kentuckykernel Number
COLUMN: Kentucky men’s basketball can win 2026 National Championship
Tyler Russell sports@kykernel.com
Kentucky Head Coach Mark Pope’s debut season at the helm of Kentucky men’s basketball resulted in a trip to the Sweet 16.
Big Blue Nation has publicized nothing but faith in his ability to keep the Wildcats at national prominence as long as he is tenured in Lexington.
As Kentucky transitions from Pope’s first-year squad to his second, roster comparisons are inevitable.
Luckily for him, when you look closely at the differences, it’s clear this year’s team is far deeper.
The Cats have depth at every position and an abundance of raw talent, which has rightfully sparked conversations about the program’s capability to bring home a national championship.
With title number nine in mind, here are three genuine reasons — plus a bonus — why Kentucky has a real chance to cut down the nets on April 6 in Indianapolis.
The return of Otega Oweh
Nearly two months after the Wildcats were bounced from the NCAA Tournament, their leading scorer, Otega Oweh, announced he would be returning for the 2025-26 season.
Oweh cemented himself as the main attribute to this year’s Kentucky squad after finishing
last season with a team-high average of 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
The consistency derived from the 6-foot-4 guard last season is worth noting as he recorded 10plus points in 33 of the 36 games he played in.
Oweh tested the NBA draft waters this offseason and recorded workouts with four different NBA franchises.
Throughout his workouts, he received encouraging feedback on what is needed to cement himself as a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA draft, which he can now use to improve himself and his teammates.
Loaded transfer class
Aside from Oweh, the main bulk of this year’s squad stems from the transfer portal, which is the fifth-best transfer portal class in the nation per 247Sports.
Kentucky’s transfer class includes Jaland Lowe (Pittsburgh), Mouhamed Dioubate (Alabama), Jayden Quaintance (Arizona State), Denzel Aberdeen (Florida), Kam Williams (Tulane) and Reece Potter (Miami (OH)).
Lowe is a nimble point guard who averaged 16.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game for the Panthers last season. As the projected starting point guard, he will lead the offense in a fierce manner.
Dioubate, the 6-foot-7 and 220-pound transfer out of Alabama, is projected to start at power forward. At the four spot, he averaged 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season while shooting 61.7% from the field.
Quaintance, a former fivestar recruit is one of the most exciting additions to this year’s team. The 6-foot-9 center averaged 9.4 points and 7.9 rebounds during his freshman campaign last year and flaunted an average of 2.6 blocks per game, finishing seventh in the nation in that category.
will likely be delayed as he is rehabbing a torn ACL, suffered on Feb. 23 of last season.
However, don’t be alarmed, Pope gave a slight update on his recovery on Oct. 6.
“The one thing I can tell you is he is breaking every record known to humankind in terms of his rehab, it’s unbelievable,” Pope said. “So time-wise, he’s just going fast, but we’re going to proceed with extreme caution because as fast as he’s recovering, there’s still a balance we’re trying to strike.”
Aberdeen, a 6-foot-5 guard, averaged 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists through 39 games last season. He started in five contests and averaged 16.2 points.
More notably, Aberdeen played 15 minutes against Auburn in the semifinals and 18 minutes against Houston in the 2025 National Championship.
Williams, a 6-foot-8 shooting guard, is coming off an exciting freshman year where he averaged 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
He closed out last season with a 48.5% field goal percentage and a 41.2% 3-point percentage, clearly cementing himself as an efficient player.
Finally, Potter, a 7-foot-1 forward, averaged 6.5 points and 3.7 rebounds through 30 games played in the MAC Conference. It’s unclear how many minutes Potter will get, but with his height and athleticism, he can surely hold his own when on the court.
Kentucky basketball players cheer on Trent Noah (9) as he takes the final 3-point shot during Big Blue Madness on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN KANTOSKY | STAFF
Experience
UK has six rostered upperclassmen this year: Oweh, Aberdeen, Dioubate, Brandon Garrison, Lowe and Potter, who together have appeared in 436 contests, amounting around 8,330 minutes of on-court time.
