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SEC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2023-24 season

By Jerran Anderson

Alabama head coach Nate Oats watches a shot fall in during practice for the Crimson Tide Men’s Basketball team Monday, Sept. 25, 2023.
Alabama head coach Nate Oats watches a shot fall in during practice for the Crimson Tide Men’s Basketball team Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. /
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SEC Basketball Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
SEC Basketball Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

6. Kentucky Wildcats

Last season: 22-12, 12-6 in the SEC

The Kentucky Wildcats will return just three players from last year’s squad as they look to continue their success under head coach John Calipari. Antonio Reeves, Adou Theiro and Ugonna Oneynso are their lone returners. Justin Edwards, D.J. Wagner, Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard will be the leading names in their highly-rated recruiting class to make a splash in this rotation.

Some might say that seventh is too low, but it’s preseason and a lot of the Wildcats’ roster is still unproven. Even then, with Tre Mitchell (West Virginia) on the interior and Antonio Reeves’ returning, it’s a nice start for Kentucky to work with heading into a new season.

The new blood will have to contribute right away but Edwards and Wagner both have the “experience” to do so. Edwards is a 6-foot-8 swingman who averaged 17.9 ppg and 7.5 rpg at nationally-renowned Imhotep Charter (PA). Wagner is the son of former Memphis Tiger DaJuan Wagner and the Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year for three straight seasons at Camden High (NJ) as he joins the Wildcats backcourt.

Reeves was the 2022-23 SEC Sixth Man of the Year after posting 14.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg and 1.1 apg on 39.8 percent shooting from deep and 41.6 percent shooting from the floor this past season. He’s a 6-foot-4 guard who should bolster the backcourt once again, possibly as their sixth man.

The Wildcats will be a young bunch, but if they play to Cal’s system they’ve got a chance to be a talented group out of the SEC. They’ve got some electric prospects and underrated defenders to showcase.

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