After orchestrating a successful first season at Kentucky by leading the blue-blood program to its first Sweet 16 since 2019, head coach Mark Pope has put together another roster capable of going on a deep run in March.
Despite a lot of roster overhaul due to six seniors exhausting their eligibility and Kerr Kriisa and Travis Perry transferring from the program, Kentucky found some success in the transfer portal and looks like a strong contender for the 2025-26 season.
ESPN's Jeff Borzello has the Wildcats ranked 10th in his early Top 25 for next season, and rightfully so. Unlike previous Kentucky teams prior to Pope's arrival that were mostly comprised of highly recruited freshmen and few experienced players, the 2025-26 team is a mix of experience, youth, size and sharp-shooters.
Projected Kentucky starting lineup and roster for the 2025-26 season
Player | Position |
|---|---|
Jaland Lowe | Point guard |
Jasper Johnson | Shooting guard |
Otega Oweh | Small forward |
Mouhamed Dioubate | Power forward |
Jayden Quaintance | Center |
This projected lineup hinges on the lead-up to June's NBA Draft. Oweh declared for the draft while maintaining his college eligibility and Lowe was announced as one of the players who have filed as an early entrant to the draft, making their availability uncertain at the moment.
Lowe averaged 16.8 PPG at Pitt while Oweh led Kentucky last season with 16.2 PPG. The addition of Johnson, the No. 17 overall recruit in his class, gives the Wildcats a five-star player who brings some explosiveness to the offense. Dioubate can crash the glass and posted five double-doubles last season at Alabama while Quaintance gives Kentucky size and rim protection. The only downside for Quaintance is the torn right ACL he suffered in late February, which could potentially sideline him to begin the season.
Tulane transfer Kam Williams and Florida transfer Denzel Aberdeen, plus the return of Collin Chandler and Trent Noah — who both stepped up while Kentucky battled through injuries in 2024-25 — adds to the Wildcats' backcourt depth. 6-foot-11 Croatian Andrija Jelavic and 6-foot-11 Malachi Moreno, as well as the returning Brandon Garrison (5.9 PPG), give Kentucky some length in the frontcourt.
It is hard to say at this point how the lineup will take shape and who will get the most playing time when next season rolls around. After all, Garrison is the only returning frontcourt player with Amari Williams, Andrew Carr and Ansley Almonor all departing. If you factor in guards Jaxson Robinson, Koby Brea and Lamont Butler, who were the top three scorers behind Oweh last season, that is a lot of lost production.
Kentucky's defense and rebounding were issues throughout the 2024-25 season. Considering the size on the 2025-26 roster, plus the talented guard play, all signs point to improvement and a team that is capable of replicating last season's Sweet 16 appearance — and perhaps, going on an even longer run. Depending on what happens with Oweh and Lowe over the next few weeks and the health of Quaintance, Kentucky could be worth keeping an eye on next season as Pope enters Year 2 as the head coach at his alma mater.