College basketball's fiercest conference, up to this point in the offseason, hadn't much worried about its most historically successful competitor therein. But with the addition of Milan Momcilovic, Kentucky has arrived in the SEC, and then some.
Now, taking a look at the conference's slate, there's no better time than to reasses the power rankings. The Wildcats' five-star commitment was bound to shake things up:
16. South Carolina Gamecocks
To kick things off, South Carolina's bottom placement here should come as no surprise.
Lamont Paris has shown flahses of competency as the head coach, but coming off a 13-19 (4-14) season, the Gamecocks' two four-star transfer portal pickups likely won't be enough to elevate them from the SEC's floor. The program simply has no momentum for the time being.
15. Mississippi State Bulldogs
With as good a recruiting class as South Carolina, added onto the crucial returning state of the school's poster boy guard Josh Hubbard, Chris Jans' Bulldogs appear to be fitted with just enough firepower to maintain their middling state.
If nothing else, Mississippi State secured one more conference win than the Gamecocks last season. That counts for something.
14. Oklahoma Sooners
Porter Moser's Oklahoma Sooners have found consistent ways to be disruptive in the SEC, nearly upsetting Arkansas in a heartbreaking SEC Tournament defeat toward the end.
Pop Isaacs and Khani Rooths lead the way for a class that, while not at all outstanding, has the makings of yet another "barely good" squad in the maroon and white. This is the epitome of an SEC team that generally rests at the bottom of the conference with the ability to catch anyone off guard.
13. Ole Miss Rebels
Chris Beard will always have his Rebels ready to fight, evidenced by their advancement to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament (where they, too, early upset Arkansas), in spite of their 15-20 overall record.
It's been a portal-heavy offseason for Ole Miss, but last season's subpar output looks more like an outlier for a team that should, at the very least, pull even this season.
12. Auburn Tigers
Steven Pearl had as much weight on his shoulders than any coach in the SEC last season. And while he couldn't replicate his father's Final Four success before him, Pearl led a scrappy Tigers team that nearly snuck into the NCAA Tournament by the end of the season.
With a handful of four-star transfers and a name like Filip Jovic set for an increased role, more of the same, if not a little more, can be expected of a steadily recovering Auburn program.
11. LSU Tigers
This is the wild card. With the infamous Will Wade back in town, LSU is relying very heavily on the international scene to fill the gaps in their late recruiting class.
Mo Dioubate was the team's first addition and is the definition of a floor-raiser, especially in a grit-n-grind conference such as this one. Wade could have this group swinging with the best of them come March, but I suspect it'll take a little longer than that to fully find his bearings again in Baton Rouge.
10. Georgia Bulldogs
Mike White is a good coach, but he's rarely found significant success beyond the earlier rounds of any given postseason tournament. His Georgia Bulldogs have been the epitome of "good enough" in the SEC.
James Scott and Freddie Dilione both have a high floor and should operate in large roles for Georgia, but the team doesn't appear composed to eclipse their usual middle-of-the-road activity.
9. Missouri Tigers
Dennis Gates' Missouri team, much like Georgia, generally rest in the middle portion of the SEC as a flashy competitor that tends to burn out by the time the season ends.
Jason Crowe Jr. was a huge pickup for the Tigers, though, and their transfer class is packed with enough size and depth to give them a greater benefit of the doubt than every team before them here.
8. Texas A&M Aggies
"Bucky ball" is in full swing for Texas A&M. After a hot start last season gave way to a slipperly slope in the latter half, the Aggies have made clear that their new standing as a high-flying SEC threat is here to stay.
And while the program is still rebuilding, hauling in PJ Haggerty and Jalen Reece signal that the process could be moving faster than anticipated.
7. Texas Longhorns
Sean Miller's Texas Longhorns are set for one of the biggest short-term turnarounds in college basketball, even if they aren't fast-tracked for national competition just yet.
Elyjah Freeman and David Punch headline a roster that should also benefit massively from the return of Matas Vokietaitis. Dailyn Swain's departure isn't enough to subtract from this rising Texas team.
6. Vanderbilt Commodores
Mark Byington has quickly turned Vanderbilt into a near-yearly dark horse candidate in the SEC, and this season is shaping up no differently.
Returning the elite Tyler Tanner and adding Sebastian Williams-Adams and Ace Glass, among others, the Commodores should be able to continue their ongoing success. This is another team that could see a rise in rankings at any given point, too.
5. Tennessee Volunteers
Juke Harris' commitment to Tennessee certainly defines the offseason, as the Volunteers will benefit from one of the country's best scoring guards.
But with Nate Ament taking off, the rest of Rick Barnes' transfer class will have a ton of slack to recover. It's a high-ceiling, high-scoring roster that, much like last season, will do or die by its best scorers.
4. Arkansas Razorbacks
Coming off of an SEC title, Coach Cal's Razorbacks are the exact sort of team that you could expect to rise on this list, and fast.
And, once again, it's a class defined by freshman talent. Five-star Jordan Smith Jr. leads the way and, among the bunch, should be a surefire star. It'll be names like Abdou Toure and Miikka Muurinen that ultimately push Arkansas either up or down the ladder. For now, this placement feels safe until this traditional Calipari squad hits the hardwood.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
While an update on Aden Holloway remains outstanding, Nate Oats has once again put together a team suited to his run-and-gun style of basketball.
Amari Allen's return, along with the additions of Drew Fielder and Brandong Garrison in the frontcourt, form a vision for an experienced Alabama team that should stand above most of the SEC, especially when it comes time for postseason competition.
2. Kentucky Wildcats
Even if Kentucky isn't No. 1 going in, the Wildcats leapt most of the conference with the five-star addition of Momcilovic.
Paired with two of the best passing guards in the country (Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins, a second-year Malachi Moreno that is expected to take a sizable leap, and a deep, experienced bench, Mark Pope appears more equipped than ever to make a real run in the SEC.
1. Florida Gators
Todd Golden and his Gators, in spite of an early NCAA Tournament exit last season, have an ongoing hold on the SEC.
With Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Boogie Fland, and Rueben Chinyelu all returning, it's hard to move Florida much in any direction from their top spot. It's a closer podium than last season was but, for the time, the gold medal remains in Gainesville.
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