Outside of those two, Dioubate, Garrison, Lowe and Potter have played a combined 256 games with marks of 70, 67, 64 and 56 games respectively. More importantly, Kentucky has six players who have played in the NCAA Tournament, combining for a total of 28 games played.
Oweh, Garrison, Collin Chandler and Trent Noah all recorded minutes in last year’s postseason against Troy, Illinois and Tennessee. Aberdeen played in seven March Madness games during his three-year stint in Gainesville, Florida while Dioubate played in nine over his two-year course in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
In terms of postseason experience, Aberdeen and Dioubate stick out heavily.
Aberdeen transferred less than a month after reaching the apex with Florida, bringing an understanding of what it takes to become a national champion.
During Florida’s national title run, Aberdeen played in all six games and reached a high of 12 points in the Gators’ 87-71 win over Maryland in the Sweet 16.
In the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Dioubate played against all five of Alabama’s opponents, including the Final Four, where he saw five minutes.
Dioubate’s best performance in the 2024 tournament came in the round of 32 against Grand Canyon, where he posted nine points, five rebounds and two blocks.
Bonus: Freshman firepower
Pope built the No. 7 freshman class in the country, signing fourstars Jasper Johnson (No. 24 in the nation), Malachi Moreno (No. 27 in the nation), Braydon Hawthorne (No. 33 in the nation) and Andrija Jelavić from
Croatia, per 247Sports.
Johnson rides into Lexington with the most hype, hailing from Overtime Elite, where he averaged 20.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.
Down the road in Georgetown, Kentucky, Moreno, a 6-foot-11 center, guided Great Crossing High School to its first-ever KHSAA State Championship where he scored a game-high 24 points in the finals and received the 2025 Mr. Kentucky Basketball award.
Hawthorne stands at 6-foot-8 and holds a 7-foot-3 wingspan, which will be pivotal on the glass and on the defensive end. Hawthorne was originally committed to West Virginia, his home-state team, but decommitted after Head Coach Darian DeVries left for Indiana.
Jelavić played in the Adriatic Basketball League, where he averaged 11 points and 7.4 rebounds for Mega Superbet. While standing at 6-foot-11, the power forward possesses a strong jumpshot, posting a 32% 3-point percentage last season.
There are numerous pieces that need to fall into place for a team to win a national championship, but still, starting with the fundamentals, Kentucky has everything it needs to have a shot at bringing a ninth national title to Lexington this season.
Photo by Christian Kantosky
Illustration by Cara Raiford
Newcomers
JASPER JOHNSON
Hometown: Lexington, Ky.
Height: 6-5
Position: Guard
Class: Freshman
JELAVIĆ
Hometown: Zagreb, Croatia
Height: 6-11
Position: Forward
Class: Sophomore
Transfers
DENZEL
Johnson, the five-star out of Lexington, is a 6-foot-5 freshman guard ranked among the top 25 prospects in the 2025 class. After winning a gold medal with USA Basketball at the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Argentina, he went on to help lead Team USA to gold a year later at the FIBA U19 World Cup, averaging 20.3 points for Overtime Elite’s Real Wild Energy.
The former Woodford County standout is a third-generation Wildcat with both his father and uncle having played football at Kentucky.
MALACHI MORENO
Hometown: Georgetown, Ky.
Height: 7-0
Position: Center
Class: Freshman
BRAYDON
HAWTHORNE
Hometown: Beckley, W. Va.
Height: 6-8
Position: Forward
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Queens, N.Y.
Height: 6-7
Position: Forward
Class: Junior
Former School: Alabama
ABERDEEN
Hometown: Orlando, Fla.
Height: 6-5
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
Former School: Florida
MOUHAMED DIOUBATE KAM WILLIAMS
Dioubate appeared in all 37 games last season for the Tide, averaging 7.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.The 6-foot-7 forward helped lead Alabama to back-to-back March Madness runs, including the Elite Eight most recently and the Final Four his freshman season.
