Kentucky basketball: 3 starting lineup options for 2020-2021 season
By Nick Villano
Middle-of-the-road scenario
- PG: Immanuel Quickley
- SG: Amauri Hardy
- SF: B.J. Boston
- PF: Terrance Clarke
- C: EJ Montgomery
Here, we see all the players predicted to leave go ahead and do that. The Wildcats would lose Nick Richards and Ashton Hagans to the NBA, and Greg Brown chooses Texas over them. It would definitely be a blow, but not one they couldn’t come back from. John Calipari is used to bouncing back from draft losses, but a recruiting loss always hurts. With the world basically on lockdown, it will be hard to convince Brown to leave home.
However, we still see them getting Amauri Hardy in this scenario. The Wildcats provide a really nice scenario for Hardy, who’s looking to raise his draft stock before he joins the ranks next season.
So, what could go right for them in this middle-of-the-pack scenario?
Well, for one B.J. Boston would absolutely explode. The last scenario had so much talent, we didn’t even bring up the freshman guard who is insanely talented and easily a starter for a contender in what will likely be one year in college basketball. Terrance Clark is the No. 8 prospect coming into college next season, and he could easily take up one of those starting spots too. Kentucky had the number-one recruiting class, so if they do lose Greg Brown and Josh Christopher it won’t be the worst thing that ever happened.
Add that much talent into the reigning SEC Player of the Year Immanuel Quickly, and this is still the best team in the SEC. Keion Brooks is someone who earned a starting spot at the end of the year, but he’s going to need to do it again because his stats don’t necessarily jump off the page.
This is an interesting team. It’s definitely a preseason top 10, but definitely not the top team in the season off the bat.