Kentucky Basketball: Questions Fans Want Answered Before 2016-17 Season
Another year with a mostly revamped roster leads to plenty of uncertainty with Kentucky basketball.
We know there will be a lot of talent in Lexington during the 2016-17 season. According to 247Sports, the Wildcats are adding five 5-star recruits to a team that already returns a handful of solid players who have proved themselves at the college level.
Still, losing six of the eight players who averaged at least 10 minutes per game last season means we don't know exactly what the team will look like going forward. It remains to be seen how the lineups and rotations will play out or which players will improve from the last time we saw them.
This will lead to plenty of questions being asked over the summer, but here are the biggest ones fans will want answered by November.
Will Kentucky Return to a 3-Guard Lineup?
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Kentucky has used traditional lineups in the past, but last season featured a three-guard lineup with Tyler Ulis, Jamal Murray and Isaiah Briscoe on the court together most of the time. The reality is this was mostly by default due to a lack of alternatives.
Considering all three players tallied at least 32 minutes per game, it's clear not a lot of versatility was possible.
Unfortunately, it appears as though the Wildcats are headed to a similar problem next season, even with a new set of players. Briscoe returns, but he will likely be flanked by De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk in the backcourt instead.
Wenyen Gabriel and possibly Derek Willis could potentially spend time on the wing, but each is better off as a stretch-4, leaving no true small forwards on the roster.
While the projected three-guard setup would be deadly for opposing teams offensively, questions remain on the defensive end with three players shorter than 6'4". Even with Briscoe's and Fox's length, there could be a mismatch against bigger lineups. In any case, there might not be a choice.
How Much of an Impact Can We Expect from Seniors?
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Kentucky is known for its one-and-done players, but every so often a senior slips through the cracks and contributes at a high level. Alex Poythress played a major role last year on the court while bringing leadership off it. Darius Miller notably played a big part on the 2012 championship team.
While the freshmen will be the big story once again in 2016-17, there are seniors on the roster who could play interesting roles on the team.
Willis is the most likely candidate to make an impact after earning a starting job toward the end of last season. He finished fifth on the team with 7.7 points per game while stretching the floor with 44.2 percent shooting from three-point range. His presence on the floor helped transform the offense by opening things up for teammates, something he should be able to replicate next year.
A pair of seniors who haven't proved as much are Mychal Mulder and Dominique Hawkins. Although both have reputations of being quality outside shooters, they combined to shoot just 10-of-41 from beyond the arc last season. This is not going to cut it for players who don't offer too much else.
On the other hand, the lack of depth in the backcourt could force both Mulder and Hawkins on the court. If this happens, they had better learn how to shoot consistently while providing solid work on the defensive end.
Who Will Get Minutes in the Frontcourt?
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As little depth as there is in the backcourt, there are plenty of bodies for the team to work with down low.
The incoming freshman class won't take long to make an impact as Bam Adebayo, Sacha Killeya-Jones and Gabriel all bring something to the table. Adebayo should be the quickest contributor thanks to his strength to match up against older players in the post. Killeya-Jones can help as a defender and rebounder, while Gabriel has a wide offensive skill set that could be useful in many circumstances.
Kentucky will also have returning contributors in Willis and Isaac Humphries, who also have their specialties. Willis is clearly best as an outside shooter, while Humphries has shown he can be a quality on-ball defender in the post who will only get better with experience.
Meanwhile, redshirt freshman Tai Wynyard could see some playing time after waiting and learning last season.
Most teams only rotate four players in the frontcourt, but the Wildcats will have at least six legitimate options next season. Although it won't be easy to keep everyone happy, the coaching staff could find the best combination to help the team win.
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Has Isaiah Briscoe Rounded out His Game?
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A lot of different factors will determine Kentucky's level of success next season, but one of the biggest storylines is what Isaiah Briscoe does to improve this offseason.
Briscoe had a solid freshman season in which he averaged 9.6 points per game in a secondary role for the Wildcats. He showcased a number of elite traits, including his work as a defender, rebounder and finisher around the basket.
However, he will need to improve in a number of areas if he wants to become a leader for the team this season. Most notably, Briscoe will have to improve his shooting both on jump shots and at the free-throw line. The guard made just 46 percent of attempts from the charity stripe and finished 5-of-37 from beyond the arc over the course of the year.
Not only do both of these issues take points off the board for Kentucky, it will change the way opponents defend him going forward. The smart move would be to give him plenty of space, and then if he beats you off the dribble, grab him before he can take a shot. Until he proves himself as a shooter, there won't be anything he can do.
Another area for Briscoe to improve is as a point guard, especially with Ulis no longer on the roster. His 3.1 assists per game last season was a good start, but he might need to become a true facilitator in order to help this team reach its potential.
All of this will take a lot of work, but it is necessary for Briscoe and the Wildcats going forward.
Will There Be More Balance in 2016-17?
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This is something we might not learn until well into the season, but one goal should be for the team to find more balance offensively than it had this past year.
As good as Murray and Ulis were, this isn't a sport where two players can win every game themselves. You need additional playmakers, and when they didn't show up, bad things happened to the Wildcats.
In the season-ending loss to Indiana, the backcourt duo combined for 43 points, but no one else had more than seven. The final regular-season loss to Vanderbilt featured Murray scoring 33 of the team's 62 points (Ulis had 12).
Monk and Fox will try to replace the departed guards next season, but it's important these two men don't do all the heavy lifting on their own. Adebayo needs to provide balance with his inside scoring, while others will have to contribute from game to game in their own ways.
While it's nice to have one or two elite players on the team, Kentucky will struggle to win it all if the rest of the roster doesn't hold up its end of the bargain.
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