Last season, he averaged 7.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game, recording six double-doubles while shooting 46.2% from three. He led the team in rebounds for 10 different games and ranked second on the team with 70 offensive rebounds. Dioubate enters the season on Jay Bilas’ All-Defensive Team.
Hometown: Lafayette, La.
Height: 6-8
Position: Guard
Class: Sophomore
Former school: Tulane
JALAND LOWE
Hometown: Missouri City, Texas
Height: 6-2
Position: Guard
Class: Junior
Former school: Pittsburgh
JAYDEN QUAINTANCE
Hometown: Cleveland
Height: 6-11
Position: Forward
Class: Sophomore
Former school: Arizona State
Returners
REECE POTTER
Hometown: Lexington, Ky.
Height: 7-1
Position: Forward
Class: Junior
Former School: Miami (OH)
OTEGA OWEH
Hometown: Newark, N.J.
Height: 6-4
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
After announcing his return for one final season, Oweh has become one of the most notable and well-known players on Kentucky’s roster. He entered the season on the Jerry West Award and NABC Player of the Year watch lists and was named the SEC Preseason Player of the Year.
After spending two seasons at Oklahoma, Oweh transferred to Kentucky and averaged 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game. A 202425 NABC All-District First Team and second-team All-SEC selection, he led the Wildcats in scoring and steals, became a 1,000-point career scorer, and hit two game-winners against his former team.
Hometown: Farmington, Utah
Height: 6-5
Position: Guard
Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Harlan, Ky.
Height: 6-5
Position: Forward
Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Oklahoma City
Height: 6-10
Position: Forward
Class: Junior
WALKER HORN ZACH TOW
Hometown: Austin
Height: 6-3
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
Hometown: Madisonville, Ky.
Height: 6-5
Position: Forward
Class: Senior
Written by Jenna Lifshen, Lance Roth & Ethan Gebreyes
Illustrations by Ashleigh Jones
UNDERSTANDING THE ASSIGNMENT: Kentucky searching for ‘Number 9’
Tyler Russell sports@kykernel.com
Kentucky basketball’s new season begins with two simple words echoing through every practice, press conference and locker room: ‘number nine.’
You’ve heard it and seen it surface in nearly every preseason conversation that involves the Wildcats, a phrase that’s become both a mission statement and a reminder of what’s expected in Lexington.
Referencing the team’s goal of winning Kentucky’s ninth national title this season, ‘number nine’ carries more weight than just two words. Etched within it is an understanding of what Kentucky basketball means to those around the commonwealth.
Since winning its first national title in 1948, Kentucky has always sat near the top of college basketball, holding the second-most national championships of all-time (eight), only behind UCLA (11).
However, it’s been a bumpy road since Kentucky won its last national title in 2012, leading to the departure of Head Coach John Calipari in 2024 after multiple NCAA Tournament collapses to midmajor programs.
The program needed someone new, someone who could rejuvenate belief in the fan base. With that came Mark Pope from Brigham Young University, who often restates that he “understands the assignment.”
Pope’s introductory press conference was held on April 14, 2024, and the moment he began speaking, he won over Big Blue Nation.
“Every coach in America at every other job in America stands up at the press conference and they try and moderate expectations,” Pope said. “We don’t do that here at Kentucky. When Mitch (Barnhart) called me and talked to me about being the head coach here at Kentucky, I understand the assignment. We are here to win banners.”
banner in the practice gym to photos of past national titles with the words “The Assignment” printed beside them.
“I was elated that we came in at No. 9 (AP Poll),” Pope said. “We see nine everywhere we go. We think nine is in our future destiny, and we’re chasing it hard.”
“The Assignment” and ‘number nine’ tie to the same vision: winning a national championship and bringing the old joy back to Lexington, which no coach knows
“I understand the assignment. We are here to win banners.”
- MARK POPE, HEAD COACH
Pope’s message isn’t just something he says, it’s something his players see every day.
Inside the Joe Craft Center, reminders of K entucky’s mission cover nearly every wall, from a “#9 The Assignment”
more about than Pope, who played two seasons in the Bluegrass and was the captain of Kentucky’s national championship-winning squad in the 1996-97 season.
