Kentucky Basketball: Position-by-Position Breakdown of Wildcats in 2014-15

The 2013-14 season for Kentucky basketball will be remembered by an up-and-down regular season, followed by a team with lofty expectations coming together for one of the more memorable March runs in Kentucky lore. 

Heading into the NCAA tournament as a No. 8 seed, the Wildcats upset Wichita State, Louisville, Michigan and Wisconsin all on late-game heroics before falling to UCONN in the national title game. Gone from that team are only two key players in Julius Randle and James Young.

Now, a year later, expectations are even higher. With another stellar recruiting class joining the likes of the Harrison twins, Willie Cauley-Stein, Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee and Alex Poythress, UK is favored to win its ninth title in school history.

The slideshow will breakdown each position for the Wildcats in 2014-15. 

Point Guard

James Crisp/Associated Press

• Andrew Harrison, 6'6", 210, SO.
• Tyler Ulis, 5'9", 155, FR.

The list is short with just two names, but it's a near-perfect combination for Kentucky. Similar to running back committees in the NFL where there is a change-of-pace back, expect the same when Tyler Ulis comes in for Andrew Harrison this season.

Harrison, an oversized point guard who bullies his way into the paint and does a good job of hitting mid-range jump shots over smaller opponents is the incumbent. Coming in is McDonald's All-American Ulis, who is a true point guard by definition.

Ulis, a pass-first guard with a better jump shot, will provide the defensive spark and energy off the bench that will be much needed opposite of Harrison's composed personality.

The two players could see the floor together with Harrison running as a wing player. Expect the two point  guards to have good chemistry together and be the two vocal leaders of the team.  

Shooting Guard

James Crisp/Associated Press

• Aaron Harrison, 6'6", 212, SO.
• Devin Booker, 6'6", 206, FR.
• Dominique Hawkins, 6'0", 195, SO.

One of the biggest knocks on John Calipari-coached teams is their inability to shoot from the outside. That theory could be diffused this year, thanks in large part to Aaron Harrison and Devin Booker.

Harrison returns after one of the more magical NCAA tournament runs in recent memory. His big shots at the end of games against Louisville, Michigan and Wisconsin will allow him to live in Kentucky lore for history. If he continues to grow the way he did in February and March of last season, he will be one of the better players not only in the conference, but in the nation.

Booker, yet another McDonald's All-American, comes to Lexington with the reputation of one of the best shooters in the class of 2014. He will have to fight for minutes, but don't be surprised to see him play if a team runs a zone defense. With enough size to play both the shooting guard and small forward positions, Calipari can get creative with his lineups.

Hawkins is a defensive stalwart who showed his value in Kentucky's Elite Eight victory over Michigan, when he played suffocating defense on Nik Stauskas in the second half. He won't see many minutes again this season but could be a situational player when Calipari wants to get a defensive stop late in games. 

Small Forward

James Crisp/Associated Press

• Alex Poythress, 6'8", 238, JR.
• Derek Willis, 6'9", 216, SO.

The small forward position is one of intrigue for Kentucky this year and might be its only weak spot. That's only because there isn't a true small forward by definition on the roster.

At the collegiate level, Alex Poythress plays better as a power forward, thanks to his long arms and ability to protect the rim defensively while attacking it offensively. His outside shot was near nonexistent last year as a sophomore. However, with a plethora of big men this year on the roster, Poythress is likely to slide back to the small forward spot. 

Even though Derek Willis is listed as the other small forward, expect Aaron Harrison or Devin Booker to slide into that position before Willis sees the floor. Even though there's been a clamoring by Big Blue Nation for Calipari to play Willis more, the talent just isn't there. Not when you can have a better player on the floor and not lose much size or power.

If Poythress gets in foul trouble or needs a break, this is where Calipari can either go with the two-point guard lineup discussed earlier and slide Aaron Harrison to the small forward spot, or he can bring in another shooter and have Harrison and Booker on the floor together.  

The Big Men

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• Marcus Lee, 6'9", 220, SO.
• Karl-Anthony Towns, 6'11", 250, FR.
• Willie Cauley-Stein, 7'0", 240, JR.
• Trey Lyles, 6'10", 235, FR.
• Dakari Johnson, 7'0", 255, SO.

There is no group in college basketball that is more deep or talented than the big men at Kentucky. There's also no reason in separating power forwards or centers because these guys can play both positions. Might as well throw Alex Poythress on this list as well, as he can move to the power forward spot if Kentucky wants to go small.

Marcus Lee might see the least amount of minutes on this team, which is shocking as a sophomore who provided one of the biggest sparks in the NCAA tournament when Willie Cauley-Stein went down with an injury. Much like what was said about Dominique Hawkins, Lee could be used as a defensive specialist in game settings thanks to his jumping and shot-blocking ability.

Karl-Anthony Towns is the most special player of the group. He should be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft due to his size, ability to hit shots from behind the arc and his guard-like dribbling and passing skills. He's also no slouch on the defensive side of the ball, as he averaged more than six blocks a game as a senior in high school. 

Trey Lyles, yet another McDonald's All-American, is an extremely polished offensive player who can also stretch the defense with his shooting touch. He possesses an array of post moves as well and can be a nice complement to a player like Dakari Johnson.

We've seen what Johnson and Willie Cauley-Stein can do over the last couple of years. Both big bodies provide strong rebounding and Cauley-Stein's athleticism makes him one of the best defenders in the country.