Despite the changing of the guard after a quartet of NBA departures, the ‘Cats are entering the 2018-19 season with a still tremendously talented roster. Most of the focus on who steps up is understandably on Jay Wright’s exiting ninth ranked freshman class. But could Jermaine Samuels, the one member of the 2017 recruiting class who wasn’t featured last season, make the greatest impact of any newcomer to the rotation?
This year’s cohort of freshmen promises an instant impact at guard and in the frontcourt via Jahvon Quinerly and Cole Swider, but there is more trepidation about the readiness of promising wings Brandon Slater and Saddiq Bey.