Kentucky Wildcats’ 2022-2023 season came to a close after a disappointing loss to Kansas State in the East Region. Despite having opportunities, the team was unable to secure a win in Greensboro.
Oscar Tshiebwe was the top scorer for the Cats with 25 points and 18 rebounds, including 9 offensive rebounds, while shooting 8-for-13 from the field. Although Tshiebwe has one year of eligibility remaining, he is expected to depart along with most of Kentucky’s seniors, which include Jacob Toppin, Antonio Reeves, Sahvir Wheeler, CJ Fredrick, and walk-on Brennan Canada.
Calipari speculated during post-game interviews that these seniors would not be returning next season. Coach Cal said, “My guess is that they all will leave but haven’t talked to them. I would guess they would.” No senior has made an official decision as of yet. Give the kids some time to think about it BBN.
Most of these seniors were transfers from other universities, such as Fredrick from Iowa, Reeves from Illinois State, Oscar Tshiebwe from West Virginia, and Wheeler from Georgia.
The Wildcats have been active in the transfer portal in recent years, and with Cason Wallace leaving for the NBA Draft, the team may lose nearly all of its offensive production. However, the Wildcats have recruited three of the top four players and four of the top five players in the Class of 2023. Freshmen such as DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards are expected to step up and fill the void left by departing seniors.
With the help of 7-foot center Aaron Bradshaw and potential transfer portal additions, the Wildcats should be able to bounce back. Nonetheless, Calipari faces a challenging task, given the NCAA’s shift away from one-and-done teams dominating college basketball.
Despite this, the Wildcats are optimistic about their future with a top 5 recruiting class coming in next year.
