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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 10-26-2020, 11:11 AM:

5. Kentucky Wildcats
Previous: 12

Kentucky makes the biggest jump from the last summer update, and it's a jump that has been somewhat expected. Wake Forest transfer Olivier Sarr, a third-team All-ACC selection last season, finally received a waiver to play immediately this season, and he should solve what might have been the Wildcats' biggest weakness. He will slot in right away at center, providing an anchor on the interior and balance for what would have been a perimeter-heavy look. Kentucky has three five-star freshmen who are expected to start in the backcourt, with B.J. Boston poised to be the Wildcats' go-to-guy offensively right away. Keion Brooks is the team's lone returnee from last season. Due to the inexperience and all the newcomers, Kentucky might get off to a slow start -- but in typical John Calipari fashion, the Wildcats should hit their stride at the right time. And with all the on-paper talent this roster possesses, we're ranking Kentucky based on that late-season potential.

Projected starting lineup:

Devin Askew (No. 24 in ESPN 100)
B.J. Boston (No. 6 in ESPN 100)
Terrence Clarke (No. 9 in ESPN 100)
Keion Brooks (4.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG)
Olivier Sarr (13.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG at Wake Forest)

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Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 10-26-2020, 01:15 PM:

This could very well be the starting lineup but I guess practice will determine that. We have 11 scholarship players eligible to play now and you never know how guys like Toppin and Mintz with their experience will fit into the group. I'm not expecting anything different than this lineup to start the first game but things could change quickly after the first game. We actually could have almost as good a top 10 players as we had in the Harrison brothers days.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 10-26-2020, 01:32 PM:

At the start of the season, I am sure the lineup will include Sarr, Brooks, and Mintz, just for the experience factor.

But what a team we will have!

Frontcourt:

Sarr -- a seasoned, proven "true" center, standing 7'0 and possessing a variety of offensive skills.
Jackson -- an athletic shot-blocking machine
Brooks -- our only returning player of note, he is poised to have a break-out season
Ware -- Should give reliable minutes when needed
Toppin -- Another reliable player off the bench

I see Sarr, Brooks, and Jackson getting most of the minutes.

Backcourt:

Mintz -- a solid, experienced combo guard
Boston -- a long, rangy scorer that might just be the best player on the team
Clark -- another long, athletic guard with huge potential. Both Boston and Clark are listed as 6'7" guards ( [Eek!]

)
Askew -- the wildcard of the freshmen, Askew looks to be the steady "game manager" type of point guard.
Allen -- finally healthy, Allen can certainly come in as a designated 3-point shooter, and may earn more minutes if his defense can meet Cal's needs.

These "guards" stand 6'3 (Mintz), 6'3 (Askew), 6'6 (Allen), 6'7 (Boston) and 6'7 (Clark). That is a LOT of length in the backcourt, which should translate into great defense!

At the start of the season, I expect Mintz and two of the three freshmen to start (Askew, Boston, and Clark -- the "ABCs"). By February, it will be a battle to see who earns the starting nod. Don't count Mintz out!

So many possible combinations, and it will be fun watching Cal try them all out.