Recently, CBS Sports has been releasing their lineup and rotation projections ahead of the 2023-24 college basketball season. On Thursday, writer David Cobb released his projected starting lineup for the Kentucky Wildcats, and to say the least, they are much different than what one would expect.
Here is what Cobb thinks the lineup will look like:
Starting Lineup
- 1: DJ Wagner
- 2: Adou Thiero
- 3: Antonio Reeves
- 4: Justin Edwards
- 5: Tre Mitchell
Bench
- Reed Sheppard
- Aaron Bradshaw
- Rob Dillingham
- Ugonna Onyenso
Depth (“unlikely to crack the rotation”)
- Jordan Burks
- Joey Hart
- Zvonimir Ivisic
There are a lot of interesting things to take away from Cobb’s prediction, like Adou Thiero starting at the two, or Zvonimir Ivisic being relegated to the practice squad.
Thiero being the starting shooting guard is the biggest question. Coming to Kentucky at 6’6, 200 pounds, Thiero was considered a combo guard coming out of high school. Now 6-8, 220 pounds, Thiero still has those guard skills but is much more of a wing/forward. After all, Thiero shined brightest during GLOBL JAM when he got significant minutes playing the four spot. His athleticism and defensive prowess were best seen when he was matched up against other wings.
Cobb’s lineup also leaves little wing depth on the bench. That being said, it makes more sense to have Thiero come off the bench behind the likes of Justin Edwards or Antonio Reeves.
The next thing to be addressed is how Cobb has Zvonimir Ivisic as his last player listed on the rotation. According to Cobb, the “Croatian Unicorn” will be “a good practice player” who will be “useful in practice”. He’s not wrong, but as a player that’s 7’2 with his fluidity, he is going to find a way into the rotation.
Ivisic will battle with Ugonna Onyenso for minutes, playing behind Tre Mitchell and Aaron Bradshaw. His size is enough for him to be valuable in SEC play, but his perimeter skills are what set him apart.
One also might question why Reed Sheppard is ahead of Rob Dillingham in the rotation, or why Aaron Bradshaw isn’t starting. All of these questions are valid, but they prove a crucial point.
With a talented freshman class, key returning players, and late additions from the transfer portal and overseas, the 2023-2024 Kentucky Wildcats have depth and versatility. And as seen with CBS Sports’ predicted lineup, there are a lot of options.
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