Kentucky in the Top 3 of way-too-many Way-Too-Early Top 25s

With the 2021-22 season now officially over, all eyes turn to 2022-23. Overnight, several national outlets released their “Way-Too-Early” rankings for the upcoming season and if you ask me, Kentucky’s ranked way-too-high in all of them.

Yesterday, Mike DeCourcy jumped the gun over at The Sporting News, putting Kentucky No. 1 if Oscar Tshiebwe returns (no mention of Shaedon Sharpe). So far, he’s the only national writer to rank the Cats first, but Kentucky is top three in almost all of the other rankings I’ve seen this morning, which seems absurd given the uncertainty around next year’s roster, but that’s how this works.

Here’s the rundown.

Seth Davis: Kentucky No. 2

Top three: 1. UCLA, 2. Kentucky, 3. Arkansas

For what it’s worth, Davis lists TyTy Washington, Shaedon Sharpe, and Keion Brooks among the key departures and Oscar Tshiebwe, CJ Fredrick, Sahvir Wheeler, Lance Ware, Jacob Toppin, and Daimion Collins as the key returners.

Kentucky’s 2021-22 season ended with a disappointing first-round loss to Saint Peter’s, but the Wildcats are poised to return the bulk of a squad that earned a No. 2 seed, and they are adding two McDonald’s All-Americans to boot. Sharpe enrolled in school in January but didn’t play in games. Since he is a projected lottery pick it’s safe to assume he won’t be back. Fredrick is an experienced sharpshooter who transferred from Iowa last year but never played because of a hamstring injury. And though Tshiebwe was the national player of the year, he is only projected as a second-round pick and stands to make a lot of money with the new NIL rules.

247 Sports’ Kevin Flaherty: Kentucky No. 2

Top three: 1. Arkansas, 2. Kentucky, 3. UCLA

Projected Starting Lineup: Sahvir Wheeler, Cason Wallace, Chris Livingston, Keion Brooks, Oscar Tshiebwe
247Sports Composite class ranking: No. 25

The National Player of the Year, Tshiebwe coming back is a big key to this ranking, though the Wildcats appear to be on the prowl for transfer portal big men just in case. Brooks is testing the NBA Draft waters, and we didn’t include Shaedon Sharpe, a potential talisman, because he’s a projected top-10 pick. Wallace and Livingston are five-star prospects, and Wallace’s commitment to defense will be welcomed immediately. Is there enough outside shooting at this point? It’s too early to worry about something like that, though it becomes an interesting question if plugging Jacob Toppin in at the four in that lineup.

Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Sweeney: Kentucky No. 2

Top three: 1. Arkansas, 2. Kentucky, 3. Houston

Perhaps the largest looming draft decision that could realistically go either way is in Lexington, where rebounding whiz Oscar Tshiebwe has to decide whether to return after a record-setting season with the Wildcats. As good as Tshiebwe is, his skill set for NBA purposes is rather limited, and in the name, image and likeness era he’ll have massive money-making opportunities should he stay at Kentucky. Add him next to a senior point guard in Sahvir Wheeler and an elite recruiting class that may even include 2022 draft prospect Shaedon Sharpe, and Kentucky looks loaded for ’22–23.

CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish: Kentucky No. 3

Top three: 1. UCLA, 2. North Carolina, 3. Kentucky

The Wildcats’ ranking is based on CBS Sports National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe returning to school alongside fellow starters Sahvir Wheeler and Keion Brooks, the latter of whom has declared for the NBA Draft but is maintaining his college eligibility. For now, I’m projecting 5-star guard Shaedon Sharpe to enter and remain in the NBA Draft considering he’s a projected top-10 pick – but, let the record show, John Calipari’s Wildcats could move to No. 1 if Sharpe ultimately decides to play next season at UK.

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello: Kentucky No. 7

Top three: 1. Arkansas, 2. Houston, 3. UCLA

The Wildcats would move into contention for the No. 1 spot should Oscar Tshiebwe or Shaedon Sharpe return to Lexington, but given their current draft statuses, we have both players departing. But John Calipari will have a talented group next season either way. Sahvir Wheeler and Keion Brooks Jr. both return to the starting lineup, and the additions of five-star recruits Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston will add some more playmaking to the lineup. There will have to be a breakout player up front, whether it’s former five-star recruit Daimion Collins, Jacob Toppin or someone else, but there are options. Don’t forget about former Iowa transfer CJ Fredrick, one of the elite shooters in college basketball, who missed last season with a hamstring injury.

Projected starting lineup:

Sahvir Wheeler (10.1 PPG)
Cason Wallace (No. 14 in ESPN 100)
Chris Livingston (No. 12 in ESPN 100)
Keion Brooks Jr. (10.8 PPG)
Daimion Collins (2.9 PPG)