With the addition of Missouri transfer forward Mark Mitchell (pending his eligibility case), Kentucky Basketball’s 2026-27 roster is now finalized.
After an offseason filled with roster movement, Mark Pope and his staff have assembled a team that combines proven college production, size, shooting, and versatility.
With the roster set, here is a look at Kentucky’s projected starting five and several key players who could play important roles off the bench.
Kentucky Basketball Projected Starting Five
PG: Zoom Diallo
Diallo enters his third collegiate season after taking a significant step forward at Washington in 2025-26.
He started 29 of 33 games and averaged 15.7 points and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 48.9% from the field. He scored in double figures 23 times and recorded three double-doubles.
Diallo showed he can take over games, including a 26-point performance against USC and a 22-point, 11-assist effort against the Trojans in an overtime victory. He also recorded a career-high 12 assists against Iowa.
After averaging 11.1 points and 2.7 assists as a sophomore, Diallo appears ready to take on an even larger role at Kentucky.
One interesting storyline will be whether Diallo can help Kentucky reverse his college winning fortunes. Despite his individual production, he has yet to play on a winning college team. With this roster around him, that could change in Lexington.
SG: Alex Wilkins
Wilkins comes to Kentucky after an outstanding freshman season at Furman.
The 6-foot-6 guard started all 35 games he played and averaged 17.8 points and 4.7 assists per game. He earned second-team All-Southern Conference honors, NABC All-South Atlantic District First Team recognition and SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.
Wilkins averaged 21.7 points per game during the SoCon Tournament, including a career-high 34 points against UNC Greensboro.
He finished the season with 622 points, the most ever by a Furman freshman, while shooting 45.8% from the field, 32.1% from 3 and 83.5% from the free-throw line.
Wilkins also came close to helping Furman pull off a massive NCAA Tournament upset. As a No. 15 seed, Furman led No. 2 seed UConn at one point before eventually falling 82-71. Wilkins scored 21 points and knocked down four 3-pointers.
His combination of size, scoring ability, and playmaking should give Pope another versatile option in the backcourt.
SF: Milan Momcilovic
Momcilovic is arguably one of the most dangerous shooters on Kentucky’s roster.
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 16.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game at Iowa State, while shooting an incredible 50.6% from the field, 48.7% from 3 and 87.8% from the free-throw line.
He started all 37 games and set an Iowa State single-season record with 136 made 3-pointers.
Momcilovic also showed that he can perform against elite competition. He scored 20 points and knocked down four 3-pointers against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.
His ability to stretch the floor from the forward position could be extremely valuable alongside Kentucky’s bigger players.
PF: Mark Mitchell
Mitchell is the newest addition to Kentucky’s roster and arguably the most intriguing.
The 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward was a five-star recruit in the 2022 class and originally chose Duke over Kansas, UCLA, and Missouri.
After two seasons at Duke, Mitchell transferred to Missouri, where his production continued to rise.
As a senior, he averaged 18.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, while shooting 55% from the field and 38.8% from 3. He led Missouri in scoring, rebounding and assists while earning second-team All-SEC honors.
Kentucky has already seen firsthand what Mitchell can do.
He scored 21 points in Missouri’s 73-68 upset of Kentucky at Rupp Arena during the regular season. Kentucky eventually got revenge in the SEC Tournament with a 78-72 victory, but Mitchell exploded for 32 points and seven rebounds while shooting 13-of-21 from the field and 2-of-2 from 3.
Mitchell brings size, physicality, scoring, passing, and improved shooting to the Kentucky frontcourt. His ability to attack the basket while also spacing the floor makes him a fascinating fit alongside Momcilovic and Moreno.
C: Malachi Moreno
Moreno enters his sophomore season as the anchor of Kentucky’s frontcourt.
The 7-foot, 245-pound Georgetown native appeared in all 36 games as a freshman and started 30. He averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.47 blocks per game, while shooting 58.2% from the field.
Moreno recorded three double-doubles and led Kentucky in rebounding 18 times and blocks 17 times.
