The Kentucky Wildcats began the offseason with a lot of fans disappointed, and fans calling for changes. However, as the spring wore on, some additions to the roster took the Cats from an afterthought to a team that could make some noise in the postseason.

After signing Milan Momcilovic and getting Malachi Moreno back, many analysts began to call Kentucky a top 25 team. ESPN falls into that category, ranking the Wildcats in Jeff Borzello's "way-too-early" top 25 for the 2025-26 season.

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They rank Kentucky 25th, saying:

Momcilovic was the best transfer in the portal, after a season in which he established himself as the best shooter in college basketball. The 6-8 forward withdrew from the NBA draft on the night of the deadline, committing to coach Mark Pope's team a few days later after also being pursued by Louisville and Arizona. He's immediately an All-America contender and the most dangerous player on the Wildcats' roster, after averaging 16.9 points and shooting 48.7% from 3 last season.

The biggest question for Kentucky will be the backcourt. Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins are talented, but neither have been great shooters, and Wilkins is making a leap to Power Four competition. The frontcourt is strong with Momcilovic and Moreno in addition to other newcomers.

It will be a big year for Pope and the Wildcats. If they disappoint again, the calls for a new head coach will be loud. ESPN likes their chances, though, and it might be his most talented team yet.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: ESPN ranks Kentucky in the top 25 in their way-too-early rankings