Kentucky Basketball: Wildcats Most Likely to Make All-SEC Team

Uncertainty is not something new for Kentucky basketball going into a season, but sometimes surprises can be a good thing.

Jamal Murray was highly regarded coming into last November, although few expected the freshman to produce the way he did. He finished the year averaging 20 points per game with one of the best freshman years in school history, earning a first-team spot on the All-SEC team.

With none of the eight first-team members set to return in 2016-17, there is an opportunity for more players to step up and make their mark in the conference.

The question is which members of the rebuilt rotation will put together the strongest individual seasons. Here are predictions for the most likely players to end the year as a member of the All-SEC team.

5. Wenyen Gabriel

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Even with a recruiting class of five 5-star recruits, per 247Sports, Wenyen Gabriel has a chance to stand out among the rest. He arguably has as much upside as anyone in the group, featuring great athleticism and a wide skill set at 6'9".

Although the forward is raw, he has the ability to reach his potential as a shooting, slashing and defending wing who can fill up the box score in a lot of areas. With enough playing time, Gabriel could be a dominant player at this level with few opponents capable of legitimately defending him.

The problem is he doesn't quite appear ready to reach this point quite yet. He currently seems best suited playing as a 4 in the post who can sometimes step out to hit a three-pointer. This could lead the coaching staff to elect to play senior Derek Willis instead, who can provide more this season.

Gabriel could be an impact player in the NBA, but first he needs to perfect his skills at the college level.

While the upside gives him a chance to be a star right away, there are others on the team more likely to end the year as an all-conference player.

4. Isaiah Briscoe

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Isaiah Briscoe has his faults, but he will try to transition from being an ideal glue guy into an impact player for Kentucky.

We know he has good quickness and athleticism that allows him to penetrate into the lane and finish in the paint. We know he can be a quality on-ball defender who can take on an opposing team's best player. We also know he has some point guard skills after playing the position in high school and averaging 3.1 assists per game last season with the Wildcats.

Briscoe won't transform into Tyler Ulis, but he could be an elite two-way player who can create for himself and others as well as being a difference-maker on the defensive end.

The major issues stem from his shooting—both at the free throw line and from beyond the arc—as well as his aggressiveness as a scorer. Will he take a back seat to more highly touted guards around him or will he try to become a leader and go-to option?

Even as a sophomore, Briscoe is far from a sure thing, but knows he can really make an impact if things go well.

3. De'Aaron Fox

Sam Forencich/Getty Images

Even though he is one of the top point guards in the 2016 class, De'Aaron Fox might be best described as a combo guard. He knows how to pass the ball, but he is best when taking it himself.

Fox is virtually a polar opposite of Ulis as a bigger guard (6'3") with the strength and athleticism to force himself into the lane and finish at the rim. He is also more than capable of knocking down shots from the perimeter and stretching the defense.

Without much experience around him, Fox will have no problem being aggressive with the ball and attacking whenever he gets the opportunity. With his skill set, he could easily get to at least 13-15 points per game in his first season. Adding this to whatever assists he gets, the offensive numbers should be impressive for the freshman.

Meanwhile, Fox is also one of the more advanced defenders in this class thanks to his wingspan and instincts on that end of the court. It wouldn't be surprising to see him average more than two steals per game to build up his case as one of the top all-around players in the conference.

His actual numbers remain to be seen, but Fox's impact will definitely be a big one.

2. Bam Adebayo

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

While undersized by some standards of big men, the 6'9" Bam Adebayo might be one of the safest prospects in the 2016 class.

The forward could be one of the top rebounders in all of college basketball next season. He not only knows how to use his strength and athleticism to remain active on the offensive end, he also has great technique and discipline to win on the boards on the defensive end. 

Although Kentucky has a lot of depth in the frontcourt, Adebayo's work on the glass should be enough to earn him steady playing time.

Meanwhile, the incoming freshman does have some scoring ability on offense, but likely won't need to do much besides finishing dunks and putbacks. Even in a limited role, this should be more than enough to rack up big numbers.

Adebayo should be a double-double threat throughout the season and his ability to produce in multiple areas gives him a good chance of ending the year on one of the all-conference teams.

1. Malik Monk

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Even in this age of analytics, scoring still holds a lot of weight when it comes to award season. This is good for Malik Monk, who has a chance to be a star scorer at this level.

The 6'3" guard has a versatile offensive repertoire that allows him to score points in a lot of ways. He can knock down shots from almost anywhere on the floor while being more than capable of creating openings for himself without help from teammates.

Monk is also surprisingly athletic and can finish above the rim if given an opportunity.

With his aggressive nature, fans should expect him to take over for Murray as the go-to scoring option offensively, focusing on nothing but getting the ball in the basket.

It might be a stretch to expect Monk to replicate Murray's 20 points per game, but he can be a good enough scorer for a good enough team to be first-team All-SEC and possibly contend for the league's Player of the Year award.

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