Kentucky recently added Mark Mitchell, a two-time All-SEC selection who dropped 18.3 points per game at Missouri. You’d think a move like that would send shockwaves and push a team up the national rankings, right? Nope. The Wildcats remain completely unchanged at No. 15 in the ROTHSTEIN 45, Jon Rothstein’s ranking of the best teams in the country. It’s wild to see such a high-impact addition not budge the needle one bit from one of college hoops’ premier media personalities.
Pope’s Transfer Portal Hustle Keeping Kentucky Afloat
Heading into the summer, it looked pretty grim for the Kentucky Wildcats. Coach Mark Pope was whiffing on a bunch of top high school prospects, even missing out on the No. 1 overall guy, Tyran Stokes. That meant the top players heading back to college had already committed elsewhere. But Pope isn’t one to give up, and he’s really shown his ability to recruit transfers. Out of Kentucky’s projected starting five, four of them will be first-time Cats. Three of those, if you count bringing back Malachi Moreno, came in over the last few months alone. That’s a serious offseason overhaul for the program.
The Mitchell-Momcilovic Punch: SEC’s Best Frontcourt?
Mitchell, who gained a fifth year of eligibility, made his decision quickly after leaving Missouri. He was a major starter for Duke as a freshman, ranked as the 13th-best player in the Class of 2022, averaging 11.6 points per game for the Blue Devils as a sophomore. Then he blew up at Missouri, becoming one of the best players in the SEC. On top of Mitchell, Kentucky also snagged Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic and brought back big-time center Moreno. This trio should give the Cats the best frontcourt in the SEC. The combination of Mitchell and Momcilovic alone provides a major one-two punch that should be terrifying for opponents.
So, with all this talent infusion, why is Jon Rothstein’s ranking not moving? That’s the real head-scratcher. It’s on Mitchell and Momcilovic to prove that No. 15 spot is way too low. Can these new Cats finally push the needle and prove they’re a top-tier team when the season kicks off? We’ll be watching to see if this roster shake-up ultimately leads to a jump in those rankings.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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