Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Player Rankings for 2013-14 Season
Mar 9, 2013; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) dribbles the ball against the Florida Gators in the first half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Florida 61-57. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Mike DeCourcy has recently made a list for the top 10 players in each position. In this list, Willie Cauley-Stein and four other Kentucky Wildcats were honored. The Louisville Cardinals are also included in the list, racking up 5 featured players as well. Both squads are ranked number one and two in the country, and they each have players full of talent and skill.
The top 10 point guards, according to Mike DeCourcy, are Marcus Smart, Andrew Harrison, Yogi Ferrell, Jahii Carson, Shabazz Napier, Aaron Craft, Kevin Pangos, Joe Jackson, T.J. McConnell, and Chris Jones. Kentucky Wildcat Andrew Harrison and Louisville Cardinal Chris Jones are two really explosive guards with enough poise to carry a team. Overall Andrew is the better player compared to Chris, and he is more advanced in skill. He fits perfectly to the style that the Kentucky Wildcats play.
The top 10 shooting guards that were listed include Gary harris, Russ Smith, Rasheed Sulaimon, Tyler Haws, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jordan McRae, Marshall Henderson, Sean Kilpatrick, Joe Harris, and Semaj Christon. No Kentucky Wildcat players were included in the list compared to Louisville Cardinal’s Russ Smith. Smith will be the soul leader for his team this coming season, and the senior will use his experience to get an edge.
The top 10 list for Small Forwards begin with Andrew Wiggins for Kansas. Following Wiggins is P.J. Hairston, Rodney Hood, Glenn Robinson, Aaron Gordon, Alex Poythress, Sam Dekker, Jerami Grant, Luke Hancock, and T.J. Warren. Luke Hancock had a fantastic performance in the NCAA Tournament last year. He was one of the key factors in helping Louisville win the National Championship this past season. Alex Poythress hopes to improve from the season he had last year. He is one of the rare Kentucky Wildcats to stay for his sophomore year. Alex aims to improve his game and help his team win games.
Mike DeCourcy has an interesting poll for his power forwards. His top 10 included Mike McDermott, Jabari Parker, Julius Randle, C.J. Fair, Adreian Payne, Kyle Anderson, Chane Behanan, James Michael McAdoo, and Jamil Wilson. The list includes, once again, a Kentucky Wildcat and Louisville Cardinal. Julius Randle is bringing the hype to Lexington. After being a top 10 recruit in the country, Julius is very athletic and can do major work in the post. Chane Behanan is a post monster himself, and he brings a big frame for the Louisville Cardinals.
Last but not least we have the top 10 centers. The center rankings include Mitch McGary, Montrezl Harrell, Willie Cauley-Stein, Alex Kirk, Jarnell Stokes, Isaiah Austin, DeJuan Coleman, Juvonte Reddic, Kaleb Tarczewski, and Davante Gardner. The list looks good, but I think Willie Cauley-Stein is a little bit better than Louisville’s Montrezl Harrell. Willie maintains a tall and elastic frame, and he can make explosive plays on both sides of the ball. Harrell is powerfully built and quick off the floor. He looks like strong force in the paint.