Kentucky Basketball makes top 25 in pair of new rankings, but Mark Pope’s ceiling hinges on his guards

Mark Pope is a big believer in signs. Before last season, he kept saying he saw the number 9 everywhere. That never materialized into a banner, mostly due to a barrage of injuries. But this year, another number keeps popping up around Kentucky basketball.

19.

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That is where both CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish and Andy Katz have the Wildcats sitting in their preseason rankings. Preseason polls are inherently a guessing game; I think we all know that, but No. 19 feels incredibly fitting for this specific roster. It is a number that respects the sheer talent Pope has assembled, but acknowledges the glaring questions he has to answer entering a pivotal third season.

The talent floor

Parrish’s ranking is rooted in what Kentucky brings back and what Pope successfully hunted in the portal. It starts with Malachi Moreno, who returns after a freshman season averaging 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. That is a fantastic interior piece to build around.

Then comes the influx of perimeter talent:

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Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State): Averaged 16.9 points per game last season and shot 48.7% from three, giving Kentucky a lethal perimeter threat.

Zoom Diallo (Washington): Averaged 15.7 points and 4.5 assists per game.

Alex Wilkins (Furman): Arrives after averaging 17.8 points and 4.7 assists.

Add in Franck Kepnang, Jerone Morton, Justin McBride, Mason Williams, and Ousmane N’Diaye, and the depth is undeniable. The talent is there. But preseason rankings aren’t just about assembling players on paper; they are an educated guess on how those pieces fit together.

The backcourt swing factor

If there is one area that explains why Kentucky is sitting at No. 19 instead of the Top 5, it is the backcourt. Diallo and Wilkins give Pope two experienced guards who are comfortable creating offense. That sounds great.

But both guards bring a statistical concern Kentucky cannot ignore:

Diallo averaged 15.7 points and 4.5 assists, but turned the ball over 2.5 times per game.

Wilkins…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/kentucky-basketball-makes-top-25-103000824.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-02 10:30:00

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