If you haven’t seen it already, Drew Cannon of Basketball Prospectus
embarked on an extensive project of ranking the top 100 men’s basketball
players in Division I. Five Wildcats, including three freshmen, made the list.
North Carolina, which had six, was the only school that had more players in the
top 100.

Let me be
the first to say that I had never heard of Basketball Prospectus or who
Cannon was until this release of rankings. But that’s not to say that Cannon’s
rankings are right or wrong.

The reason the list is worth checking out is how Cannon got
the final 100. As he explains it on his website, Cannon basically separated
players into groups and then asked the opinions of several experts, including
Dave Telep of ESPN.com and NBA personnel at NBA camps, before formulating a
giant bracket. The explanation Cannon came up with to form the top 100 is a little
technical, but the point is the rankings were well researched and, for the most
part, objective.

Below are the five UK players that made the list along with an
excerpt of Cannon’s write-up. I have a hard time believing Darius Miller isn’t
one of the top 100 players in the country, but ranking the top 100 players is
no easy task.

To read the full rankings, click here.

62. Marquis Teague, Kentucky (Fr., PG)
With Brandon Knight off to the NBA, Teague should take the ball from day one at
UK. He’s an incredible slasher with great speed and athleticism. Teague’s not a
real shooting threat and his decision-making has been questioned, but he seems
like such a can’t-miss scorer that I still feel comfortable putting him this
high.

43. Doron Lamb, Kentucky (So.,
SG)
Lamb was sometimes considered streaky or worse from beyond the arc in high
school, but he was only two makes from hitting 50 percent of his 140
three-point attempts in 2011. A role expansion would normally be in order, but
Marquis Teague, Terrence Jones, and Anthony Davis will probably leave Lamb the
Wildcats’ fourth offensive option. He’ll just be the best one of those in the
country.

29. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist,
Kentucky (Fr., SF)
In the summer of 2009 Kyrie Irving, Jared Sullinger, Harrison Barnes, Brandon
Knight, Tristan Thompson, Terrence Jones, Perry Jones, and Michael
Kidd-Gilchrist were all at NBA Camp for four days. And, with a deafening lack
of argument, the Most Promising Prospect Award went to Kidd-Gilchrist. His
combination of terrifying athleticism and unwavering competitiveness is
exceedingly rare. Both tools are elite, separately. Kidd-Gilchrist’s scoring
comes in the flow of the offense, though his long-range jumper leaves something
to be desired.

21. Anthony Davis, Kentucky (Fr., PF)
Davis is a serious talent with tons of upside. I think he’s ready to play and
contribute in the SEC right now. Davis was a guard less than two years ago, and
he still has legitimate guard skills. He’s a scary defender. It’s just that
I’ve seen him on teams with less talent than the 2012 Kentucky Wildcats will
have, and on those teams he’s been forgotten on offense for long stretches. If
Davis demands the ball and takes a measure of control of this UK team, he’ll
have a tough time staying off the All-America list at the end of the year.

4. Terrence Jones, Kentucky (So., PF)
Jones’s decision to return for his sophomore year surprised me more than any
other player’s. The lefty made first team All-SEC, was high on every draft
board, and spent his freshman year under John Calipari. It seemed like a given
he’d be playing NBA ball this November (or at least waiting for the lockout to
end). But fresh off co-leading a young team to the Final Four, he’s still at
UK. Jones is a very good rebounder who can get to the line and rarely turns the
ball over. His shooting percentages last year were just 47/33/65; if he lives
up to this billing it’ll be because those numbers improve. He projects to have
significantly scarier frontcourt mates in 2012, where the departed Josh
Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins will be replaced with top-3-ranked freshmen
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis. Defenses won’t be able to key in on Jones
like they could last year. With a little more help and slightly smarter shot
selection, he should be SEC Player of the Year.