According to ESPN Mark Pope's Kentucky team is a National Championship contender

Can the 2024-25 Kentucky basketball team hang a banner?

Nov 9, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks to his players during the first half against the Bucknell Bison at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Kentucky's win over the Duke Blue Devils turned heads in the college basketball world as this finally proved Mark Pope's team is capable of beating the best teams in the nation. Many believed Coach Pope had a solid team, but there were concerns about how the Wildcats would stack up with some of the most talented teams in the nation, but those questions were answered in Atlanta.

Myron Medcalf of ESPN wrote an article talking about "Judging five early season college basketball overactions," and one of the overactions was that Kentucky is a National Championship contender. According to Medcalf, the verdict of this is that it is not an overaction, and the Wildcats are a contender.

To Kentucky fans, this team being listed as a contender early into the season doesn't come as much of a surprise. Coach Pope has put together the exact prototype of what a roster needs to look like to make a run in March.

Medcalf voiced his concern about Kentucky not having a player who can create his own shots in late-game situations. While Coach Pope's offense should be able to create a look for someone, the player who can create a shot is Jaxson Robinson.

Early into the season, especially against Duke, Robinson hasn't played up to expectations, but he is going to get it figured out and will be the player who will score when Kentucky needs a basket.

The national media is starting to buy into the fact that this Kentucky team is capable of doing something special this season.