Kentucky's final practice has raised an urgent question for Mark Pope's starting lineup

Kentucky's final summer practice, viewed live by a lucky number of the Big Blue Nation courtesy of Mark Pope, may have raised more questions than answers. At least, one notable wonder came to mind as a result of footage (per Mario Maitland) that came out of the event: Who will start at power forward for the Wildcats?

When international stud Ousmane N'Diaye was brought in earlier this offseason, he seemed to slot in naturally at the position. But Justin McBride, the former four-star recruit and senior transfer out of James Madison, has since made a ton of behind the scenes noise for the Cats. The result is an emerging position battle that could set the ceiling for Coach Pope's starting five.

It's impossible to deny McBride's jumper, which lends him a major point due to his ability to stretch the floor:

Mark Pope Will Have to Pick Between Experience and Potential

This discussion will likely come down to a matter of experience vs. raw potential. McBride, after a slow start to his college career with Oklahoma State, has since clawed his way back up to the Power Four stage through a slow refinement of his game.

With the Dukes this past season, McBride brought his three-point rate all the way up to 40%. He scored a career-high 15.3 points per contest, adding an average of 5.6 rebounds in nearly 30 minutes of clock per game. On paper, McBride could be easily argued as the safer pick.

N'Diaye, on the other hand, is your prototypical international big. He's got an NBA-like frame, at a lengthy 6-foot-11, and has a tendency to explode toward the rim when he gets going. He's also a veteran in his own right, at 22 years old, but his lack of experience in the NCAA could present a learning curve off the bat.

Overseas with Cremona last season, N'Diaye put up 9.8 points and nearly seven boards per game. His shooting from range leaves some room for improvement (at just above 30%), but he's been on NBA Draft boards for years for a reason. N'Diaye comes equipped with the rare physical intangibles that buy guys minutes based on their ceilings alone. Thus, this difficult decision is born.

Justin McBride Has the Upper Hand... For Now

If we're calling it one way or the other, McBride should be given the benefit of the doubt for now. Pairing his ability to shoot it from deep with that of Milan Momcilovic and Alex Wilkins would be a better fit for Mark Pope's preference for the three-ball.

This would also give N'Diaye the opportunity to ease into the college game in a secondary role. Coming off the bench with seventh-year big Franck Kepnang would be beneficial for his development as well. He's a player with a multi-year outlook at Kentucky that shouldn't be rushed.

Still, who knows? With Pope actively recruiting for the final roster spot, this outlook could change in an instant. For the time being, McBride has made a strong case early to start things off in a leading role. The most important contingent here is that Kentucky has solid options either way.

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