NCAA Basketball: Baylor rises, Kentucky falls in latest 2023-24 WTE power rankings
By Joey Loose
25. Kentucky
John Calipari has a tendency of putting together extremely talented teams at Kentucky and it should be no surprise that the same holds true this season. What does come as a surprise is that these Wildcats have just one NCAA Tournament win in the last four years. This Kentucky program has been elite during Calipari’s tenure, but they’re now eight years removed from a Final Four and have some serious question marks right now.
It’s important to mention that the Wildcats got hit hard by NBA Draft declarations, losing Oscar Tshiebwe, Jacob Toppin, Cason Wallace, and Chris Livingston to the pros. Calipari hasn’t been sitting on his hands, and he’ll bring the #1 ranked recruiting class in the nation onto campus this year. The highlight is a trio of Top 10 5-star recruits, namely DJ Wagner, Aaron Bradshaw, and Justin Edwards, each of who will have a chance for immediate success with the Wildcats.
With Antonio Reeves exploring his options and potentially transferring away from Kentucky, the Wildcats suddenly look like a team without a lot of experience. There’s plenty of talent in Lexington, especially with blue-chip prospects filling the lineup, but that lack of veteran talent is unnerving. Kentucky might still add a piece from the Transfer Portal, but it’s hard to know just what to expect of such a young team.