This Sunday, plenty of new faces are arriving to campus today to start working out and preparing to lace it up this season to chase title nine. You'd think by now, we could get use to roster turnovers every summer with players leaving for professional options or transferring, but we've never seen anything like this in Cal's 12 seasons.
In a study done by CatsPause writer Chris Fisher, Kentucky stands to lose:
94% of its scoring
96.1% of its starts
92% of its minutes
84.4% of its rebounding
98.8% of its assists
92% of its steals
91.5% of its blocks
John Calipari has never had to do a rebuild this deep at Kentucky, but if anyone is up for the job, it's him. In Calipari-fashion, that's exactly what he did this summer. He's locked up the nations No.1 overall recruiting class for the first time since 2015, went out and got the top-rated transfer on the market in Olivier Sarr, and continued the grad-transfer streak by bringing in Davion Mintz from Creighton. Also, Kentucky received a commitment from transfer Jacob Toppin (Rhode Island), although it's likely Kentucky redshirts him this season.
The only returning players from last years roster are Keion Brooks and Dontaie Allen. Keion Brooks returns as this years "veteran" and captain of the team, averaging 4.5 ppg and 3.2 rpg last season. Dontaie Allen will suit up this season after spending last season sidelined due to a torn ACL that took place during his KY Mr. Basketball campaign in his senior year of High School, plus enduring a broken collarbone from a car wreck that happened when he was on a trip to one of his rehab sessions. A tough summer it was right before he was suppose to make the move to Lexington, that allowed Kentucky to redshirt him for his first season. He is now reportedly getting close to 100% as the Kentucky staff fully expects him to be ready in just a few weeks.
Kentucky along with Duke, Gonzaga and Kansas have been listed as the early favorites to win the title in 2020-21, that is, if we even get to have a full season.
(Picture credit: @GP_Tre_Ball on Twitter)