College basketball expert believes Kentucky will be one of the best teams in the SEC

Kentucky basketball will surprise the college basketball world this season.

Mar 19, 2023; Greensboro, NC, USA; The Kentucky Wildcats mascot during the game against Kansas State Wildcats in the second round of the 2023 NCAA men s basketball tournament at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Many who project how the SEC will unfold this season on the hardwood don't have the Kentucky Wildcats as one of the top teams in the conference. That is not the case, for Terrence Oglesby from the Field of 68 who recently put out his Way Too Early SEC Rankings, and he had the Wildcats second behind only Alabama.

This is the highest Kentucky has been ranked in any preseason ranking list all off-season. Some of the surprises on the list were Ole Miss being fourth and Auburn being ninth. Many project Auburn to be right up there with Alabama atop the SEC, but not Oglesby. Ole Miss is a team many pick to be better this season but not fourth in the conference.

The SEC top to bottom is going to be really good this season, meaning no game either at home or on the road is an easy victory for any team. This league will be so good that a team with five conference losses very well could be the top seed in the SEC Tournament.

It's great to see Kentucky finally getting some respect from the national media because this team will be excellent. The Wildcats have a ton of depth all over the floor and balance when it comes to scoring and defending. This, plus knowing this team is made up of veteran players, should give Big Blue Nation hope for a top seed in the SEC Tournament and a run in the NCAA Tournament.

The Kentucky Wildcats will head into this season criminally underrated, but they will be one of the top teams in an elite SEC.