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Does Kentucky have the most underrated player in college basketball?
Mar 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) dribbles the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first half during a Midwest Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

One player who Kentucky fans anticipate taking a year-two leap in the Mark Pope system is Collin Chandler. The 6'5 sophomore is an interesting player as he is 21 years old thanks to a two-year mission trip between high school and college.

This means that Chandler is wise for his grade, and this should help him be a leader on this team for, the Wildcats.

One of the big off-season conversations last year was what it would take for Chandler to be play-ready after this mission trip. It was clear during his freshman season that it took him some time to get used to playing college ball but toward the end of the season Chandler started to get things going.

While the numbers from his freshman season don't jump off the page, fans who watched Chandler play as a freshman know that he is more than capable of being a star at Kentucky.

The shooting for Chandler was lights out in the back half of the season, and this is a reason many believe Chandler is due for a breakout season in Lexington.

The one problem for Chandler is that this Kentucky team is one of the deepest in college basketball, and playing time is going to have to be earned by every player on the roster.

Chandler is going to have an excellent season that could involve him being the backup point guard for this team. Whatever the role ends up being for Chandler, he will excel, and if he has a great season, Chandler could be scary good down the road. All of these factors make Chandler one of the most underrated players in college basketball.


This article first appeared on Kentucky Wildcats on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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