Cats are Good...Could be Great

ESPN has Kentucky ranked #13 in their preseason poll. I think their analysis of the Cats is right on.

What we like: The freshmen class. Randolph Morris could turn out to be the national freshman of the year. He has the potential to be one of the most dominating big men in the country. He could have gone in the first round of the NBA draft like his AAU teammates Dwight Howard and Josh Smith. The backcourt of freshmen Rajon Rondo and Joe Crawford are as good a tandem of newcomer guards as you will see. But the biggest impact might be from Western Kentucky transfer guard Patrick Sparks. He'll bring instant credibility, toughness and leadership to the backcourt. The Wildcats don't lack returning talent with the hard-nosed senior Chuck Hayes up front along with junior wing Kelenna Azubuike. Coach Tubby Smith continues to maximize the Wildcats' talent. He usually has a relative cast of unknowns that he forms into a title contender; this season he has one of the top newcomer classes in the country. Regardless, he'll find a way to transform this team into an SEC champ.

Causes for concern: The lack of experience. Hayes and Azubuike aren't a concern. But the Wildcats will rely on players who haven't played at this level. It might take a few months for the newcomers to feel completely comfortable playing in pressure-packed, emotional games. The bench also is still developing and, while the Wildcats can go eight to nine deep, they still don't have the experienced role player to come off the bench.

Keep an eye on: Ramel Bradley. He's not getting as much hype as Morris, Rondo and Crawford, but Bradley should have a significant impact, too. The 6-foot-3 Bradley gives the Wildcats four guards that could end up being interchangeable, all able to handle the ball at times. If all four are scorers, then the Wildcats will be even tougher to defend.

Non-conference nightmare: The Wildcats never shy away from a tough non-conference game. They play at North Carolina, vs. Indiana in Louisville and travel to Louisville in the first three weeks of December. They also host Kansas on Jan. 9 before they dive deep into the heart of the SEC schedule.

Best-case scenario: This team has the look of one that could be real special by March. Don't be surprised to see Kentucky make a deep run in March, even if it has a few more losses then it's used to along the way. Once the newcomers get comfortable, this team will be extremely dangerous.