College Football has yet to start and while it is still the goal to play, 2020 has a weird way of changing plans. With that being said, schools and the NCAA are going to have start looking ahead with college basketball scheduled to start in just two months.
Good ol’ Jeff Goodman, of Watch Stadium, polled over 250 Division 1 athletic directors on their confidence of the upcoming college basketball season during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the six questions they asked.
What’s your level of confidence that we have any kind of college basketball regular season?
Advertisement
When a collection of 258 athletic directors are over 96% confident that college basketball will happen, that is a good sign and good reason for optimism. Yet, there is no idea on what exactly the season will look like.
While multiple options are being explored, at the end of the day, no decision will be made until college football starts and there is a sample size to base a decision on.
What’s your level of confidence that we have an NCAA Tournament?
Money. Money. Money. We all need it, and now more than ever so does the NCAA.
After missing out on over $1 billion in revenue from last year’s NCAA tournament, the NCAA simply cannot afford to miss it for a second consecutive year. Whether there are 32 teams or 68, a tournament will be played. The primary concern is that if the tournament field is limited, how do you select teams.
Do you favor a ‘bubble’ for games?
Advertisement
Considering how well the bubble has gone for the NBA, I am a bit surprised that the ADs are not in favor of such a plan. With that being said, I don’t believe it is possible for college baseketball and for two reasons.
First, it is extremely costly. The NBA’s bubble had an estimated cost of $150 million, and most conferences simply do not have that money.
Second, how can you make 18-22 years old students follow protocol when they are not being compensated? You can’t. Unlike professional sports, student-athletes are not being compensated for their risk.
What’s the biggest obstacle to having a college basketball season?
Once again, it comes down to money. It is much more expensive to test thousands of athletes than hundreds. The Power-Five and Big East schools could probably make it work financially, but there are 26 more Division 1 basketball conferences that couldn’t.
According to one AD, “If we can get it, and get the results back within minutes, or even hours and it’s only $5 or so, I think that will allow us to have a season. If not, I just don’t see it.”
Advertisement
Which scheduling format do you prefer for the season?
As anticipated, the two most popular options are either starting on Thanksgiving or starting in January. With the school schedule this year, students at most schools will not return after Thanksgiving break until the Spring semester. Getting rid of the student population eliminates a lot of risk and .
The argument for starting in January, is the hope for a vaccine. Medical experts are predicting a vaccine to be approved in December, which could create a slow return to normalcy.
If I were a betting man, I believe the most likely scenario is that teams will play a limited regular-season schedule from Thanksgiving to Christmas, and they will start conference play in January. I believe this scenario minimizes the risk and liability for the schools and the NCAA.
There may be teams that do play 30 regular-season games, while others play 10 games, but it looks like college basketball will happen one way or another. The biggest reason, the NCAA needs money.
While just about everything Mark Pope said at his introductory press conference went viral in one way or another, that aforementioned declaration stood out amongst his crowd of quotes like no other to a fanbase more than a decade removed from a national championship.
To the big blue nation, Coach Pope’s words last spring were a much needed battle cry. Now, as he’s set to enter his second year at the helm, Pope has made sure the team he assembled for the 2025-26 season shares the same hunger.
Advertisement
It begins on a basic level, with players across the board throwing the number “9” around on social media in posts, replies, and commitments. Much like the Kentucky faithful, the newest roster to roll through Lexington isn’t afraid to make reference to the top task at hand.
For (likely) starting point guard Jaland Lowe, it’s an opportunity he “can’t miss.” “See y’all soon #BBN,” he said in a post on X, announcing his return to the collegiate level. Lowe chose a junior season at Kentucky over a chance to be chosen in the NBA Draft. Otega Oweh, the now-projected SEC player of the year, would follow suit shortly thereafter.
The Ultimate Goal
Andrija Jelavic, a primary member of the incoming unit, as well as the team’s lone international player, dubbed the title chase as “the ultimate goal” in his interview with KY Insider. “We all [the team] agree that the ultimate goal is the same and that is to bring a championship to Kentucky, to the state and the fans,” he said.
To Jelavic, it goes further than hunger. It’s a responsibility.
Advertisement
And that responsibility is what sets Kentucky apart from other programs. As awkward as the conversation around John Calipari can get, when push comes to shove, much of the dissatisfaction growing within the fanbase as his tenure came to a close was rooted in the coach’s apparent disinterest in winning another championship.
Year after year went by; top-ranked roster after top ranked roster. After a while, it seemed that Kentucky was more often mentioned in the first round of the NBA Draft than it was in the NCAA Tournament. The problem persisted, the tension festered and, ultimately, the two sides split… and it all goes back to that elusive ninth title.
Name on the Front of the Jersey
Mark Pope has said before that he wants to bring in guys who are playing for the name on the front of their jersey. It just so happens that there are enough of those like-minded athletes across the nation to build one of the consensus best teams in college basketball, all of whom are in full pursuit of a new blue banner in the rafters of Rupp.
