247Sports predicts Kentucky's starting lineup for the 2024-25 season

Who will start for the Kentucky Wildcats this season?

University of Kentucky’s new men’s basketball coach Mark Pope speaks about the future of Kentucky men’s basketball during his introductory press conference to thousands of fans in Rupp Arena on Sunday, April 14, 2024. / Clare Grant/Courier Journal / USA TODAY

SEC Basketball rosters are almost complete, and some folks are starting to make Way Too Early SEC Power Rankings. Isaac Trotter of 247Sports and CBS Sports made a list just like this, where he ranked the Kentucky Wildcats seventh in the SEC. 

This feels like a very fair ranking for the Wildcats as they still have not completed the roster, but if you add a Jaxson Robinson or Chaz Lanier, they can perhaps jump up in this list. 

Trotter also predicted Kentucky's starting lineup for the 2024-25 season. Let's take a look at who he believes will start for Mark Pope's team. 

G Kerr Kriisa

G Lamont Butler

Wing Koby Brea

F Andrew Carr

C Amari Williams 

This starting lineup looks solid, and I would not be one bit surprised if this ended up being the lineup for Coach Pope this season. While he hasn't been in Lexington all that long, Coach Pope is putting together a roster that can compete in the SEC immediately. 

Here is Trotter's reasoning for ranking the Wildcats seventh, "Mark Pope's offseason strategy has been pretty cut and dry. If you're a shooter, Kentucky wants you. If you can play some defense, Kentucky wants you, too. San Diego State transfer Lamont Butler and Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh check the perimeter defense boxes. Amari Williams (from Drexel) and Brandon Garrison (from Oklahoma State) provide real rim protection and inside thump. West Virginia transfer Kerr Kriisa, Dayton transfer Koby Brea and Wake Forest transfer Andrew Carr are all proven high-major shooters. Kentucky has a seven-man rotation that makes some sense, but the 'Cats are still a piece or two away from jumping into that top tier of SEC frontrunners. Good thing Pope has his line in the water for a few monster fish. You add a Jaxson Robinson and/or a Chaz Lanier to this group, and the complexion certainly changes. The bones of a good team are already in place in Lexington, but Kentucky needs one or two more big splashes if it wants to be a National Championship contender."