Kentucky star Otega Oweh thinks the Wildcats can go 13 players deep this season. That would be a big upgrade from last year, when injuries throughout the season tested the roster’s depth.

With just over six weeks until “Big Blue’s” season officially begins against Nicholls, the former Oklahoma transfer broke down the Kentucky Wildcat roster as they aim towards getting past the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019.

What Did Oweh Say About Kentucky’s Depth?

Speaking with The Field of 68, Oweh was direct about what this roster can do. He thinks Kentucky has enough talent to rotate players in waves.

“We’re super deep. I mean, we could go, we could, we could do a platoon sub, like every single, we could go from one all the way to 13. We’re super deep,” Oweh explained.

“I mean, the guys are hungry. Everyone has a chip on their shoulder. Like individually, if you’re going on the line, everyone has something to prove this year. So I feel like when you have a team like that, that’s a great recipe,” he explained.

The “platoon” reference returns memories of Kentucky’s 2015 team under John Calipari. That group rotated fresh players constantly, wearing down opponents with relentless pressure. If Oweh thinks this team can do something similar, that would say a lot about the talent that Mark Pope has assembled.

The roster construction supports Oweh’s confidence. At guard, Kentucky returns Oweh, Jaland Lowe, Denzel Aberdeen, and Collin Chandler from last year’s team. Newcomers include freshman Jasper Johnson and Kam Williams, who at 6’8″ shot over 41% from three at Tulane and can also play in the frontcourt.

Up front, the Wildcats landed major upgrades with Mouhamed Dioubate from Alabama and Jayden Quaintance returning from Arizona State. Brandon Garrison comes back as the experienced big man, while freshman Malachi Moreno adds size at 7’0″.

How Does This Year’s Roster Compare to the 2024-25 Wildcats?

College basketball analyst Aaron Torres thinks Oweh’s comments matter because players don’t sugarcoat things like coaches do. When a player talks confidently about going 13 deep, Torres believes that means something real.

Last season exposed Kentucky’s lack of depth when injuries hit. Butler suffered a shoulder injury that forced him to miss multiple games throughout the season, and Robinson dealt with a wrist injury that eventually ended his season.

The timing couldn’t have been worse — both players went down during crucial stretches when Kentucky needed every available player.

As Torres noted, “You had Lamont Butler go down. You had Jackson Robinson go down… And there just weren’t those guys to back him up.” Kentucky still reached the Sweet 16, but the thin roster made every injury a potential crisis. Butler even played through his shoulder injury in the tournament, wearing a brace and clearly limited.

Pope made sure that wouldn’t happen again during this offseason. He went after proven winners in the transfer portal. Aberdeen won a national championship at Florida. Dioubate played in Alabama’s Final Four run. Lowe started two years in the ACC at Pittsburgh. Pope didn’t just grab available players — he targeted guys who know how to win.

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Torres believes every player on this roster has individual motivation to reach the next level. Whether it’s Oweh chasing SEC Player of the Year honors, Lowe trying to translate his Pittsburgh success to team wins, or Quaintance returning from injury, each player carries personal goals into the season.

The combination of proven winners and hungry players creates what Oweh called “a great recipe” for success. Kentucky enters the season with both the depth they lacked last year and the motivation to prove themselves at the highest level.