Kentucky basketball roster 2024-25: Starting lineup prediction, rotation, outlook for Mark Pope’s Wildcats

The initial skepticism surrounding Mark Pope’s hiring at Kentucky turned to positivity over the last few months, as Pope built his first roster at his alma mater after spending five seasons at BYU. Unlike his predecessor – John Calipari – Pope won’t be relying on five-star freshmen.

Instead, it will be a team of experienced transfers looking to give the Pope era a strong start. Not a single scholarship player from UK’s 2023-24 roster is back, and six freshmen are in their fifth season of college basketball.

Only five of the 12 scholarship players on Kentucky’s roster have eligibility remaining after the 2024-25 season. Three of those players with multiple seasons of eligibility left are freshmen who may not see substantial playing time this season. So while most members of UK’s 2024-25 rotation won’t be around for long, they will be set for a pivotal season in program history.

The standard remains high at Kentucky — despite the program’s lack of recent NCAA Tournament success — and Pope has the responsibility to build a team that can compete for an SEC title and progress to the Big Dance as he tries to build momentum. As college basketball’s offseason player movement cycle has come to a close for good, it’s time to start breaking down the rosters of the sport’s top programs. For this installment, we’re taking a look at the Wildcats and trying to understand what their lineup might look like when the season begins.

Projected Starting Lineup

1. Lamont Butler

6-2 | 204 | Gr.
Butler made the Mountain West’s All-Defense team three times during four seasons at San Diego State, making him a better option than Kerr Kriesa, his top rival for the position. The downside is that he is less effective as a 3-point shooter. But having both Butler and Kriesa on the roster is an example of how Pope has options to play depending on matchups and situations.

2. Otega Oveh

6-4 | 208 | Junior
Owe’s offensive efficiency declined significantly against Big 12 opponents during his second year at Oklahoma. However, he is rated as OU’s top defender, according to evanmiya.com, and this defensive skill set will give him a great chance to crack Pope’s starting rotation, especially if offensive-first players like Kriisa and Bray are in the lineup.

3. Kobe Brea

6-7 | 206 | Gr.
Bray led the nation in 3-point shooting percentage with 49.8% at Dayton last season. Pope’s BYU team ranked third nationally in made 3-pointers per game with 11.1. It looks like a perfect marriage between player and scheme. Although there isn’t much variety in his game, Bray’s perimeter shooting will make him a mainstay in UK’s rotation.

4. Andrew Carr

6-11 | 227 | Gr.
Pope called Carr Kentucky’s “most important player.” As an offensively versatile forward, he can space the floor with his 3-point stroke (37.1% at Wake Forest last season) or play out of the post. Carr is also an excellent defender. Forwards with two-way chops and offensive efficiency are rare, and he could pose a matchup problem for opposing forwards in the SEC.

5. Brandon Garrison

6-10 | 245 | So.
Garrison is a McDonald’s All-American from the class of 2023 who was outstanding during his freshman season at Oklahoma State. He blocked 1.5 shots per game in just 22.7 minutes of play and converted 57.2% of his shots inside the arc. Not only can Garrison help UK in 2024-25, but he has a chance to stick around even longer and develop into an all-conference performer.

bench

Jackson Robinson

6-6 | 191 | Gr.
Robinson isn’t the sixth-most talented player on this roster. Not at all. But Pope deployed him as BYU’s sixth player last season, and he won the Big 12’s sixth player award. The tall wing is a talented scorer with previous SEC experience at Texas A&M and Arkansas. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he started. But given Pope’s past usage of Robinson, it’s easy to see him coming off the bench.

Kerr Creesa

6-3 | 190 | 5th
Whether you love him or not, Kriisa is never dull. The former Arizona and West Virginia point guard has brought his brazen, no-nonsense style back into the national spotlight at the U.K. 79.8% of his career field-goal attempts are from beyond the arc, and his assist-to-turnover ratio has never been better. GreatIt’s an explosive combination that would make him an exciting part of Pope’s first team.

Amari Williams

7-0 | 265 | Gr.
Williams is a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year from his time at Drexel. Based on pure talent, it would be a surprise if Williams replaced Garrison in the frontcourt. However, he is an experienced veteran and paint enforcer.

Ainsley Almoner

6-7 | 232 | Senior
Almoner was a key part of the FDU team that defeated No. 1 seed Purdue in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Now, after consecutive all-conference seasons in the NEC, the stretch forward is raising the level of competition somewhat. He’s a proven, high-volume 3-point threat. He’ll need to show he can defend. If he can do that, his shooting will be a valuable asset.

depth

Colin Chandler | 6-5 | 187 | Fr.
Travis Perry | 6-1 | 178 | Fr.
Trent Noah | 6-5 | 209 | Fr.

The veteran-oriented nature of Kentucky’s roster will make it difficult for these new players to carve out significant roles. While none of these guys are the five-star variety that Calipari’s roster typically features, there is some hope for multi-year development here. Both Perry and Noah are long-time in-state prospects who would be proud to wear Kentucky blue. Chandler is a former Pope commit at BYU and a top-40 prospect from the class of 2022. He will get his first taste of collegiate action after a two-year church mission.