Projecting Kentucky Basketball’s 2025-26 Starters and Rotation: The Pope Era’s Depth Test Begins

Projecting Kentucky Basketball’s 2025-26 Starters and Rotation: The Pope Era’s Depth Test Begins

The echoes of Big Blue Madness have barely faded, but one thing is already clear  this year’s Kentucky basketball team feels different. There’s a sense of balance, experience, and hunger across the board. As the 2025–26 season approaches, the Wildcats find themselves loaded with new energy, veteran poise, and a deep rotation that could be one of the most versatile in college basketball.

Mark Pope’s second season in Lexington is about to begin, and the challenge ahead is both thrilling and complex: how do you maximize a roster this deep, this talented, and this competitive?

The Starting Five: Balance and Chemistry

If the season started today, here’s what the Wildcats’ opening lineup would likely look like:

PG: Jaland Lowe
SG: Denzel Aberdeen
SF: Otega Oweh
PF: Mo Dioubate
C: Brandon Garrison

Jaland Lowe is set to be the floor general  a calm but fierce presence who thrives in transition. He’s smart, unselfish, and decisive, everything Pope looks for in a point guard. Otega Oweh, the emotional core of this team and the reigning SEC Preseason Player of the Year, is expected to bring relentless defense and the kind of intensity that can turn games around.

Denzel Aberdeen’s role as the sharpshooting guard gives Kentucky spacing it desperately needs, while Mo Dioubate provides toughness and rebounding in the frontcourt. Brandon Garrison, steady and experienced, anchors the paint and gives Kentucky a defensive identity inside.

This group isn’t just talented  it’s connected. Each player complements the next, and Pope’s emphasis on chemistry and effort could make this lineup one of the most balanced units in the SEC.

The Bench: Pope’s Greatest Advantage

Depth wins championships and this might be Kentucky’s deepest roster in years.

Bench rotation:
6. Collin Chandler
7. Trent Noah
8. Malachi Moreno
9. Kam Williams
10. Jasper Johnson
11. Andrija Jelavic
12. Braydon Hawthorne
13. Reece Potter

With Jayden Quaintance still rehabbing his knee, expect Malachi Moreno to step into a major role early. The 6’11 freshman has impressed in preseason workouts and has shown soft hands, strong instincts, and a developing post game that could make him one of the SEC’s surprise contributors.

Collin Chandler is the name most fans are watching. After flashes of brilliance last March and a strong summer showing, Chandler could easily be Kentucky’s sixth man or even a starter by midseason. His versatility as a combo guard who can handle, shoot, and defend gives Pope a weapon off the bench that most coaches would envy.

Trent Noah, fresh off a Big Blue Madness three-point contest win, might be the purest shooter on the team. His ability to stretch the floor is too valuable to leave idle. Expect Pope to find creative ways to get him 15+ minutes a night  whether as a spark plug off the bench or part of a small-ball lineup with Dioubate at the five.

Andrija Jelavic remains a wildcard. The Croatian big missed valuable summer time but has shown flashes of being a true stretch-four with range and IQ. Once he’s fully acclimated, his ability to hit threes could change how Kentucky spaces the floor.

And then there’s Braydon Hawthorne, the late addition who’s quickly becoming a fan favorite. Smooth, confident, and unafraid, Hawthorne’s been compared to Tayshaun Prince  and not just for his shooting. His length and instincts on both ends make him a long-term piece who could surprise this year.

The Storylines That Will Define the Season

Kentucky’s 2025–26 journey will hinge on three big questions:

1. Can the frontcourt hold up early?
   With Quaintance still recovering, the pressure is on Garrison and Moreno to control the paint. Early-season matchups against physical teams will test their toughness.
2. How will Pope balance his rotation?
   Managing this much depth is a blessing and a burden. There’s real competition for minutes, especially among the guards. But if Pope can keep everyone engaged, Kentucky’s second unit could dominate games.
3. Who becomes the breakout star?
   Every great Kentucky team has one  a player who rises from role player to leader. Will it be Chandler’s scoring, Moreno’s rim protection, or Noah’s shooting that defines the season’s story?

The Bigger Picture

There’s something brewing in Lexington. Pope’s first year set the tone  rebuilding culture, reestablishing pride, reconnecting the fan base to the program’s heart. Year two feels like the step forward, the moment when Kentucky basketball starts looking like Kentucky basketball again.

Depth, shooting, leadership, and heart  it’s all here.

When the Wildcats take the floor against Nicholls to open the season, expect a team that’s not just ready to compete  but to make a statement.

Big Blue Nation can feel it already. Something special is taking shape.