Kentucky Basketball: Each Projected Starter's Most Concerning Flaw

Kentucky will have some elite players on its 2016-17 men's basketball roster, but not a single one is perfect. The challenge will be hiding the flaws during the upcoming year while utilizing their strengths.

Obviously, the starting lineup is far from set. We are still months away from the opening game, and with so much turnover on the roster, head coach John Calipari will have plenty of decisions to make at each spot.

With that said, the Wildcats have a chance to have one of the top starting fives in all of college basketball. The first challenge is getting the five best players on the floor and figuring out the positions later. The other issue is for each of them to improve and potentially hide his weaknesses so he doesn't hold back the team.

Here is a projection for the starting lineup come November as well as one flaw each that could cause concern.

Isaiah Briscoe: Shooting

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No matter what you think of the rest of the list, this one is tough to argue.

Isaiah Briscoe can be a force off the dribble, but as a freshman, he was simply awful as a shooter. The guard finish 5-of-37 from three-point range, good for 13.5 percent on the year. Many of those were open looks, as teams learned to give him plenty of space defensively.

Meanwhile, the struggles extended to the free-throw line, where he finished the season making just 46 percent of his attempts.

These numbers aren't just below average; they are terrible for a guard and change the way teams play defense. It will become nearly impossible to get a layup when opponents can sit back and then foul if you get close, accepting maybe one point from the charity stripe instead of two from the field.

If this doesn't improve, Briscoe might not be worth playing late in games.

De'Aaron Fox: Creating for Others

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In an elite class of point guards, De'Aaron Fox ranks second at the position for 2016, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. While someone like Lonzo Ball is a true point guard who is always looking to make the best pass, Fox still needs to improve in this area.

It's difficult to judge prospects at the high school level because the talent around him won't be quite as good as in college, but more times than not, Fox looks to score rather than pass. This strategy made sense at that level since he was the most dominant player in his league, but he will need to learn how to get others involved going forward.

According to Gatorade, which named him Player of the Year in Texas, Fox finished his senior year averaging 32.4 points along with 4.2 assists per game. Even with his quickness and athleticism, scoring will not be quite as easy at Kentucky. He needs to pick up the assist numbers in order to help the offense.

Fox does a lot of things well that will make him an elite player for the Wildcats, but without Tyler Ulis on the roster, they need the point guard to become more of a passer.

Malik Monk: Defense

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Malik Monk might become one of the top scorers in the SEC this season. He can shoot the lights out while also having the athleticism to attack the basket and finish above the rim.

The problems might come at the defensive end, where he is a bit behind future teammates Briscoe and Fox.

Monk has the tools to become a great defender, but he will need to dedicate himself more on that end of the court. Calipari stresses team defense each year and won't play someone who can't keep up. The guard will have to work just as hard on his defensive game as his offensive one.

Meanwhile, this projected lineup creates a problem when it comes to defending the wing. Opponents with a legitimate small forward could have a massive size difference over Monk, who is usually listed between 6'2" and 6'4".

Jamal Murray could hold his own against taller opponents, but it remains to be seen if this class can even play with a three-guard lineup. If not, it could create some major questions in the backcourt.

Derek Willis: Shot Creation

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Derek Willis was invaluable during the 2015-16 season. Although overlooked at the start of the year, he helped transform the offense thanks to his 44.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

If he can continue to knock down outside shots to spread the floor, as well as play the same type of quality on-ball defense he displayed last year, there is no reason he shouldn't start as a senior.

However, if Willis is going to become an impact player, he needs to learn how to make plays on his own. He is already going to rack up plenty of points this year, but he can be a true matchup nightmare at 6'9" if he can beat players off the dribble and learn how to pull up in the mid-range.

Even some pump fakes and extra steps could do wonders for the shooter's offensive production.

Willis will be useful whether he improves or not, but Kentucky would really benefit if he can expand his offensive arsenal.

Bam Adebayo: Height

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You can't teach height, and it's not something you can work on over the course of your career. It's just something you have to live with and adjust accordingly.

Bam Adebayo is no slouch at 6'9", but a few inches could seriously make a major difference when it comes to projecting his future. At 7'0", he would legitimately be in consideration for the top pick of the 2017 NBA draft. Instead, he is listed No. 9 on DraftExpress' latest 2017 mock.

Obviously, there is a lot of time for things to change, but Adebayo will have to work hard to round out his game.

As of now, he is a force in the paint and a monster rebounder. However, he will eventually have to improve his offensive skill set that allows him to score as either a face-up shooter or beating players one-on-one, similar to former Kentucky star Julius Randle.

He should be all right sticking as a true center over the next year, but he needs a more versatile game if he wants to excel at the next level with his size.

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