With a mindset like that shared across the board and talent like the 2025-26 team has at hand, it’s only a matter of time before that dream becomes a reality once more. For the first time in more than a decade, the entire Big Blue Nation is on the same page – and that includes the guys who can actually make it happen.
Andrija Jelavic, in a recent Q&A with Kentucky Insider, revealed that he exchanged messages with former Wildcat Koby Brea, who will be handing down his No. 4 jersey to Jelavic.
The big man was asked if he had spoken with any former Wildcats after comparing his play style to Karl-Anthony Towns, and what he knew about Kentucky growing up.
During a Q & A with us, Kentucky signee Andrija Jelavic said that he models his game after players like Lauri Markkanen, former Wildcat Karl-Anthony Towns and NBA legend Kevin Durant.
“I exchanged some messages with Koby Brea because I’m gonna be wearing his number four,” Jelavic said. “About Kentucky, I always knew that they are the biggest franchise in college basketball history, and just everything about them is legendary.”
Advertisement
Jelavic added on what exactly Brea said in those messages.
“He just told me to go be great and that he can’t wait to see me play,” Jelavic said. “Also, that he likes my number decision.”
Alone, the fact that Brea reached out speaks volume to the culture that is established at Kentucky. The lethal sharpshooter from Mark Pope’s first team at Kentucky played only one season in the blue and white, yet, seems interested in the future of the program despite chasing his own big league dreams.
To end our exclusive interview, Jelavic talked about the goals he has now as a Wildcat and how he wants to be a legendary piece to this year’s roster.
Advertisement
“Definitely to bring many wins and hopefully a championship to Kentucky, Jelavic said. “To be a player that Kentucky will always remember.”
Big Blue Nation has been waiting weeks for Otega Oweh’s decision, and the moment is finally here.
After participating in the 2025 NBA Draft Combine and testing his luck against the best young talent in the world, Oweh has officially decided to withdraw his name from the draft and return to Kentucky for his senior season.
BREAKING: Kentucky star Otega Oweh has withdrawn his name from the 2025 NBA Draft and will return to Kentucky for his senior season! 😼
Jonathan Givony was the first to report Oweh’s decision on May 28, sending Wildcat fans into a flurry of emotion that their leading scorer from last year’s team is officially back.
Advertisement
NEWS: Kentucky's Otega Oweh has withdrawn his name from the NBA draft and will return to the Wildcats for his senior season, agent Wilmer Jackson of Spencer Sports told ESPN.
Massive news for Mark Pope to return his team's leading scorer from last season. pic.twitter.com/Qgt6tRyqiC— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 28, 2025
Before last season began, fans knew that Oweh was a highly regarded prospect with loads of potential, but until he proved it night in and night out, it remained uncertain who the star was going to be on the 2024-25 roster.
Many expected it to be Jaxson Robinson, who played under Mark Pope at BYU and held four years of experience under his belt at the collegiate level. Next in line was Lamont Butler, who also opted into his fifth-year option and brought Pope’s squad a level of confidence and dependability with the ball, having played deep into the season with San Diego State multiple times.
However, when the Wildcats were riddled with injuries, Oweh emerged as “the guy” in the blue and white. There’s countless moments you can reflect on from his junior session: locking up the nations’ best with Cooper Flagg, dropping 20 or more points on a nightly basis, embarrassing his former team, the Oklahoma Sooners, not only once but twice with his clutch performances, and ultimately walking off of the court as a leader, a mentor and a legend in every associated Kentucky fan’s eyes.
Oweh gave the season hope, taking on a role that was unexpected.
Advertisement
When the final buzzer of the season sounded, many of the Kentucky faithful wondered what was next for double-zero, and if he wanted to “run it back” with Pope and company.
On April 15, Oweh declared for the NBA Draft, calling Kentucky fans the “best fans in the world.” At the time, the decision seemed quite scary for those keeping tabs on Pope’s second-year roster, but the last line in Oweh’s announcement remained crucial: “…while maintaining my NCAA eligibility.”
Looking back, maybe awaiting the decision was probably stressful for the best fans in college basketball, seeing the “former” Wildcat bully defenders in the combine and have his way offensively. Oweh waited until the day of the withdrawal deadline, and even had another workout the same day. Reports came out that he was receiving great feedback from the NBA programs, and that sentence sounds scary.
When he originally entered the draft process, he was presumed to be just be trying his luck, which did a complete 180 when he stated that he’s wasn’t doing anything “one foot in, one foot out” and that he wanted to achieve his dreams.
Advertisement
Well, look at it now. The decision has been made and Oweh is going to put on the blue and white once again. He followed his heart, and soon his own form of the bluegrass call, “Oweh, Oweh, Oweh”, will be chanted throughout Rupp Arena after every captivating play and bring a fire to his soul.
The ninth championship in Kentucky basketball history is long overdue, but now, the odds are ever in their favor. Pope has his superstar back, and he’s prepared to lead his team its former glory.