Predicting three players from last year's Kentucky team who return for the 2026-27 season

Which Wildcats from last year's team will be back this season?

Jan 21, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Kam Williams (3) reacts after making a three point basket during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Mark Pope has a ton of big decisions to make this offseason to get his roster ready for the 2026-27 season. The first order of business will be seeing which players from last year’s team are going to return and which players will hit the portal. The first domino to fall was the announcement that Jaland Lowe hit the portal on Saturday, so now the Wildcats will be looking for a new point guard.

The decisions these players are making have been very quiet, to the point where no one really knows what the players from last year's team are going to do. The portal does not open until the 7th, but I expected more players to announce their intention to hit the portal before it opened. I still expect some more announcements to be made between now and the 7th, so Pope can start scouting what he will need in the portal.

Let’s take a look at three Wildcats I expect to be back in Lexington next season.

Kam Williams

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Kam Williams (3) celebrates a three point basket during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Kam Williams was starting to hit his groove last season, right when he went down with his foot injury. Williams was able to make it back for the postseason and have an impact but didn’t score as he did early into SEC play. Next season, Williams will be more aggressive scoring and should be a double-figure scorer, and the hope is that this will be for Kentucky. Williams is a player I expect to be back in Lexington next season if he can get everything figured out with his contract. There is a ton of NBA upside in Williams, and next season, he will reach that potential.

Malachi Moreno

Mar 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) passes the ball during the first half against the Florida Gators at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Malachi Moreno is another player I expect to be back in Lexington next season. In a year where Moreno wasn’t projected to have much of a role, he became Kentucky’s starting center as a true freshman. At times, he struggled, but the flashes were there so if he can keep getting stronger and more physical, he will be a star in Lexington. Pope will likely recruit an elite center to start over Moreno, but one year as the backup five for Moreno, and he should be back as the starter when he is a junior.

Collin Chandler

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) shoots a three point shot against the Santa Clara Broncos during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Collin Chandler is the one name on this list that is a bit scary, as there have been some rumors that he might want to head back home, but right now, those are just rumors, and personally, I expect Chandler to be back in Lexington. He has been loyal to Coach Pope for a very long time, and I don’t expect that to change. Chandler had an elite scoring season this year as a shooter, and I expected him to take another leap this offseason.