Aaron Bradshaw, DJ Wagner will be stars for UK next season. How does Cal plan to use them?

While stay-or-go decisions continue for the Kentucky men’s basketball team, and transfer portal rumors involving the Wildcats swirl, one of the few certainties for next season’s UK roster remains the incoming five-player recruiting class.

That group — which is ranked as the consensus No. 1 recruiting class for 2023 — is headlined by a pair of high school teammates from New Jersey: Center Aaron Bradshaw and combo guard DJ Wagner.

It’s been known for months that Bradshaw and Wagner would be the latest players to continue the pipeline from Camden High School to Lexington, and there’s already been plenty written about each of their high school careers and play styles.

UK fans even had a chance to see both players in action in February during a showcase high school basketball event in Frankfort.

But of more relevancy to the 2023-24 UK basketball season — one that figures to have long-lasting ramifications for the future of the program — is how Bradshaw and Wagner will be used at Kentucky by head coach John Calipari.

Insight on this front was gained last week in Houston, when Bradshaw and Wagner spoke to the media as part of the festivities surrounding their participation in the McDonald’s All-American Game (in which Wagner emerged as the star).

“Being the energetic guy,” Bradshaw said when asked what he sees his role as within Kentucky’s freshman class. “I’m always laughing. I’m always smiling. I’m always pumping everybody up. I’m just really energetic and I’m the leader. Trying to be the leader, at least.”

“Each player has great things about their games that we could all use and match and play together with each other,” Wagner said. “The main thing I know is that we all want to win.”

Comments from Calipari have been at a premium following the conclusion of the Kentucky season last month, but during his final weekly radio show, he hinted at potentially using Bradshaw as part of two-big lineups next season.

This could mean a lineup featuring Bradshaw and potentially Daimion Collins or Lance Ware, although neither of those players has officially announced his return to UK.

Another Kentucky big man, freshman Ugonna Onyenso, entered the NCAA transfer portal on Wednesday.

Of course, the Wildcats could always go portal shopping to pair a more experienced and talented big next to Bradshaw.

While his body still needs strength and weight added to its frame — and more comfort must come when finishing around the rim — Bradshaw has shown the ability to step out and make jumpers and three-pointers as part of an expanding offensive game.

“(Calipari) told me I’ve got to stretch the floor, because I’m not like the old-time big,” Bradshaw said. “I’m like the new-time big. I like to stretch the floor. I like to shoot, dribble, I like to do it all. He just told me (to) stay consistent and just ... be who you are.”

Nonetheless, Bradshaw displayed several classic big-man traits during the McDonald’s All-American Game: He shot 13 free throws (making 10) while gathering eight rebounds.

Both were game highs.

And for all his talk about being a new-school big, Bradshaw listed ex-Cat Anthony Davis, Dikembe Mutombo and Dennis Rodman as players he models parts of his game after.

Bradshaw said Calipari told him he will be guarding opposing guards in UK’s defensive scheme.

“I’m going to have to guard fast people, strong people. So, I have to be ready for that,” Bradshaw said.

As for Wagner, the three-level scorer showcased some of his best traits during that McDonald’s All-American Game, in which he was named the co-MVP.

A 19-point second-half outing, which included three made three-pointers, highlighted Wagner’s scoring potential.

On-court chemistry was also evident between Wagner and Justin Edwards, Kentucky’s incoming small forward who previously played with Wagner in middle school.

Regardless how Calipari chooses to deploy Bradshaw and Wagner, it’s almost universally accepted that Kentucky’s freshman class won’t be able to lead the Wildcats back to postseason glory on its own.

The Final Four of the 2023 NCAA Tournament featured four schools — Connecticut, Florida Atlantic, Miami (Fla.) and San Diego State — that all lacked a former McDonald’s All-American.

You’d have to go back to Duke in 2015 to find a freshmen-led squad that became NCAA champions.

But for whatever does become of Bradshaw’s and Wagner’s roles at Kentucky, UK’s recent — and relative — on-court struggles haven’t affected their faith in Calipari as a coach.

“I feel like it just shows how good of a coach he is, just to be able to take that criticism and turn it around into a good thing,” Wagner said of Calipari’s coaching performance this past season. “Just to go through that adversity and be able to turn it around, it just shows how good of a coach he is.”