UK cracks Jeff Goodman's Top 10 after Mintz's announcement

Jeff Goodman is usually a skeptic when it comes to Kentucky Basketball under John Calipari, but with Davion Mintz returning, even he is high on the Cats going into the 2021-22 season. Goodman released a new preseason Top 25 following Mintz’s announcement yesterday afternoon, and Kentucky jumped into the top ten, climbing two spots to No. 9.

“Last season was a disaster for John Calipari and the ‘Cats,” Goodman wrote. “Boston and Clarke didn’t live up to the hype and Askew struggled as a freshman point guard. There are still unanswered questions with the roster, but Cal has enough guys back that should take a jump, and he’s bringing in another highly rated group of frosh in addition to four impact transfers in Wheeler, Tshiebwe, Grady and Fredrick.”

Goodman’s top three: Gonzaga, Villanova, and Texas. Kansas and UCLA round out the top five and from the SEC, Arkansas is No. 10 right behind the Cats. Duke, Kentucky’s first opponent of the season, is No. 13, Alabama No. 14, Tennessee No. 16, and Auburn No. 23.

CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish also updated his Top 25 after Mintz’s announcement but only moved Kentucky up one spot to No. 13.

“John Calipari has solved Kentucky’s point guard problems by enrolling five-star prospect TyTy Washington and Georgia transfer Sahvir Wheeler,” he wrote. “Combine that with the return of Davion Mintz and Keion Brooks, and the additions of transfers Kellan Grady (Davidson), Oscar Tshiebwe (West Virginia) and CJ Frederick (Iowa), and the Wildcats look like a team set to have the biggest year-over-year turnaround in the sport.”

Imagine if they add Jalen Duren or Kofi Cockburn. Check out the rest of Parrish’s rankings here, or just watch some recent practice footage.