NCAA Basketball: Alabama, Kentucky rises in latest way-too-early top-25 power rankings for 2024-25

18. Kentucky Wildcats

Working with an empty roster when he arrived from BYU, head coach Mark Pope did a great job filling up the roster. The most recent pickup was Jaxson Robinson, who follows Coach Pope over from BYU after leading his team in scoring. He joins Lamont Butler, Kerr Kriisa, and Otega Oweh in the backcourt.

The frontcourt has plenty of depth as well, featuring incoming transfers, Andrew Carr, Amari Williams, and Brandon Garrison. The one concern is that while there’s depth, there could be a lack of high-end starpower in an unforgiven SEC. But it’s hard to find a better overall roster from 1-13 right now on paper.

17. Creighton Bluejays

Losing star wing Baylor Scheierman was expected for the Bluejays but losing guard Trey Alexander to the NBA Draft was a big blow. However, star big man and multi-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner is back, along with starting point guard, Steven Ashworth.

How good Creighton will be is going to depend on how good the transfer duo of Pop Isaacs and Jamiya play. The projected starters aren’t as good of pure shooters as the previous duo but can give them enough offense to remain threats in the Big East.