College basketball analyst predicts Kentucky to be a tournament team

The Wildcats have a lot of quality pieces on the roster.

Feb 20, 2024; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Mark Pope glances at the scoreboard during the second half of the game against the Baylor Bears at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

We're just over a week away from Big Blue Madness at Rupp Arena, which is where fans get their first look at the new Kentucky squad each year. College basketball analyst Jon Rothstein got his eyes on the team this week, coming to Lexington to check out practice as the Mark Pope era gets set to begin.

Among the takeaways Rothstein had after watching practice, he says Kentucky will have a "bevy of options" in their backcourt this season, and who will start is going to remain a question mark until the opening tip. Rothstein not only is impressed by the team, but he says the Wildcats are an NCAA Tournament team.

"The Wildcats have known commodities with Jaxson Robinson, Andrew Carr, and Drexel transfer Amari Williams, but the mystery surrounding Kentucky entering 2024-25 is the type of alignment that Mark Pope uses in the Wildcats' backcourt to start the season. There's a bevy of options at Pope's disposal: Lamont Butler, Kerr Kriisa, Koby Brea, Otega Oweh all look like potential starters for Pope, who has a brand-new team from last season. Kentucky looks like an NCAA Tournament team in 2025, but the makeup of the perimeter will be fascinating to watch from now until the opening tip on November 4th."

- Rothstein on Kentucky

Among other tidbits and notes that Rothstein discussed, Mark Pope told him that big man Andrew Carr has been the most efficient player so far in practices, and compared his impact to that of Grant Nelson at Alabama.

Mark Pope tells me that Wake Forest transfer Andrew Carr has been Kentucky's most efficient player. Going to be a major focal point at PF. The Cats' staff feels he can have a similar impact to Grant Nelson last season at Alabama.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 1, 2024

That's not it, though, as Rothstein also stated that he was very impressed by incoming Freshman Collin Chandler, who has been away from basketball on a Morman Mission. He says to expect Chandler to be in Kentucky's rotation this season. After his comments about the question surrounding who will start in Kentucky's backcourt, Rothstein also put out his "early prediction" on the starting lineup for Kentucky that is Lamont Butler, Koby Brea, Jaxson Robinson, Andrew Carr, and Amari Williams.

It's going to be interesting to see how Pope manages his options in the backcourt, and it's certainly setting up to be an exciting season for Big Blue Nation.