Kentucky Basketball: The Biggest Goal for Each Starter in 2015-16

Teams win national championships, but few teams are as dependent on individual play as the Kentucky Wildcats.

After losing most of its rotation from last season, Kentucky comes back as a top contender for a national championship behind mostly freshmen and inexperienced reserves from past seasons. There is clearly a lot of talent on the roster, but each player must perform to his best ability in order to achieve the goals as a team.

The key will be for each player to fill his role and potentially improve in one or more important areas. This creates a different goal for every person on the roster, but here is a look at what the starters should be focused on as the season begins. The lineup is based on the first two exhibition games, although it could change as the year progresses.

G Tyler Ulis

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Goal: Average Eight Assists Per Game

Not only would this mark have led the nation last season, but the only person who averaged more than eight assists per game in the last three years was Jason Brickman at LIU, who accomplished the feat twice.

Despite the rarity, Tyler Ulis has that ability thanks to his incredible vision and some serious talent around him. With 10 assists and zero turnovers in the first exhibition game and four more in the second, it's clear the point guard has a chance to put up some big numbers this season.

No matter what he does, it will be a big jump from his 5.6 points and 3.6 assists per game from last season.

One potential holdup could be if he doesn't handle the ball enough with two other lead guards in the lineup. Still, Ulis should get his share of touches and will be an offensive leader on this team.

G Isaiah Briscoe

James Crisp/Associated Press

Goal: Improve as a Shooter

Isaiah Briscoe has earned his reputation as a hard-nosed player willing to drive into the lane and finish through traffic. Even at 6'3", he has more than enough strength to score inside on a regular basis.

On the other hand, this strategy is likely to create a lot of free-throw opportunities, exposing Briscoe's biggest weakness. The freshman has struggled already from the charity stripe, and this problem could continue throughout the year.

After going 3-of-4 from the line against Ottawa, Briscoe only went 1-of-7 against Kentucky State in the final exhibition game. If this continues, the guard will be a liability for the Wildcats, especially late in games.

Briscoe could also stand to improve his outside shooting after being a bit inconsistent coming into the year. This would not only open things up offensively for Kentucky, but it would make him a more well-rounded player as he looks to impress NBA scouts.

G Jamal Murray

Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Goal: Play Big

If Jamal Murray plays in the NBA, a good guess based on what we have seen, it will likely be as a point guard. He does a good job of driving with the ball, and at 6'4", he has ideal size for a professional.

The problem is he will likely spend a lot of time on the wing with this team with Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe starting in the backcourt. While Murray is strong, this could be a difficult adjustment against teams with bigger lineups.

Offensively, there is little issue thanks to the guard's aggressiveness and slashing ability, but he might have some trouble defending players who are three to five inches taller than him. Murray will need to find a way to play bigger to not only keep his opponents off the scoreboard, but also rebound at a high rate.

If he can handle this role, the Wildcats will be in great shape this season.

F Marcus Lee

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Goal: Rebound Everything in Sight

Alex Poythress still has a shot to end up as the starting forward, but Marcus Lee got the nod in both exhibition games, so it seems he will get the first crack at the position. If he is in the starting lineup, the junior will be there primarily for his rebounding ability.

While Lee struggled to get onto the floor last season, he did average a respectable 2.7 rebounds per game. This translates to an impressive 10.1 rebounds per 40 minutes based on his limited playing time.

Perhaps most impressive was his offensive rebounding rate of 14 percent. This not only ranked second on the team behind Karl-Anthony Towns, but it would have been 27th best in the nation if he had enough minutes to qualify, per KenPom.com.

Kentucky has enough scorers offensively, so Lee doesn't have to worry about creating looks for himself. However, with a much smaller unit than last year, he has to become an elite rebounder on both ends of the court. If he can't live up to expectations, he will find himself right back on the bench.

F Skal Labissiere

James Crisp/Associated Press

Goal: Be Aggressive Offensively

The talent is there to be the best player in the nation and the top overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, but Skal Labissiere has yet to prove it in games. The freshman center often looks tentative with the ball and unwilling to be a go-to option offensively.

John Calipari has done what he could to force him to shoot, such as in the recent exhibition win over Kentucky State.

"You know what I told him at halftime, we're throwing it to you every time, I don't care," the head coach said after the game, per UKAthletics.com. "You can go 1-for-15 or can you go prove you're the player you are. And he proved it. He came in after, coach, I apologize for my first half, I'm sorry. I said don't be sorry, be better, get better."

Labissiere scored 22 points in the second half after totaling zero in the first, hopefully jump-starting the center to a big season. With advanced post moves and excellent agility for a 6'11" player, there are few defenders at this level who can slow him down. He simply has to realize this.

If he can add aggressiveness to his skill set, the center could be unstoppable.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.