Kentucky Basketball not in in ESPN’s way-too-early 2026-27 rankings
The early national rankings are not kind to the Wildcats.
It’s still early, and Kentucky Basketball ’s roster likely isn’t completely finished yet, but national projections headed into a critical Year 3 for Mark Pope are not the most optimistic. ESPN’s Jeff Borzello recently released his Way-Too-Early Top 25, and Kentucky didn’t make the cut. In fact, Kentucky didn’t make the cut of the next five out.
Borzello ranked Florida at #1, with Duke, Michigan, Illinois, and UConn rounding out the top 5. The SEC is expected to be tough again next year, with 6 teams cracking Borzello’s top 15. Louisville landed at #15, but that was before the Cardinals landed Obinna Ekezie, Jr.
, one of the top freshmen in the class. Kentucky certainly has some interesting pieces headed into next season. Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins are both talented guards who have the potential to really blossom in Lexington.
If Malachi Moreno opts to withdraw from the NBA Draft, he will certainly be a key piece for this Kentucky team. Ousmane N’Diaye is an intriguing talent, and it’ll be interesting to see how Pope decides to utilize the 6’11 forward from Senegal. Kentucky’s ceiling changes dramatically with how much improved Kam Williams and Braydon Hawthorne are from last season.