Kentucky basketball's path to being an elite team is clear in Mark Pope's third season

Despite losing Mark Mitchell the Kentucky Wildcats still have a chance to be an elite team.

Mar 19, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks with the media during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mark Pope and the Kentucky basketball team are under two months away from getting the season started, and Big Blue Nation can't wait to see what this team has to offer. There has been some frustration about losing Mark Mitchell, and this is understandable. Some fans feel that this team won't be elite without Mitchell, but that is not the case.

Obviously, this team is back to where it was a couple of weeks ago where Mitchell was not in the picture and during this time the path to Kentucky being an elite basketball team was clear. It is all dependent on the upside of the of the players on this roster. There are a bunch of players who possess this high-level upside, and Pope will need some of these players to pan out this season.

Kentucky basketball head coach Mark Pope gives an update on the upcoming 2026-27 season during a press conference in Lexington, Kentucky July 24, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There are six players on this Kentucky roster who I consider to be the upside players on the team. Those six players are Alex Wilkins, Mason Williams, Braydon Hawthorne, Kam Williams, Ousmane N'Diaye, and Malachi Moreno. All six of these players have a chance to be breakout stars in college basketball this season.

The two guys who just have to hit their upside for this team to have a shot at being special are Wilkins and Moreno. Wilkins comes over to Kentucky from Furman, where he had a really good true freshman season, almost averaging 18 points per game. The question with the 6'6 two guard is whether or not the adjustment to the SEC will go smoothly.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Furman Paladins guard Alex Wilkins (10) dribbles the ball against the UConn Huskies in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Moreno had a great freshman season at Kentucky in a year where not many expected him to have a large role. Now many believe that this season he will turn himself into a first-round draft pick in Lexington, but he still has to go out there and do it. Wilkins and Moreno will start for the Wildcats this season, so them hitting their upside is going to be massive for this team having a shot at being a contender.

The other four players listed when it comes to upside N'Diaye, Kam Williams, Hawthorne, and Mason Williams could also really help the Wildcats this season if they were to have a great year. For Pope to prove he is the guy here in Lexington, this team needs to be good and go on a run in the NCAA Tournament. This is a very important season for Mark Pope, and he needs these six players to have a great year.

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