“I love this place from the depths of my soul,” Pope said. “It changed my entire life.”
Every team wants to win a national title this season, that’s obvious, but no other team in the country talks about it as much as Kentucky does.
“We’re all hungry and eager to get number nine,” senior guard Otega Oweh said at SEC Media Day in Birmingham, Alabama.
Oweh, the heart and soul of this year’s Kentucky team, was named the preseason SEC Player of the Year. The vision isn’t just there for the team’s star player, it stretches all the way down to the freshmen.
“I’ve got one goal and one goal only and that’s to win number nine,” Malachi Moreno, a freshman from Georgetown, Kentucky said. “Whether I play five minutes or 25 minutes, as long as we’re winning, I couldn’t care less.”
The star player, freshmen and incoming transfers understand what’s expected.
“I’m trying to use my past experiences from my previous school and bring it here because, obviously, I know the goal is to win number nine,” Florida transfer Denzel Aberdeen said.
The Wildcats have the leader and roster they need now. If it all connects, Kentucky will have a serious shot at reaching its end goal and reigniting the excitement that once echoed throughout the streets of Lexington.
As everything in life does, it all starts with an idea — and this idea stems from two words: ‘number nine.’
Kentucky Wildcats Head Coach Mark Pope calls a play during the men’s basketball exhibition game against Purdue on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.
PHOTO BY WILL LUCKETT | STAFF
Jayden Quaintance took the long way home; Kentucky was still waiting
Jenna Lifshen sports@kykernel.com
On Nov. 14, 2023, fivestar center Jayden Quaintance committed to Kentucky.
The No. 4 overall prospect and top-ranked center in the 2024 class unsurprisingly wanted to play for John Calipari.
But only a few months later, Calipari stepped down as Kentucky’s head coach, becoming the first turn in what became a rollercoaster of a few months for Quaintance.
Four and a half months after signing his letter of intent, Quaintance decommitted from the Wildcats and found a new home in Tempe, Arizona.
However, his career as a Sun Devil never really began. Before he could play a game for Arizona State, the freshman suffered a torn ACL during an offseason workout, sidelining him for the year.
As the season approached and recovery became his focus, Quaintance entered the transfer portal and quickly became one of the most sought-after players.
According to ESPN, he was attracting interest from schools such as Auburn, Kansas, Ohio State and Southern Cal, as well as Kentucky.
With year one under his belt, Kentucky’s Head Coach Mark Pope made the move for the big man, and it didn’t seem like Quaintance needed a lot of convincing, committing to Kentucky only six days after opening up his recruitment.
“They kind of had their team set up. I got to see what it looked like, get to trust in Coach Pope’s offense, see how I could fit into that better. I feel like the squad that we have here has a really good chance to win a national championship,” Quaintance said.
However, Quaintance didn’t just want a familiar program, he wanted one that fit his development.
“They play fast and they play with space, which is like an NBA-type play style. It’s been working really well for them. They got to the Sweet 16 last year and put up 100 points in multiple games,” he said.
Quaintance was expected to be Kentucky’s next star — until he wasn’t.
Then, just as quickly, he was again. The five-star forward’s whirlwind college journey has brought him full circle, back to the program that nearly became home last season.
“It’s definitely great to be back,” Quaintance said. “It’s
a little different than when I first committed, but I really trust what Coach Pope has going here. I trust the guys that we have, and I’m really excited for the things we can do.”
Even from the sideline, Quaintance has watched Kentucky’s roster push each other harder than most teams would in games.
“Everybody’s super competitive,” he said. “Everybody wants to win. We’re going at each other’s heads every day. We’re getting better every day.”
Since rejoining the Wildcats, Quaintance’s biggest opponent hasn’t been on the court – it’s been time.
The torn ACL that halted his first year of college basketball has become the challenge defining his second chance at Kentucky.
It hasn’t stopped his confidence or determination, and he’s used the offseason with trainers to motivate himself to come back stronger than before.
