Kentucky guard predicted to put up massive stats in a breakout campaign for Mark Pope

This Kentucky Wildcat is set to have a breakout season in college basketball.

Mar 4, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) passes the ball during the first half against the LSU Tigers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

There are a lot of sleepers on this 2025-26 Kentucky basketball team, and one of the top sleepers is Collin Chandler, who is going into his second year in Lexington.

Chandler, as a true freshman, was coming off his mission trip, so he wasn't able to train at a high level for two years. The reality of this trip is that it led to him being a tad bit rusty early into his freshman season at Kentucky.

The rust was clear as he wasn't making shots and was being beaten often on defense. As the season went on, Chandler got better and better. In the NCAA Tournament, Chandler looked really good for the Wildcats and gave fans a lot of belief that he is a future star for this team.

Fans forget that before going on this mission trip, Chandler was ranked as one of the better four stars in his high school recruiting class, so it was clear that he could hoop.

Mar 23, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) reacts during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Jon Rothstein put out an article where he listed 20 college basketball players who are set to breakout, and Chandler was one of those players.

Here is what Rothstein had to say about Chandler, "Returning personnel is far more important than incoming personnel in college basketball, and that’s why Chandler should have an excellent chance to carve out a role in the Wildcats’ deep rotation. The 6-5 guard already has a year under his belt in Mark Pope’s system and had nine points in 10 minutes in Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament win over Troy last March. Don’t be shocked if Chandler makes a jump during his second year in Lexington."

Obviously, to the national eye, there won't be a ton of expectations for Chandler this season, but he is going to be a lot better this year and play a significant role.

Mar 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) dribbles the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first half during a Midwest Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

As a 6'5 guard, Chandler can play all over the floor in the backcourt, which is a big boost for the Wildcats. Some believe he is going to be the backup point guard behind Jaland Lowe this season, and it sounds like his passing has come a long way.

Chandler has NBA upside, and he is going to make a lot of important threes for this basketball team. If he comes off the bench at the guard position, Kentucky will desperately need him to facilitate this offense and make some high leverage jump shots. Big Blue Nation will see a brand-new version of Collin Chandler this season.