Kentucky men’s basketball might unleash an overlooked secret weapon in 2023-24

Fast-break points from the Keeneland gift shop:

21. The 2023-24 Kentucky men’s basketball season. It might sound funny to say in regard to a team bringing in five of the top 22 freshmen in the Rivals 150 for the class of 2023, but the Wildcats player I am most interested to see next year is a three-star recruit from the class of 2022.

20. Adou Thiero. For a player who averaged 2.3 points and 1.9 rebounds in only 20 appearances for Kentucky in 2022-23, I thought the 6-foot-6, 200-pound guard/forward demonstrated intriguing promise.

19. A Hogs roast. When Kentucky went on the road without any healthy point guards and surprised Arkansas 88-79 on March 4, Thiero had a season-high seven points, matched his season high with five rebounds and contributed two assists and a steal.

18. A Vols vanquishing. In UK’s other shining moment of the 2022-23 season, Thiero chipped in four points and two steals in 13 minutes as the Wildcats stunned then-No. 5 Tennessee 63-56 in Knoxville on Jan. 14.

17. A self-assessment. On the day before UK’s season ended with a 75-69 loss to Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament round of 32, Thiero analyzed his initial college hoops season. “I think I just learned a lot,” he said. “From where I belong on help defense to knowing how to play offensively.”

16. Focus of improvement efforts. Thiero shot only 34.5 percent (10 of 29) as a UK freshman. “Definitely working on my shooting after the season,” he said, “making sure that is as sure as that can be so I can be more of a threat.”

15. Fan favorite. If my Twitter timeline was an accurate reflection of UK fan feeling, Thiero’s playing style was popular with the Big Blue Nation. “I don’t really go on social media that much,” Thiero said. “But my parents will be telling me stuff. From what they’ve been telling me, I have been aware (of the positive fan feelings).”

14. Kentucky’s Swiss Army knife? If Thiero can develop his shot, his versatility and hoops acumen could allow him to steal minutes from more lavishly hyped teammates and make him a valuable “jack-of-all-trades” for UK in 2023-24.

13. Gonzaga. Coach Mark Few and the Bulldogs program take a lot of incoming fire for having yet to win an NCAA championship. While the Zags have yet to cut down the nets, they are winning a lot of games in March Madness.

12. Leading the pack. Starting in 2016, Gonzaga has won more men’s NCAA tourney contests (22) than anyone else. Immediately behind the Zags are Villanova (20), Kansas (19), North Carolina (19), Duke (14) and Michigan (14).

11. UK is 12th. With 10 NCAA Tournament victories since 2016, Kentucky over that time frame is tied with Virginia.

10. Ex-Cats in the NFL Draft. From 2011 through 2018, Kentucky had a combined eight players taken in the National Football League Draft. Since 2019, UK has had a combined 17 players taken.

9. Ex-Cats in the 2023 NFL Draft. Judging by a sampling of mocks drafts, quarterback Will Levis, running back Christopher Rodriguez and cornerback Carrington Valentine are the former Kentucky players who seem most likely to hear their names called this week.

8. Levis to Indianapolis? Take it for what it’s worth, but there seems to be growing conviction that the Colts, slated to pick No. 4 overall in the first round, are enamored with the ex-UK QB. We’ll see.

7. A drafted UK QB. When Levis hears his name called, he will become the first Kentucky quarterback taken in the NFL Draft since Andre Woodson went in the sixth round (pick No. 198) to the New York Giants in 2008.

6. A first-round UK QB. If, as expected, Levis hears his name called in the initial round of the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday night, he will be the first Kentucky quarterback taken in round one since Tim Couch went No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Browns in 1999.

5. Trivia question. Before Couch, who was the last Kentucky QB drafted? It was Bill Ransdell, who went in the 12th round (pick No. 327) to the New York Jets in 1987.

4. Learfield Director’s Cup. The standings in the annual measure of the all-around success of athletics departments are complete through all the winter sports for the 2022-23 school year.

3. Kentucky. With the spring sports championships still to go, UK stands 16th in the rankings. Five SEC athletics programs — Alabama (No. 7), Arkansas (No. 9), Tennessee (No. 11), Georgia (No. 13) and LSU (No. 15) — are ahead of Kentucky. UK finished a record ninth in the Directors’ Cup standings last school year.

2. Louisville. The Cardinals stand 21st at the end of winter sports. Four ACC programs — North Carolina (No. 6), North Carolina State (No. 8), Virginia (No. 12) and Notre Dame (No. 18) — are ahead of U of L. Since 2002-03, Louisville has never finished higher than 26th (2016-17) in the Directors’ Cup.

1. Cats vs. Cards. Louisville has not finished ahead of Kentucky in the Directors’ Cup standings since 2010-11, when the Cardinals were 34th and the Wildcats 36th. The UK-U of L battle to the end in this year’s Directors’ Cup should be worth tracking.

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