Kentucky Basketball: Burning Questions About Wildcats' 2016 Recruiting Plans

With the college basketball season still months away, the majority of the talk right now is on the 2016 class recruiting trail. This is especially true at Kentucky, where basketball is year-round and fans always want to know who is coming to Lexington to play for the Wildcats.

Some of the dominoes are starting to fall, with five of the top 15 players in the 2016 class committing, including Jayson Tatum, the No. 5 player in the class. But the biggest question still holds true for Kentucky: What will happen to the Wildcats with their 2016 recruiting plans?

We'll take a look at the questions Big Blue Nation has to ask for Kentucky head coach John Calipari and staff as they hit the road for the 2016 recruiting class.

1. Can the Wildcats Pull Malik Monk from Arkansas?

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Do yourself a favor and watch Malik Monk's highlights on YouTube. If you're asking this writer, Monk will be the best player in the class due to his ability to score at will and having the ability to shoot from deep or finish in the lane.

Monk is a 6'3 ½" shooting guard who once scored 59 points in an AAU game. He's made to play in the dribble-drive offense and in Calipari's system, but the biggest problem is his ties to Arkansas. His brother played football and basketball for the Razorbacks, and Monk grew up in Arkansas.

It's likely to come down between the SEC rivals for Monk's commitment, and pulling him from Arkansas will make the 2016 class a win no matter what else happens. Monk is a name to watch, as Calipari has attended numerous games of his and is trying his best to get Monk to commit to the Wildcats.

2. Who Is the Next Great Point Guard?

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Each year, one of the biggest questions when Calipari hits the recruiting trail is, "Who will be the next great point guard he'll bring in to Kentucky?" It started with John Wall and Brandon Knight and recently had Andrew Harrison and Tyler Ulis. 

Up next could be Kobi Simmons, who recently cut his list to six schools, with Kentucky included, according to Brian Flinn of Sporting News. The other schools are North Carolina, Ohio State, Arizona, Georgia and Xavier. It's an odd mix of schools, with Georgia and Xavier thrown in the mix for the No. 8 player in the class.

Simmons is the exact type of point guard Calipari seems to like. He's got great size for the point guard position, standing at 6'5", and can play both the point and shooting guard spots. Simmons, who hails from Georgia, would be another important get for Kentucky, as it tries to go into another SEC state and take a homegrown talent.

3. Who Should Kentucky Stay Away From?

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One of the questions on the recruiting path is, "Who shouldn't be on the recruiting path?" The biggest question when it comes to Kentucky and recruiting is, "Who will be coming back to school for another season?" That's obviously tough to predict with an entire season to play.

Sometimes, it works out in favor of the Wildcats, just like this past season when the Harrison twins, Dakari Johnson and Willie Cauley-Stein decided to come back for another year, shocking most of the fanbase and probably the coaching staff. 

There's a strong belief Kentucky could likely return Tyler Ulis, Marcus Lee, Charles Matthews and Mychal Mulder after the 2015-16 season. If Calipari believes that, too, does that mean he'll limit how many point guards he offers? 

It will be one of the more interesting storylines to follow on the recruiting path during the offseason for Kentucky fans.

Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.