In John Calipari’s time at Kentucky, the Cats have practically been a perennial preseason top-5 team. This upcoming season looks to be no different.

The Cats have the No.1 recruiting class coming in, which has been coined “not finished” by several commits, and potentially a talented graduate transfer. That’s not even taking account the four players that have difficult decisions to make: Nick Richards, Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley and E.J. Montgomery.

Let’s see where Kentucky stacks up in the way-too-early college basketball rankings.

3. Kentucky (24/7 Sports)

Projected Starting Lineup: Immanuel Quickley, Terrence Clarke, BJ Boston, Keion Brooks, EJ Montgomery
247Sports Composite recruiting class ranking: 1
Nick Richards, Ashton Hagans and Immanuel Quickley are all outside ESPN’s top 30, though it’s tough to see all three returning to Lexington, particularly after the gains made by Richards this past season. Quickley’s stock is a bit down from the other two — even with Hagans’ struggles this year — so we have him returning to the Wildcats. The SEC Player of the Year would be a preseason first-team All-American, and he’d have tons of help, thanks to a terrific recruiting class. If Quickley can’t go, Calipari will simply turn to yet another five-star point guard in Devin Askew, though the team’s ceiling would take a bit of a hit, and the Wildcats would be further from a finished product. Clarke could be a potential difference-maker, and Boston has continued to improve rapidly through the process. Brooks and Johnny Juzang could be the latest sophomores to bloom at Kentucky, while Montgomery will hope to follow in Richards’ footsteps as a player who turned star as a junior.

4. Kentucky (Fansided)

Shocker, Kentucky is bringing in another top recruiting class with a couple of five-stars who project to be starters but losing Tyrese Maxey will hurt. This is nothing new to John Calipari and he’s still waiting on the decisions from Nick Richards, Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley and E.J. Montgomery. If a few of those guys come back, Kentucky could approach that No. 1 spot.

4. Kentucky (USA Today)

Coach John Calipari has only one projected NBA lottery pick in Tyrese Maxey this offseason, meaning he could see top players Immanuel Quickley, Nick Richards, and Ashton Hagans return from a team he considered good enough to win a national title. If they do come back, it’s a bonus. That’s because the Wildcats will have another star-studded freshman class that includes five-stars Terrence Clarke and BJ Boston.

5. Kentucky (ESPN)

This might be the team with the most up in the air in terms of the NBA draft. As a projected lottery pick, Tyrese Maxey is likely to go pro. But Ashton Hagans, Nick Richards and Immanuel Quickley are all ranked in the Nos. 45-60 range in ESPN’s NBA draft rankings — so all three could go either way. Richards and Quickley were two of the best players in the SEC this season, with both enjoying breakout campaigns. Hagans is an elite defensive point guard who had some offensive inconsistencies late in the season. And here’s a surprise: John Calipari is bringing in the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. Five-star wings B.J. Boston and Terrence Clarke could start immediately, and five-star point guard Devin Askew will step in if Hagans leaves. Four-star Isaiah Jackson will provide some rim protection. Kentucky could theoretically be the preseason No. 1 if everyone returns, but there’s a lot left to play out in Lexington.

7. Kentucky (NBC Sports)

• GONE: Nate Sestina, Tyrese Maxey, Nick Richards, Ashton Hagans
• COMING BACK: Keion Brooks, Johnny Juzang, Dontaie Allen
• WAIT AND SEE: Immanuel Quickley, E.J. Montgomery
• NEW FACES: B.J. Boston, Terrence Clarke, Devin Askew, Isaiah Jackson, Lance Ware, Cam’Ron Fletcher
• PROJECTED STARTERS: Devin Askew, Terrence Clarke, B.J. Boston, Keion Brooks, E.J. Montgomery

My assumption is that Tyrese Maxey, Nick Richards and Ashton Hagans probably end up going pro. I think Immanuel Quickley is 50-50, but if a Kentucky player is 50-50, I’ll work under the context that the player is gone until he’s coming back. What that leaves is another loaded recruiting class. I love the combination of Terrence Clarke and Brandon Boston on the wings, and Devin Askew should be able to step in and handle point guard duties if Quickley is gone. Once again, the question is going to be in the frontcourt. Will Keion Brooks and E.J. Montgomery make the leap next year? Can Isaiah Jackson or Lance Ware take over the starting role?

It looks like Kentucky will have a ton of depth and experience next season, but can they bring title No. 9 to Lexington?