NCAA analyst dismisses Mark Pope and Kentucky’s preseason no. 1 possibilities

In a latest episode of Field of 68, hoops analyst Jeff Goodman prompt that Kentucky has an uncommon situation– too many gamers to fulfill. With the return of All-SEC guard Otega Oweh, Kentucky does have a proficient and deep roster. Goodman stopped shy of declaiming the state of affairs as an issue, however has some skepticism concerning the Wildcats.

Goodman unloads on Wildcats for too many mouths to feed

Asked about Otega Oweh’s possibilities of being a preseason all-American led Goodman into this ideas on the UK roster.

“I think there’s going to be too many guys on that team that you’re going to have to feed. Moneywise, a lot of those dudes are making money and they’re all going to need minutes now. [After Goodman noted seven perimeter players on the Kentucky roster] That’s seven perimeter guys, Rob, that’s a lot of mouths to feed.”– Jeff Goodman, Field of 68

For his half, Dauster concurred on the state of affairs.

“They probably go 11 or 12 deep at this point. We’ve seen Mark Pope play that many guys, but it’s going to be the balancing act for him…. Maybe calling it a problem is the wrong phrasing… but that is going to be an obstacle that Mark Pope has to find a way to be able to navigate.”– Rob Dauster, Field of 68

Depth and Elite Talent

As Goodman and Dauster observe, juggling elite expertise can change into a double-edged sword. For each crew that finds a approach to make it work, like Florida in 2025, there’s one like Kansas, the place the Jayhawks have misplaced the vast majority of their roster to the switch portal and are going into subsequent season with considerably lowered expectations.

Depth was an issue at instances for Pope at Kentucky in 2024-25… however not the kind of downside that Dauster and Goodman observe. After a bevy of accidents on the level guard place, Pope was caught taking part in true freshman in a beginning function on in important minutes off the bench. With freshmen Travis Perry and Trent Noah seeing growing roles because the season went, Pope has gone all in on depth.

The present Kentucky crew was loaded to resist an NBA choice by Oweh, however nonetheless will profit from returning the All-SEC main scorer. Among the gamers talked about by Goodman, Pitt’s Jaland Lowe is the probably start line guard with Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen more likely to play a major function.

That leaves McDonald’s All-American Jasper Johnson and Oweh and returnees like Collin Chandler and Trent Noah to doubtlessly battle for taking part in time. From a crew that was at instances short-handed, Pope has one which has loads of depth– and possibly, per Dauster and Goodman, a bit an excessive amount of.

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