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Kentucky Picked to Win SEC, Oscar Tshiebwe Tabbed Preseason SEC Player of the Year

To no surprise, the Wildcats have been selected to win the SEC

Kentucky has once again been selected to win the SEC in the media preseason poll, voted on by a select panel of both SEC and national media members. 

The Wildcats were picked to beat out Arkansas, Tennessee, Auburn and Alabama, who round out the top five. 

In addition, Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe was tabbed as the Preseason SEC Player of the Year. He was also an All-SEC First Team selection alongside teammate Sahvir Wheeler. 

Tshiebwe became UK's first ever unanimous National Player of the Year a season ago, leading the country in rebounding with 15.1 boards-per-game while adding a team-high 17.4 points-per-game. He was also a First Team All-American, amongst a slew of other awards. 

Wheeler was third in the nation in assists, averaging 6.9 per-game. He poured in 10.1 points-per-game, en route to being named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, honoring the country's best point guard. 

Head coach John Calipari is entering his 14th season as head coach of the Wildcats. Big Blue Nation will see UK back in action this weekend for the Blue-White game, which is taking place in Pikeville, Ky at the Appalachian Wireless Arena. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. EST. 

Preseason All-SEC First-Team

Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas

G Fr. 6-5 185 Jacksonville, Ark.

Colin Castleton , Florida

F 5th 6-11 250 Deland, Fla.

Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky

F Sr. 6-9 260 Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Sahvir Wheeler, Kentucky

G Sr. 5-9 180 Houston, Texas

Santiago Vescovi, Tennessee

G Sr. 6-3 192 Montevideo, Uruguay

Preseason All-SEC Second-Team

Brandon Miller, Alabama

F Fr. 6-9 200 Antioch, Tenn.

Jahvon Quinerly, Alabama

G Sr. 6-1 175 Hackensack, N.J.

KJ Williams, LSU

F 5th 6-10 250 Cleveland, Miss.

Josiah-Jordan James, Tennessee

G Sr. 6-6 224 Charleston, S.C.

Zakai Zeigler Tennessee

G So. 5-9 171 Long Island, N.Y.

Kentucky Basketball News

The Wildcats Released Their Entire 2022-23 Schedule

UK and Gonzaga Will Play One-Another in a Six Year Series

Highlights and Numbers From Kentucky's Pro Day

Kentucky Target DJ Wagner Signed an NIL Deal with Nike

Freshmen Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston Are Projected to be First Round NBA Draft Picks

5-Star '24 Center Flory Bidunga Has Been Offered by Kentucky

Kentucky and Indiana are reportedly in discussions to play one-another in a multi-year series

Aaron Bradshaw, '23 5-star Center, Committed to Kentucky

The Wildcats are ranked No. 4 in the Preseason AP Top 25 Poll

Wildcats Today will have updates on scheduling, injuries, updates and more on Kentucky Basketball as the Cats near the start of their 2022-23 season.

Want the latest on national football and basketball recruiting, including Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the latest news, blogs, and updates about the nation's best prospects