We’re down to single-digit days away from the tip-off of the 2026-27 college basketball season. Exhibition season is in full swing, but we’re all anticipating the games that actually go down in the record books.
Mark Pope is headed into year three in Lexington, and he’s one of the most polarizing coaches in the sport, especially for Big Blue Nation.
With the season being so close, it’s time for all the preseason rankings of the world. We’ve already received the AP poll for the start of the season, but now CBS is putting some of its analysts together to create a list of the top 101 players ahead of the college basketball season.
Obviously, as Kentucky fans, we’ve been blessed over the years with elite talent, and on a list like this, we expect to have more than a few names on it. Well, this year, Kentucky basketball will have only two of the top 101 players in the sport, according to CBS.
The two names may seem obvious to fans, as these are the players carrying the heaviest weight on their shoulders.
Milan Momcilovic and Malachi Moreno are the two Wildcats featured on the list from CBS. Kentucky is one of 30 teams to have at least two players on the list, with 14 teams having more players on the list than Pope’s Wildcats.
Momcilovic falls at No. 17 overall on the list. The Iowa State transfer is one of 38 seniors to make the cut. The best shooter in the sport was one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal, but ultimately landed at Kentucky due to the familiarity of Pope’s offense, and I think it’s safe to say his pockets aren’t necessarily empty either, but that would’ve been the case wherever he chose.
“The 6-9 stretch forward made 48.6% of his 280 3-point attempts last season with the Cyclones. He’ll step into Rupp Arena with a green light and the potential to be among the biggest shot-takers in college hoops. The lack of defensive prowess is what kept Momcilovic outside of our top 15. If he’s in the range of 17 points per game again, like last season, he’ll probably be Kentucky’s best player in a crucial third season for Mark Pope,” Matt Norlander said.
Moreno comes in at No. 49, just barely making the top-50. Kentucky’s own is expected to have a breakout sophomore season after a freshman season few expected. Moreno stepped onto campus expecting to be in a lesser role his freshman year, playing minutes behind Brandon Garrison and Jayden Quaintance, but that wasn’t the case. Quaintance only saw game action four times last year, and Garrison didn’t necessarily take the leap we had hoped, so the door was opened for the highly touted big man.
Now, heading into year two, we’ve already seen the growth he made throughout the offseason, looking stronger, healthier, and prepped for a big step forward after pulling his name out of the 2026 NBA Draft.
“Moreno has serious breakout potential this season. The Kentucky big man averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while starting 30 of 36 games last season. Getting Moreno back was one of Mark Pope’s top priorities this offseason, as he is Kentucky’s most experienced returning player,” Cameron Salerno shared.
Time will tell if any other Cats enter their names into the hypothetical mid-season top 101 list. As of right now, though, CBS Sports analysts believe that only two deserve their names among college basketball’s best before the season.