Three Kentucky Wildcats who need to step up for this season to turn around

Mark Pope needs some players to step up to turn this thing around.

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope looks on as his Wildcats squad face the Bellarmine Knights at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky on Dec. 23, 2025. | Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Things are starting to spiral for the Kentucky Wildcats late in the season, and Mark Pope is looking for a way to get this ball club back on track as the finish line of the regular season approaches. The Wildcats have four games left in the regular season, and some of those games will be tough for the team to win. Matchups with Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and Florida are those that won’t be easy for the Wildcats to leave victorious.

Once again, Pope’s team is dealing with injuries, with Kam Williams, Jayden Quaintance, and Jaland Lowe all not on the floor. These injuries have made it to where the depth on this roster has been truly tested, and during this three-game losing streak, things are not going well for Pope’s team on this front.

Right now, there are three main players who are able to score for this team, and they are Otega Oweh, Collin Chandler, and Denzel Aberdeen. If these three players aren’t all great, it is hard for Kentucky to win. This is why Pope needs someone to step up.

With four tough games left in the regular season before this team tries to make a postseason run, the Wildcats will need to have some players step up if Kentucky is going to have any kind of momentum heading into the offseason.

Three players who need to step up for the Kentucky Wildcats

Jasper Johnson

Jan 27, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Jasper Johnson (2) drives to the basket against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Jasper Johnson has struggled of late for this team, and even when he has been good, the freshman guard has been inconsistent. Johnson needs to be a sparkplug for the Wildcats off of the bench, and so far, this season, he hasn’t been that guy all that often. With the Wildcats getting a bulk of their scoring from three guys in SEC play, it has been hard to win games when they don’t score, and a player like Johnson isn’t stepping up. Johnson’s offensive upside is through the roof, but he needs to take advantage of the minutes he is getting so Pope will leave him on the floor.

Andrija Jelavic

Feb 4, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Andrija Jelavic (4) shoots the ball during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Andrija Jelavic has been starting for the Wildcats of late, and in some games, he looks incredible, then in others, he makes a lot of mistakes. One thing that is clear, watching Jelavic, is that he will be a really good player in college basketball. He is so close to putting it all together, and once he does, he will be the fourth elite scorer on this team. Jelavic putting it all together before the postseason would be massive for the Wildcats.

Trent Noah

Feb 4, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Trent Noah (9) passes the ball during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Trent Noah has been really good for the Wildcats on the glass, and he is a player who is never not hustling. Noah is the best pure shooter on this team, but he hasn’t been able to get a lot of threes up this season. Kentucky fans need to see some more consistent scoring, and if Noah could get hot from three, it would be helpful to this ball club. Kentucky fans want to see the Kentucky native Noah succeed, but he needs to be more confident shooting the ball.