NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early top 25 power rankings for 2023-24 season

2022-23 season record: 22-12 (12-6 SEC)

Expected losses: Oscar Tshiebwe, Sahvir Wheeler, Cason Wallace, Jacob Toppin, Antonio Reeves, CJ Fredrick

As of right now, there are plenty of decisions that still need to be made with this program. Wallace has entered the NBA Draft, while Toppin (draft) and Wheeler (portal) are gone as well. Former National Player of the Year Tshiebwe could come back for a 5th-year, along with Reeves and Fredrick.

There’s also freshman Chris Livingston, who still could go pro as well. To make things even crazier, freshmen Adou Thiero and Ugonna Onyenso could be transfer candidates depending on what happens this offseason. Still, Kentucky can afford a few losses, thanks to the No. 1 overall freshmen class coming in.

According to 247sportsComposite, there are four top-10 overall prospects joining the program. That includes ball-handlers, DJ Wagner and Robert Dillingham, along with wing Justin Edwards and center Aaron Bradshaw. This is as talented a group of freshmen as Coach John Calipari has brought in but starting too many freshmen in the last year of the “covid era” for scholarships will make it difficult to win.

As usual, Kentucky will have a roster that has a high ceiling but a low floor compared to the rest of NCAA Basketball. It’s hard not to have them in the top 10 but based on what other programs do, the Wildcats will be a candidate to slide down.