We continue our recruit and return series with the Kentucky Wildcats, whose season ended in the Sweet 16 with a loss to Kansas State. A look at what the 2018-19 season could hold for John Calipari and the Wildcats:
Possible 2018-19 starting five
G: Quade Green
Who is lost: To be honest, we have no clue. As usual with a Calipari-coached Kentucky team, it’s difficult to tell who will be around from year to year. This season’s team doesn’t have as many surefire lottery picks on its roster, which means a couple of more guys than usual could return to school. Kevin Knox is likely to leave and try his luck at the lottery, while the buzz for Nick Richards to leave has been around since early in the season. Who else? Jarred Vanderbilt could depart, despite missing most of the season with an injury. Hamidou Diallo is likely to leave after seriously considering it a year ago. And Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could also depart, while his stock is high after an impressive freshman campaign.
Who is added: Kentucky won’t have the most-hyped recruiting class in college basketball next season, with Duke taking those honors. However, the Wildcats filled some holes on the perimeter, which will make them more balanced from day one. Immanuel Quickley is a five-star point guard who has good size and will make plays at both ends of the floor. He’s an attack-minded playmaker. On the wings, top-10 recruit Keldon Johnson and underrated playmaker Tyler Herro enter the program. Johnson is a three-level scorer who is very good in the midrange and can get his own shot. Herro will make shots from the perimeter but can also go off the dribble and make plays driving to the rim. As usual, expect Kentucky to be active during the spring, looking for uncommitted players and potentially hitting the transfer market.
What it means for next season: This is hard to predict, given the number of players who could leave early, but it’s our best guess. Quade Green is going to be back at the point, and even though he’s not the prototypical Kentucky point guard with size and explosiveness, Green is a savvy playmaker who can change speeds and directions. He and Quickley can co-exist in the backcourt together. Up front, Wenyen Gabriel will be back after an uneven first two seasons in Lexington. He’s shown flashes of being a pick-and-pop four-man, but the Wildcats also looked better without him on the floor for long stretches late in the season. P.J. Washington was the best freshman on the team at times this season, given his versatility and toughness. He’s the most likely to take on a leadership role, too. One name to remember is Jemarl Baker, who missed the entire season with an injury. Baker is an elite perimeter shooter.
Trending: Up. If everyone returns besides Knox and maybe one other player, Kentucky could have one of the best teams in the country. Calipari has filled some of the weaknesses -- playmaking, shooting, perimeter depth -- with the incoming recruiting class, and everyone will be a year older. Of course, if some players make ill-advised decisions, Kentucky will likely remain neutral. This one is entirely up in the air.