Kentucky Basketball Recruiting: Nerlens Noel Won't Guarantee an SEC Title

Even with Nerlens Noel in the fold, the Kentucky Wildcats do not have the depth to win next year’s SEC Championship. 

Noel has certainly made the Wildcats a mainstay in the Top 25. His 7'4" wingspan will be a terror to opposing teams, and he bolsters the size and defensive prowess of Kentucky’s front line.

He will come into Lexington expected to fill the shoes of the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. To say that Noel will have a similar impact to Anthony Davis though, is a stretch.

Noel doesn’t have hungry older players like Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb and Darius Miller there to keep him humble. Those three were crucial to the team's quick development and cohesion.

Noel also doesn’t have the mid-range game that Davis exhibited night in and night out. Davis’ shooting bailed out the Wildcats' offense countless times in critical situations.

Without the ability to score consistently outside the paint, Kentucky won’t be scoring triple digits in NCAA tournament games any longer.

Also, while Noel's shot-blocking skills have been lauded, many big men have trouble adjusting to the college game. He’ll need to know when to go for a swat and when to hold his position. Five fouls may not be enough.

As for Kentucky’s entire heralded recruiting class, the rankings are only predictions, not certainties. Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley will have to shine in camp and translate that into NCAA wins early and often. Combined with the high expectations for this group, it will be too much to handle early on.

Kyle Wiltjer, star recruit and all, looked out of place in limited minutes down the stretch last season.  The Wildcats also have no depth in their front line behind Noel and Cauley. A few fouls early and they’ll be exploited by bigger opponents.

Kentucky may be able to pull it together late in SEC play, but early struggles are in the cards for this young and inexperienced squad.

Florida and Tennessee both sport a deep bench and more than a few veterans. One will cruise to an early lead in the SEC standings and not look back.

This Kentucky team is not the SEC behemoth we saw last season. Far from it. Conference play will be more of a learning experience than a championship tour.