“Just keeping patience and trusting the process,” Quaintance said. “It’s
more mental than physical, waking up every day and being happy that you have the ability to get better.”
His recovery has impressed even Pope, who called it “unbelievable” and said Quaintance is “breaking every record known to humankind” in rehab progress.
While Quaintance’s timeline to return is still unknown, the sophomore has made it clear that his comeback won’t go unnoticed.
“It’s gonna get really scary for everybody else once I get back on the court,” he said.
Through it all, the 18-yearold’s sights are set on
more than recovery. They’re set on the legacy that has echoed across Lexington all year.
“I really feel like we have a great chance to win number nine,” Quaintance said. “Everybody here has bought into that.”
While his role in the chase for a national championship remains sidelined for now, his return to the court this season is inevitable.
When that time finally comes, Quaintance’s story in the blue and white is no longer about what could have been. It will be about what is still to come.
Kentucky Wildcats forward Jayden Quaintance claps during warm ups before the men’s basketball game against Georgetown on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN KANTOSKY | STAFF
FROM NATTY TO 9: Denzel Aberdeen’s a national champion — he came to Kentucky to win another
The Orlando, Florida, native has stayed silent for the most part about his decision to enter the transfer portal, calling it a personal decision for him and his family.
However, his reasons for coming to Kentucky have been far from quiet. It only took one phone call for him to decide to go to Lexington.
“When they called, I was like, ‘Man, I got to come here and play for coach Pope’ … and just the school itself and the people here, the atmosphere, it’s crazy. So when they called, it was pretty much a no-brainer for me,” Aberdeen said.
For Pope’s roster, Aberdeen brings what every team needs but few have: someone who’s already reached the mountaintop and is determined to climb it again.
Kentucky needed more than another scorer, it needed someone who understood what it takes when the lights are brightest. In Aberdeen, Pope found exactly that.
The Florida guard has value beyond his numbers and resume. He has the mentality.
“Denzel Aberdeen, everybody at Florida knows this too, beautiful, just a pure competitive spirit,” Pope said. “This love of competition, a fearlessness about the way he competes, that he’s willing to step on the floor. He’s not scared of taking an L, but he is going to fight you to the death to win everything.”
That drive has already shown up in Kentucky’s practices, where Pope said Aberdeen’s energy has been contagious.
Whether it’s in a shooting
drill or a scrimmage, he approaches every rep like a possession in the national championship game.
“I just try to use my past experiences from my previous school and bring it here, because obviously I know the goal is to win number nine here,” Aberdeen said. “My job this year is bringing a lot of leadership and reminding the guys what our main focus is.”
His presence hasn’t just changed the intensity and tone of practice, but has raised the expectations among his teammates, including veterans like Otega Oweh.
“It’s huge,” Oweh said. “We’ll try to make history for him too, win two natties at two different schools, that would
but I feel like they never really gave him his chance to shine. Since he’s been here, I see how much of a threat he is, how hard he works. He’s going to surprise a lot of people this year.”
When asked his expectation for the season, his answer was simple:
That mission for ‘number nine’ has become this team’s rallying point in Kentucky’s pursuit of a ninth national championship.
“To win number nine.”
-
Denzel Aberdeen, Guard
be huge.”
For this group, it’s more than a goal. It’s the standard they hold themselves to every day in practice, and it is one Aberdeen understands better than anyone.
Pope pushed him to establish a leadership presence from the very start, recognizing that his background provided a unique perspective in the locker room.
“He (Pope) always tells me to lead the guys like you’ve been there before, ‘Don’t always be shy because you’re new. Don’t try to back down from anybody. Show them your presence, show them what you did before,’” Aberdeen said.
Aberdeen’s voice and competitive energy have quickly become part of Kentucky’s identity.
“He’s been shooting the leather off the ball,” Oweh said. “Then his playmaking, he brings that toughness and his competitive spirit to the game.”
His competitiveness and mentality are clear traits he has played with since his time with the Gators.
