3 reasons why Kentucky basketball can win the 2024 National Championship

A star big man could patrol Rupp Arena again in 2023-24

Oscar Tshiebwe or Hunter Dickinson. Take your pick!

There’s a good chance (dare I say at least 75%) that either Oscar Tshiebwe or Hunter Dickinson will be the starting center for Kentucky basketball next season.

If it’s Tshiebwe, we know exactly what the Wildcats are capable of. He’s been the national player of the year once already, and wouldn’t let his final year in Lexington slip away. As far as dominant big men go, Tshiebwe is the top dog in the SEC and a top-three center in the country on any given night.

If you’re going to make a list of the three best big men in college basketball for next season, you’re probably going to pick some combination of Tshiebwe, Zach Edey, Hunter Dickinson, and Adama Sanogo. Half of those players are tied to the Wildcats.

Of course, NBA Draft decisions weigh down on Tshiebwe, Edey, and Sanogo. If Tshiebwe comes back, Dickinson already said he wouldn’t want to play for the Wildcats. He’s set on being the star.

But if Tshiebwe leaves, the door is wide open for Dickinson to step in and be the starting center for the ‘Cats.

The 7-foot-1 center from Michigan is a proven beast. He’s averaged at least 18 points per game the past two seasons in Ann Arbor and grabbed a career-best 9.0 rebounds per game last season. Even more, Dickinson’s defensive prowess at that height can cause major problems for opponents. He also set a career-high with 1.8 blocks per game.

Whether it be Tshiebwe or Dickinson, Kentucky basketball could once again have a beast inside. They’re fairly interchangeable, based on overall ability, and paired with the outstanding freshman class, would make it hard to keep the Wildcats off of any preseason top 10 list.

Living up to that hype is the challenge, but the skill would be there.