Kentucky basketball jersey numbers are officially here

The Kentucky Men’s 2026-27 basketball roster is (presumably) complete, and the roller coaster ride to get us here rivals the most trauma-inducing ride at King’s Island. But with momentum riding high (especially after landing the recruitment of Ryan Hampton), the Big Blue Nation’s spirits haven’t been this positive since…well…it’s been a minute. Now it’s time to lean into these guys and shift to lighter but incredibly important topics: jersey numbers.

Mo Williams released a video on Instagram scanning the updated Rupp Arena locker room, complete with each player’s name and number atop their cubby. It is one of the most exciting drops of the year. Let’s review:

Zyon Hawthorne #0

Zyon Hawthorne was a surprise commitment this summer, but one that makes a ton of sense for everyone involved. In modern college basketball, where walk-ons are trending toward a thing of the past, signing the little brother of a potential breakout player, perhaps in an effort to retain him, is a smart move. Moreover, Zyon can contribute and hold his own in practice and will help with team chemistry. The younger Hawthorne brother will adorn #0, last worn by Rob Dillingham in 2024.

Jerone Morton #1

Kentucky fans love a good Kentucky kid (or three) on the roster, especially ones who won a state title in high school, which is exactly what Jerone Morton did for George Rogers Clark in 2022. Morton wore #11 for Washington State last season but will revert to #1 for Kentucky, the same number he wore with Morehead State his first two years in college. Denzel Aberdeen wore #1 for the ‘Cats last season.

Braydon Hawthorne #2

After wearing #22 for Kentucky during his redshirt freshman season, Braydon Hawthorne slashed a digit this season, going back to #2, the same number he wore at Huntington Prep in high school. In hindsight, he probably picked #22 last year because Jasper Johnson claimed #2, so with JJ now out in Oregon, Hawthorne swooped in and snagged it.

Kam Williams #3

Kam Williams has a chance to be Kentucky’s X-factor this year. He flashed brilliance throughout the season, and just as he was getting hot, the dreaded non-contact broken foot injury monster jumped out and bit him. He will likely be the starting small forward for the team, so the table is set for Williams, who will once again sport the #3.

Mason Williams #4

Mason Williams might be the most underrated player on this year’s Kentucky roster. He won’t start. He won’t lead the team in scoring. However, with his NBA coach on the sidelines, you have to think he will get an opportunity to make things happen on the court. His dad wore five different numbers in the NBA, but preferred #25 the most. Mason will wear #4 for the ‘Cats, the number vacated by Andrija Jelavic.

Zoom Diallo #5

Zoom Diallo wins the award for the coolest name on the roster. After flirting with Kentucky out of high school and spending a couple of years in Washington, he joined Kentucky as a transfer. Diallo wore #5 last year with the Huskies, so when Collin Chandler left for BYU, Zoom was happy to take the number he left behind.

Trent Noah #9

Trent Noah wore #11 in high school, but when both he and Travis Perry (who also wore #11) committed to Kentucky, it was Noah who made the change. He chose #9 as a constant reminder of the goal he is chasing, the 9th NCAA championship at Kentucky. Even when Perry left, he kept #9, and he will do the same this season with the same goal in mind.

Alex Wilkins #10

Alex Wilkins could very well lead the team in scoring next season. The transfer from Furman can downright fill it up, and with shooters on the perimeter, he should have enough driving lanes to work in space. He wore #10 last season for the Palidins, and with Brandon Garrison now a member of the Tide, Wilkins will wear #10 for the Wildcats.

Franck Kepnang #11

Mark Pope started his college career at Washington before transferring to Kentucky. Now he helped carve the path for two players on this roster to do the same. After already landing Zoom Diallo, he also brought in Franck Kepnang, who will serve as the resident grown man on the team. Kepnang wore #22 his first two years of college at Oregon, then switched to #11 for his four years with the Huskies. He will keep #11, last worn by the aforementioned Travis Perry in 2025, for his 7th and final year in college with Kentucky.

Ousmane N’Diaye #19

Ousmane N’Diaye is the most mysterious player on the Kentucky Basketball roster. Originally from Senegal, the 22-year-old played his entire career in Europe. To make things more unique, he wore #46 for his last team (Vanoli Basket Cremona), and most Kentucky jersey mockups had him in that number, which no Wildcat has ever worn before. However, he will officially be donning the #19 for the ‘Cats this season, which is almost equally rare. The last player to wear it was Willie Rouse way back in 1954.

Justin McBride #21

The commitment of Justin McBride got hosed by the whole Tyran Stokes debacle, but if fans can look past that, BBN has an underrated baller on their hands with McBride. He averaged over 15 points per game for James Madison and is ready to return to a P4 conference after starting off at Oklahoma State. McBride has worn #21 at each of his four college stops, including this season at Kentucky. Walker Horn wore #21 last season.

Milan Momcilovic #22

One of the subtle benefits of Braydon Hawthorne switching to #2 this season was that it freed up #22 for the No. 2 player in the transfer portal. #22 has served Milan Momcilovic well during his three years at Iowa State, so no reason to mix things up now. He’ll continue to wear #22 at Kentucky, although unfortunately, we will likely hear the number of his NIL deal far more often.

Malachi Moreno #24

Malachi Moreno went from McDonald’s All-American to somewhat of an afterthought on last year’s Kentucky roster, to a potential first-round NBA draft pick, to an incredibly important returning player for Mark Pope’s squad. Moreno chose to come back to Kentucky, where he will look to take a big leap, not only to help this team win but also to improve his NBA stock for next season. No reason to swap out now; Moreno will continue to wear #24.

Reece Potter #33

Lexington native Reece Potter is back to provide big man depth and practice support for the Wildcats. He sat out last season, but could find some spot minutes this year. He wore #33 last year and will do so once again for the 2026-27 campaign.

14 down, 1 to go?

With 14 players on the roster, will Pope look to add one more? In his video, Mo Williams zoomed in on the final locker that simply reads “Kentucky Basketball,” which could indicate the team is complete, or could emphasize they are holding it for one more player. Is there another international player in the works? Could this be saved for a Zach Tow-like walk-on player? No one knows, but if it does get filled, there are plenty of good jersey numbers left to pick from.