

The other potential center on the roster is Daimion Collins, a five-star versatile forward that is a lot like Jackson was last year, although Collins may be a bit more polished on the offensive end. Four-star forward and former Louisville commit Bryce Hopkins is a 6’7 combo asset that could be a hidden breakout freshman star if he can get minutes.

And among the newcomers, former top-50 recruits Lance Ware, Dontaie Allen, and Keion Brooks Jr. should all see expanded minutes as sophomores. That doesn’t even include Jacob Toppin, who at times, provided needed energy for the Wildcats during games whenever he came off the bench.

There might not be the same kind of starpower, as Kentucky rarely doesn’t have a top-10 overall recruit coming in the frontcourt. But they make up for it in terms of depth and fit, as this group should make up for the issues last season. Tshiebwe being an effective interior defender in the SEC will be good enough to keep them viable.