Jaland Lowe joined Aberdeen as a transfer player on Kentucky’s roster, but the two met long before their time in Lexington.
“I was familiar with Denzel when he was at Florida. I played him my freshman year,” Lowe said. “I always thought he was pretty good,
That impression has spread through the team built on a mix of transfers, veterans and freshmen, who have thrived on Aberdeen’s energy. His leadership, developed through the pressure of making a title run, has set the pace for Kentucky’s relentless pursuit of its first championship since 2012.
In a program where expectations have always been high, Aberdeen isn’t running from pressure, but he is rather embracing it because he knows what it feels like when the confetti falls.
Aberdeen prides himself on his past, but carries himself with even more passion and appreciation for what’s to come.
“It’s been amazing,” Aberdeen said. “Ever since I got here, everybody’s been warm and welcoming. My teammates have been cool, we’ve been hanging out every day, and just the amount of love from the fans, I didn’t know it was like that. It’s a lot of love out here.”
From cutting the nets down in San Antonio, to hearing his name echo through Rupp Arena, Aberdeen’s story goes far beyond the court.
It’s a journey grounded in belief, grace and the confidence that comes from knowing he’s exactly where he’s meant to be.
“It’s been surreal,” Aberdeen said. “Winning the national championship, it’s been nothing but amazing. Playing for another great, historic college, I’m just very blessed to be here. I thank God each and every day that I open my eyes.”
Aberdeen doesn’t discuss numbers or stats. He talks about habits, about showing up, leading by example and making practice feel like a game.
Most importantly, he believes this group has the talent, depth and drive to chase Kentucky’s next banner.
When asked his expectation for the season, Aberdeen’s answer was simple: “To win number nine.”
ANALYSIS: How depth could make or break Kentucky’s season
Jenna Lifshen & Jack Tobin sports@kykernel.com
Depth can be one of a team’s greatest advantages. It allows for lineup flexibility, fresher legs and insurance against injuries.
On the other hand, it can also be a challenge as too many capable players can lead to frustration over minutes, inconsistency in rotations and difficulty establishing rhythm.
For Kentucky, this season’s roster depth brings both potential and pressure as Head Coach Mark Pope looks to manage one of the most talented rosters in the country.
Lifshen: The depth of Kentucky’s loaded
roster could be its
greatest strength
In a sport where the season stretches from November to April, depth isn’t a privilege, it’s a necessity. For Kentucky, that truth has never been clearer.
Last year’s late-season injuries exposed the limits of a thin rotation, but this year’s roster offers the opposite challenge: a bench loaded with top-tier talent.
Pope now has the kind of depth that can change games, shape practices, and sustain momentum through the grind of SEC play and into March Madness. With veterans, transfers and freshmen all capable of earning minutes, Kentucky’s advantage lies in its balance and ability to stay fresh, flexible and competitive deep into the tournament.
The biggest advantage of Kentucky’s depth shows up long before the first tipoff: in practice.
With 13 scholarship players, including multiple transfers and high-level freshmen, every practice becomes a competition among some of the best players around the country.
The result has been an intensity level Pope experienced during his own Kentucky playing days.
“It feels so familiar to me, where I’m kind of like, you know what? I got to get these guys off the floor, because they’re going to kill each other right now,” he said.
The college basketball season is long and punishing, especially as the NCAA continues to add more preseason games. Between the first exhibition and the final push in March, even the most talented teams are tested by fatigue, injuries and inconsistency.
Last year, Kentucky learned that lesson the hard way.
Injuries to key players down the stretch forced Pope’s team to shorten its rotation, exhaust starters and lose rhythm at the most critical point in the season. By the time postseason play arrived, the Wildcats were simply running out of players.
This year’s group is built to avoid that same fate. With one of the deepest rosters in the country, Kentucky now has the flexibility to manage minutes, maintain intensity and adapt to whatever the season throws its way.
“I think it’s going to serve us well as we go through the long season and face all the challenges that you face, including injuries,” Pope said.
Beyond injury insurance, depth gives the Kentucky lineup versatility and the ability to rotate players based on an opponent’s weakness.
