Harrison Twins Returning for Sophomore Season at Kentucky
Who goes and who stays have been the big questions since the NCAA National Championship game was played on April 7.
On Friday, the Kentucky Wildcats were given some great news when the Harrison twins, Andrew and Aaron announced they would return to Kentucky for their sophomore seasons.
The return of the Harrisons will give the club leadership and add elite skills to what already should be an incredibly talented team.
With the announcement by the Harrison twins, Kentucky will again be the preseason favorite to win the national championship.
Even if bookmakers do not make them the favorites, the Wildcats are now the team to beat in NCAA basketball. Duke, Arizona and even Wisconsin will have talented teams, but it now is certain that Kentucky will be the preseason favorite once the late fall arrives.
Earlier in the week, both Alex Poythress and Dakari Johnson announced they would return for next season as well. Willie Cauley-Stein, the talented center will return for Kentucky to play his junior season with the school.
Trey Lyles and Karl Towns two top national prospects are two of the best big men in the class of 2014 and they will be wearing Wildcats uniforms next season.
However, it was the Harrison twins that completed the puzzle for John Calipari and his Wildcats 2014-15 team.
Kentucky has all it needs now to pursue its elusive ninth national championship. During the course of this past season, the Harrison brothers matured and they helped the team reach the final.
Calipari of course will not be without his problems. He will have to find his best rotation, while keeping as many talented players as happy as he can.
He has two high All-American guards in Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis who do not expect to be sitting on the bench next season, but will have to share time with the Harrison twins.
The past two seasons, the Wildcats have not had leadership as underclassmen have had to lead other underclassmen. However, with Andrew Harrison and twin Aaron returning, the two can take the rest under their wings and lead them to a possible national title.
As tough as the player rotation will be for Calipari, no one will be feeling sorry for him. His rotation problems are easier than his fellow coaches as his third and even fourth player coming off the bench will be NBA prospects, making it easier to balance his substitutions and limit any drop-off.
Andrew Harrison will be a huge presence in the Wildcats locker room as well. Last season egos were difficult to handle at time at Kentucky, but Harrison helped bring the talented players together during the SEC tournament and took them on a run that just fell short of the national title.
Will egos get bruised next season, of course. However, with the Harrisons, Cauley-Stein, Johnson and Poythress returning, the team will now have the experience it lacked this season and should battle for the national title when March 2015 rolls around.
