Dribble Handoff: Predicting how Kentucky basketball will bounce back in 2023-22 season with revamped roster

Previous to final season’s 9-16 calamity in a pandemic-shortened season, Kentucky averaged 30 wins per 12 months in its first 11 seasons below John Calipari. The worst season within the stretch was a 21-12 end within the 2012-13 season marked by UK’s solely absence from the NCAA Match below Calipari till final season. 

What adopted was a season of extremes. On the heels of the disappointing season, the 2013-14 staff additionally struggled by Kentucky’s requirements below Calipari by securing only a No. 8 seed within the NCAA Match. However after coming into the Huge Dance with 10 losses on their ledger, the Wildcats received sizzling on the proper time and made a run to the nationwide title sport. As soon as there, Kentucky misplaced to UConn, however the deep postseason run solidified that the Wildcats weren’t going wherever, even after a few comparatively robust seasons. 

As Kentucky appears to be like to rebound once more within the 2023-22 season from a brand new low below Calipari, can the Wildcats bounce again once more? With this system’s roster for subsequent season coming into focus following the latest additions of transfers Sahvir Wheeler and CJ Frederick together with the signing of five-star freshman guard TyTy Washington, it’s an excellent time to begin predicting what this staff could accomplish subsequent season.

Kentucky, Gonzaga and the faculty coaches who ought to finally comply with Jay Wright into the Corridor of Fame. Take heed to the most recent episode of Eye on School Basketball beneath.

For this week’s version of the dribble handoff, our staff of writers is giving their takes on what we must always count on from Kentucky subsequent season. Win whole is just for the common season and doesn’t embody a forecast of postseason efficiency. 

Gary Parrish

26 wins | third within the SEC | Candy 16 of NCAA Match

As famous on the newest episode of the Eye On School Basketball Podcast, I actually like the way in which John Calipari has remade his roster. The Wildcats ought to go from a younger staff that couldn’t shoot to a a lot older staff that may shoot because of a recruiting class highlighted by 4 transfers and two five-star prospects. The additions of Sahvir Wheeler, TyTy Washington and Kellan Grady will permit Calipari to have three succesful ball-handlers on the ground on the identical time — if he desires. Grady is a fifth-year participant and confirmed shooter who scored greater than 2,000 factors at Davidson. Wheeler is a third-year participant who led the SEC in assists per sport this previous season. And Washington is a probable one-and-done level guard who’s thought to be a professional perimeter menace. Then there’s CJ Frederick, a switch from Iowa who shot 46.6% from 3 in two seasons with the Hawkeyes. And the fourth switch, Oscar Tshiebwe, is a third-year participant who led West Virginia in factors and rebounds two seasons in the past. He’ll doubtless begin within the center for Kentucky alongside at the least three different non-freshmen, which can clearly be uncommon for UK within the Calipari period. Backside line: it’s fairly clear Calipari made a degree to get previous and add taking pictures. He’s finished each. And now the Wildcats are set for a pleasant bounce-back season that ought to end in a top-three end within the SEC.

Matt Norlander

23 wins | 4th within the SEC | Candy 16 of NCAA Match

Kentucky will rank among the many five-or-so most attention-grabbing groups to trace heading into the season. John Calipari has assembled a roster not like something he’s had prior, and coming off that dangerous 2023-21, it’ll put an environment of urgency and uncertainty round this program that it’s by no means had earlier than. Was final season an aberration? Will bringing in a bevy of transfers and closely investing in level guards and perimeter shooters pay fast dividends? It’s additionally been a very long time since Kentucky may have been this previous. I feel we’ll have the Wildcats bouncing out and in of the AP Prime 25 subsequent season. I feel Kentucky will likely be within the NCAA Match however gained’t be a top-four seed. I feel the SEC goes to be a top-three league within the sport, and which means UK shifting up goes to be a problem. However I do count on a flip from final 12 months. Parrish laid out the roster particulars above. The schedule will likely be a problem. Mark me down for the highest 4 of the SEC to complete as follows: Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky. I’ll cut up the distinction a bit and predict that Kentucky has a good-not-great common season, after which Calipari will get a few wins within the NCAAs with a 6 or 7 connected the Wildcats’ identify when the bracket is revealed subsequent March. 

Kyle Boone

27 wins | 2nd within the SEC  | Elite Eight of NCAA Match

Kentucky has not solely improved its roster this offseason after a 9-16 season — it has gotten older. This is among the most skilled groups John Calipari has fielded in Lexington, on paper. Whereas there’s apparent concern that almost all of this roster, whereas heavy on upperclassmen, nonetheless has not performed collectively (with seven incoming gamers both transfers or recruits), there’s numerous motive to be assured on this bunch. UK has a star large in Oscar Tshiebwe, a pair of starting-caliber level guards in Sahvir Wheeler and TyTy Washington and — dare I say it?! — shooters to encompass them. Kentucky may be capable of shoot it competently from 3-point vary. CJ Fredrick, Kellan Grady, Dontaie Allen and TyTy Washington all ought to be average-to-above-average exterior shooters. That’s an improve from the previous few seasons, in what was clearly a precedence for the workers this offseason. Is that this essentially the most gifted UK roster Calipari has ever had? No. Most likely not even shut. However the mixture of ability, expertise and IQ ought to make this Wildcats staff among the finest within the SEC, even in a 12 months the place Alabama and Arkansas could enter the preseason as top-10 groups.

David Cobb

25 wins | 4th within the SEC | Second spherical of NCAA Match

As I famous within the intro paragraphs — the final time Kentucky missed the NCAA Match, it didn’t bounce again straight to the highest. Though it finally made the nationwide title sport in 2014, that run got here with the Wildcats as a No. 8 seed within the NCAA Match following a 12-6 SEC end. The SEC has gotten higher since then, and it’s onerous to examine Kentucky instantly returning to the 15-3 league marks it loved in 2019 and 2023. My expectation is for this staff to match carefully with the 2017-18 squad, which completed 26-11 (10-8 SEC) with a Candy 16 exit. The SEC was sturdy that season, sending eight groups to the Huge Dance, and it ought to be sturdy in 2023. Auburn is reloading and ought to be eligible for the postseason once more, and Alabama and Arkansas are established as energy gamers within the league now. As long as the NCAA doesn’t drop the hammer on LSU (or Auburn for that matter), the convention ought to ship half its groups to the NCAA Match and will attain eight once more. Kentucky will likely be in that group, however except a celebrity emerges, this staff will likely be restricted by its newness to one another and bow out after a good bounce-back season.