Preseason college basketball chatter is starting to pick up, and Kentucky is showing up in the conversation on both the team and player side.
On Wednesday, EvanMiya’s Eyan Miyakawa gave a preview of his full 2026-27 rankings, which are set to be released on Friday. In that teaser, Kentucky landed 18th in his preseason team poll, while sophomore center Malachi Moreno came in as the 12th-most impactful player in the country based on Bayesian Performance Rating, or BPR.
Miyakawa describes BPR as something that “essentially values how much you do on a per-possession basis on offense and defense.” He also noted that his projection builds in the kind of sophomore jump Moreno could make after a productive freshman season, just as it does for other highly ranked sophomores like Virginia’s Chance Mallory and Illinois’ David Mirkovic.
“The Moreno ranking is ambitious but certainly possible,” Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Sweeney said during Miyakawa’s preseason rankings video.
Moreno is the only Wildcat in the preseason top 30, though Miyakawa’s player list is more about projected impact than a straight “best player” ranking. He also said Milan Momcilovic, one of the offseason’s top portal prospects, sits inside his top 50, and Ousmane N’Diaye is rated highly among incoming international players. The full rankings for every Kentucky player will be revealed Friday.
Kentucky’s 18th-place team ranking comes with some broader context, too. Miyakawa pegs the Wildcats at 18th in roster talent and 20th in both offensive and defensive unit rankings heading into 2026-27.
Those numbers include players still working through eligibility questions. LSU, for instance, is slotted ahead of Kentucky at 17th, but would fall to 35th if the players with questionable eligibility are ruled out, according to Miyakawa.
The Wildcats checking in at 18th lines up with much of the preseason buzz around the program. Mark Mitchell, who is now at Missouri and ranks 20th in these player ratings, would have given Kentucky a boost in Miyakawa’s model. Even without him, the national read seems to be that Mark Pope’s group belongs in the top 20 entering year three.
It’s still early, and preseason lists are just that - preseason lists. But they do offer a snapshot of where Kentucky stands in the national picture right now.
In Other News...
Kentuckys 2027 Class Still Hinges On Two Huge Frontcourt Battles
Kentucky has its first early anchor in the 2027 class with four-star forward Ryan Hampton on board, giving the Wildcats a head start as they begin building around the next wave of talent. Even with that commitment in place, the recruiting board is still taking shape, and the frontcourt remains the area that could define how strong this class ultimately becomes.
The biggest swing now comes down to a pair of major battles for size and upside, with Kentucky still involved on several high-end targets who are weighing multiple programs. CJ Rosser and Lewis Uvwo both have official visits scheduled, and their decisions will go a long way toward showing whether this class becomes a solid foundation or something much more imposing. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Faces A Costly SEC Reality In College Footballs New Race
The new economics of college football are only getting more expensive, and Kentucky has landed in a familiar spot in the middle of the national pack while still chasing a steep climb inside its own league. A report from The Athletic estimating 2026 roster spending for Power 4 programs underscores how closely dollars and playoff chances are now linked, with schools investing more heavily on rosters generally better positioned to contend for the College Football Playoff.
For Kentucky, the uncomfortable part is the SEC comparison. The Wildcats are projected at roughly $23 million to $26 million on roster spending, which places them 15th among 16 SEC schools and leaves little margin in a conference where some programs are said to be pushing past $40 million and perhaps even $50 million. The bigger question hanging over all of it is whether that kind of arms race can last, especially for programs trying to keep pace without overextending themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Is Already Chasing A Guard Mark Pope Could Covet Long-Term
Kentucky has already dipped into the 2028 class, extending a scholarship offer to Brady Pettigrew, a standout combo guard at Bolingbrook in Illinois who has been on the radar for his scoring, versatility and edge. The early move fits the way Mark Pope and his staff have approached recruiting, getting involved with players they believe can grow into major pieces long before the cycle gets crowded.
Pettigrew has built his reputation through strong showings in high school and AAU play, where evaluators have pointed to his ability to score, defend and affect winning in a variety of ways. For Kentucky, the appeal is obvious: a guard with that kind of competitive drive and all-around impact is the type of prospect worth tracking closely, even if the road from here is still a long one. [Read more 🡒]