The hype surrounding Kentucky basketball continues to grow in the second season under head coach Mark Pope. On Wednesday, 247 Sports analyst Isaac Trotter ranked Kentucky No. 4 in his preseason projection of the top 25 teams entering the 2025-26 season.
Trotter points to Kentucky’s mix of athleticism, NBA-ready talent, and defensive versatility as reasons Kentucky should be one of the elite teams this upcoming year.
The projected starting five includes point guard Jaland Lowe, wings Otega Oweh and Denzel
Aberdeen, forward Mo Dioubate, and Brandon Garrison as the big man.
The depth behind them is what sets Kentucky apart. Top reserves include Jayden Quaintance, Kam Williams, Collin Chandler, Jasper Johnson, Malachi Moreno, Andrija Jelavic, Trent Noah, and Braydon Hawthorne, which you could argue is the deepest bench in the country.
Oweh enters the season as a frontrunner for SEC Player of the Year, while Lowe’s ability to run the offense will be critical. Trotter calls the Pitt transfer “a pick-and-roll maestro” who could be the best player on the floor on any given night. Meanwhile, Kentucky’s center rotation of Garrison, Quaintance, and Moreno is expected to play a pivotal role in determining whether the Wildcats are merely good or truly great.
Trotter’s full top 10 features Purdue at No. 1, followed by UConn, Houston, Kentucky, Florida, Texas Tech, Louisville, Duke, Michigan, and BYU.
With scoring options across the roster and elite defensive potential, Pope’s Wildcats appear poised for a major run in his second season.
To see the reasoning on why Kentucky was ranked No. 4, you can click HERE.
