Top 3 Kentucky WBB storylines to watch for next season

Kentucky Women’s Basketball will look a lot different next season. Yet, perhaps this change isn’t a bad thing.

Just six days after the Wildcats fell to Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Dre’una Edwards, Jazmine Massengill and Treasure Hunt announced they put their names in the transfer portal. Moreover, Kentucky is losing superstar Rhyne Howard to the WNBA Draft.

The ‘Cats have no choice but to rebuild. Here are a few storylines to watch throughout this ugly situation.

Jada Walker’s time to shine for Kentucky WBB

While Kentucky’s current circumstances are unusual, so are the talents of Jada Walker. As a freshman, Walker was Kentucky’s third-leading scorer. She averaged 10.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Additionally, Walker shot 41% from the field and 35.5% from beyond the arc.

Walker didn’t secure her statistics in blowout wins, either. As a 5-foot-7 rookie, Walker averaged 9.5 points per outing against AP Top 25 opponents. The pinnacle of Walker’s season was when she dropped 21 points against Mississippi State in the first round of the SEC Tournament.

Head coach Kyra Elzy discussed her promising point guard after the win.

“She’s grown up,” Elzy said during the postgame press conference on March 3. “She has that dog mentality, and I told her before we left Lexington, you are no longer a freshman. You have played enough minutes to be a veteran point guard. So, I’m proud of her.”

With over 70% of Kentucky’s offensive production leaving the team, Walker’s development into a star player will be expedited. Nonetheless, if Walker has proven anything, she’s up for the challenge.

What role will the freshmen play?

Walker was Elzy’s lone freshman last season. With five incoming commits, the ‘Cats have no shortage of new faces. Freshmen Saniah Tyler, Cassidy Rowe, Tionna Herron, Amiya Jenkins and, as of Saturday, Kennedy Cambridge will join UK for the 2022-2023 season.

With so much young talent, the possibilities are endless for Kentucky. Tyler is a four-star guard who could be a deadly backcourt duo with Walker. If either of them gets tired, Rowe will gladly relieve them of their duties. Rowe is a 5-foot-5 point guard who has been committed to UK since August 2018.

Of course, the guards can’t have all the fun. Herron is a four-star forward from DeSoto, Texas. Standing at 6-foot-4, Herron is an anchor in the paint. If the defense doubles down on Herron, she can kick it out to Jenkins. At 5-foot-10, Jenkins is a combo-guard whose talents won her Miss Kentucky Basketball this season.

Don’t forget Cambridge. As the final inclusion in Kentucky’s freshmen class, Cambridge is a 5-foot-8 guard who led Ensworth High School to a state title in Tennessee. Elzy believes all of her ‘Cats will mesh with her program.

“There are a lot of future Wildcats that are still excited about our program,” Elzy said on March 25 when she was a guest anchor on SEC Now. “You continue to recruit players who fit your style and fit your program. The standard and expectation is the same at Kentucky.“

Only time will tell if Kentucky’s freshmen can live up to these expectations. Moreover, fans will watch how Elzy utilizes her first true freshmen class.

Putting the pieces together

Although many valuable pieces are no longer with Kentucky, not all hope is lost. Along with Walker, the ‘Cats expect to return Robyn Benton, Blair Green, Nyah Leveretter, Olivia Owens and Emma King. A lineup that becomes more dangerous the deeper you inspect the statistics.

Benton hit her stride at the end of last season, scoring 44 points in the SEC Tournament while shooting 50% from downtown. Don’t be surprised if Benton is one of Kentucky’s leading scorers next season. Another rising asset for UK is Green.

After suffering a torn Achilles tendon in last year’s preseason, Green missed her senior season. Nonetheless, Green expects to use her COVID year to don the blue and white once more, and BBN should be ecstatic. Before her injury, Green appeared to be on the brink of a breakout season. Perhaps next year Kentucky fans will finally see Green reach her potential.

Speaking of potential, Leveretter may have the highest ceiling of any returning player. The 6-foot-3 forward burst onto the spotlight last season during a turbulent stretch for the ‘Cats. Elzy took notice.

Leveretter started in Kentucky’s final 10 games of the season. Her athletic build gave Kentucky a shot-blocking center they couldn’t find elsewhere. With a whole offseason to improve her game, expect Leveretter to be a critical piece for Kentucky in her junior campaign.

No matter how much hope Kentucky has for next season, they’re undoubtedly hurting from their losses. However, if we’ve learned anything from the past season, a rough patch doesn’t have to be a finish line. In reality, it’s just the start.