College basketball rankings: Way-too-early Top 25 for 2019-20

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks with Cassius Winston #5 in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – MARCH 31: Keldon Johnson #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats dunks the ball against the Auburn Tigers during the 2019 NCAA Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional at Sprint Center on March 31, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Kentucky is going to receive some first-place votes in the preseason AP Top 25, but for now, I have them at No. 3 because they lose some key leaders in PJ Washington and Reid Travis.

Tyler Herro is a projected late-first, early second round pick and it wouldn’t be all that shocking to see him declare, but he would be better off returning and honing his skills with another year in Lexington. He’s a talented guard but needs to show more consistency with his 3-point shot.

Keldon Johnson, Ashton Hagans, Quade Green and Immanuel Quickly are all back along with the No. 2 recruiting class in the nation. John Calipari reels in the top recruits, and the 2019 class is no different with five-stars Khalil Whitney, Tyrese Maxey and Keion Brooks.

To top it all off, the Wildcats landed Bucknell grad transfer Nate Sestina following the season after he averaged 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in 2018-19.

Loaded with talent doesn’t even begin to describe Kentucky next season and they’ll be back to their dominant ways just one season after another Elite Eight berth.