With another year of experience and an offseason to develop, Moreno could take a significant step forward.
Key Bench Players
Kam Williams
Williams could be one of Kentucky’s most important reserves if he can enter the season fully healthy.
The 6-foot-7 guard averaged 6.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 24 games last season, missing 12 games because of a broken foot.
Before his injury, Williams showed plenty of potential, including a career-high 26 points and eight 3-pointers against Bellarmine.
He also returned in time to contribute during the NCAA Tournament, but now he is coming off another foot surgery; his health will be something to monitor heading into the season.
Justin McBride
McBride arrives at Kentucky after an impressive season at James Madison.
The 6-foot-8, 250-pound forward averaged 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, while shooting 49.4% from the field, 40% from 3 and 78.2% from the free-throw line.
He scored at least 20 points in 10 games and recorded two 30-point performances, including a 33-point outing against Norfolk State.
McBride’s combination of size and shooting ability gives Kentucky another experienced forward who can provide offense off the bench.
Ousmane N’Diaye
Before Kentucky added Mitchell, N’Diaye was viewed by many as a potential starting option.
The 7-foot forward brings international experience after playing in Germany, Spain and Italy. Most recently, he averaged 9.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 0.9 steals for Vanoli Cremona in Italy’s top division.
N’Diaye also recorded four double-doubles and posted a season-high 24 points and 11 rebounds in one game.
His size, experience, and ability to stretch the floor could make him an important piece of Kentucky’s frontcourt rotation, even if he does not ultimately start.
Franck Kepnang
While Malachi Moreno will be getting most of the minutes at the 5 spot, Kepnang will be a quality backup if he can stay healthy. Durability has been an issue throughout his career, but he’ll have more limited minutes in Lexington so long as Moreno is healthy.
You won’t find many backup centers with the talent Kepnang possesses. If he can stay healthy and give Kentucky a good 10-15 minutes per game, that would be a massive boost for a roster that doesn’t really have another true center after Moreno and Kepnang.
Mason Williams
Williams was the first commitment of Kentucky’s 2026 recruiting class under Pope.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound guard averaged 15.1 points, 5.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals as a high school senior while shooting 60% from the field, 41% from 3 and 89% from the free-throw line.
He also helped Tennessee Collegiate Academy pull off an upset of No. 1-ranked Prolific Prep.
Williams has already drawn attention for his college-ready frame. Now, the next step is translating that physical development into production against Division I competition.
Braydon Hawthorne
Hawthorne redshirted the 2025-26 season, giving him four seasons of eligibility remaining.
The 6-foot-8 forward was a consensus four-star prospect and ranked No. 33 nationally in the final 2025 247Sports rankings.
At Huntington Prep, he averaged 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
Hawthorne enters the season having had additional time to develop physically and adjust to the college level. His size and skill set could make him an interesting option in Kentucky’s frontcourt rotation.
Plenty of Depth Behind Them
Kentucky’s depth does not stop there, as they have transfer guard Jerone Morton and returning forward Trent Noah, aka Mountain Mamba, which will give Pope additional options as he determines how deep he wants to go into his rotation.
The biggest question may not be whether Kentucky has enough talent, but how Pope distributes the minutes among a roster with so many players capable of contributing.
Now, the focus shifts from building the roster to figuring out how all those pieces fit together and how to advance deep in both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments.
What if there’s no Mark Mitchell?
With Mitchell facing eligibility scrutiny from the SEC and the NCAA, there’s still a chance we won’t see him suit up for the entire 2026-27 season, if at all.
If Mitchell ends up sidelined, here’s what the starting lineup could look like:
PG: Zoom Diallo
SG: Alex Wilkins
SF: Milan Momcilovic
PF: Justin McBride
C: Malachi Moreno
Key bench rotation: Kam Williams, Ousmane N’Diaye, Franck Kepnang, Mason Williams, Braydon Hawthorne, Trent Noah
What do you think the starting lineup and primary bench rotation should look like? Let us know in the comments section!
