Field of 68 provides their opinion on Kentucky basketball’s offseason
When you put together a checklist of what Kentucky fans wanted out of this offseason, it’s hard to imagine Mark Pope doing much more. Returning talent? Check. Incoming recruits ready to contribute? Check. Transfers who add depth, shooting, and experience? Check. National Championship experience? Check. Multiple styles? Check. It’s all there, and the national media is starting to notice.
Field of 68 handed out offseason grades, and Rob Dauster stamped Kentucky with an “A.” Jeff Goodman was a touch more conservative at “A-,” but either way, the message is clear: Pope built a roster that belongs in the championship conversation. Not bad for a coach rival fanbases love to claim “can’t recruit.”Maybe he didnt whiff after all?
The individual pieces are part of the story. Jasper Johnson shined with Team USA, bringing home gold while proving he belongs on the big stage. Trent Noah looks like he’s ready to take a leap. Brandon Garrison has earned praise from Pope himself, while Kam Williams is exactly what the Wildcats needed as a versatile 3-and-D piece.
And the returning group matters just as much. Otega Oweh is back, Collin Chandler looks stronger and more confident, Mo Dioubate, coming from Alabama, is showing he can even stretch into a small-ball five role, and Jaland Lowe is right on track to be Kentucky’s leading scorer. Add in Denzel Aberdeen’s championship experience and the Wildcats suddenly have depth and flexibility at nearly every position. They can play in multiple ways, and should be able to run the other team ragged with their depth.
The rest of the SEC stacked up well, too. Goodman gave Alabama a B+, Auburn a B, and John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks an A-. But no one in the SEC graded higher than Kentucky, and that’s a sign Pope’s second year is being taken seriously across the country.