Pope has depth in the big department with Malachi Moreno and Brandon Garrison, but also has a lot of talent in fast-play offense with guards like Jaland Lowe, Denzel Aberdeen and Otega Oweh.
The ability to mix and match while still competing at a high level is a luxury most programs do not have.
Depth also means defensive intensity can stay consistent. With more players capable of handling major minutes, Kentucky can press harder, defend longer and wear down opponents.
Last season’s limitations exposed what Kentucky lacked. This year’s depth gives it a chance to withstand the season and stay in control of its own fate when the postseason arrives.
Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh sits at his locker while members of the media speak to him during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Sweet 16 vs. the Tennessee Volunteers on Friday, March, 28, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Tennessee won the game 78-65. PHOTO BY MATTHEW MUELLER | STAFF
Tobin: Too much depth and a loaded roster could cause problems for Kentucky
In college basketball, fans and coaches often emphasize the importance of depth and having a deep roster. On paper, it sounds ideal: lots of talent, fresh legs and insurance in case of injury.
However, too much depth can actually create several hidden problems for both players and coaches. Managing playing time, maintaining chemistry and keeping everyone engaged can become a difficult balancing act that tests even the best coaching staffs.
When there are more capable players than minutes to give to each, issues such as frustration over playing time, undefined roles and a lack of rhythm can emerge. These challenges can disrupt chemistry and sometimes derail a team’s season.
Right now, Kentucky has 13 players who are deserving of minutes. The Wildcats return four players who averaged at least 10 minutes per game on last season’s Sweet 16 team. They also added five transfers who were ranked among the top 70 in the 2025 transfer portal class, three top-35 high school recruits and one highly regarded overseas prospect.
Depth is valuable, especially in the case of injuries, but if you look at recent national champions, most have relied on a seven- or eight-man rotation when it mattered most. This tighter rotation allows teams to build stronger chemistry and ensures that players develop rhythm and confidence in clutch moments.
Pope will likely need to shorten his rotation once the Wildcats get into SEC play to give the team its best chance at a deep postseason run. That means five or six talented, highly ranked players with expectations of making a major impact could find themselves on the bench.
According to Ben Roberts of the Lexington HeraldLeader, Kentucky is spending more than $22 million in name, image and likeness deals on this year’s roster. That means multiple players are earning more than $1 million despite the likelihood that some won’t see consistent playing time.
Outside of SEC Preseason
Player of the Year Otega Oweh, Kentucky doesn’t have a clear co-star like many other national contenders do.
Depth wins games in November, but stars win championships in March.
The Wildcats arguably might’ve been better off targeting a true star instead of building a roster with 13 rotation-caliber players. Kentucky might have been wiser to overpay for one proven, high-level playmaker such as Yaxel Lendeborg or Donovan Dent, both players the Wildcats were reportedly linked to during the offseason, according to Jacob Polacheck of KSR and Joe Tipton of On3’s.
Since the start of the NIL and transfer portal era, college basketball has seen multiple cases of players leaving midseason when they’re unhappy with their roles. In 2022, at Illinois, former five-star recruit Skyy Clark left the team midway through the season. Clark started the first 12 games but struggled, averaging just seven points and two assists.
After being moved to the bench for one game, he entered the transfer portal. Although Clark said his decision was due to family reasons, many speculated that his decreased minutes and changing role played a part.
Kentucky could face a similar situation this season if players grow frustrated with their roles. Some could choose to redshirt to preserve a year of eligibility, which could cause movement in the locker room.
With so many talented players sharing limited opportunities, managing egos and expectations could be one of Pope’s biggest challenges. Depth wins games in November, but stars win championships in March. Kentucky’s season may depend on finding the right balance between the two if it wants to get championship number nine this year.
Kentucky Wildcats bench stands up in support for their teammate’s 3-point shot during the men’s basketball exhibition against Georgetown on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. Georgetown won 84-70. PHOTO BY SYDNEY NOVACK | STAFF
Men ' s Basketbal;l Schedule 2025
