It’s not just Kentucky anymore.
Gone are the days when we blindly penciled the Wildcats atop the SEC preseason poll. Over the past five seasons, its peers have seen their hardwood investments reap dividends, while coach John Calipari’s one-and-done model required some tweaking, especially after a 9-16 finish last season. While UK’s roster refresh proved successful this spring, blending top-end transfers with another top-five crop of freshmen, there’s still a quartet of squads — Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Auburn — hanging just off the Wildcats’ shoulder.
Like the rest of the sport, the SEC wasn’t left unscathed by unprecedented player movement brought on by the NCAA’s adoption of a one-transfer exception.