The University of Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team will win the 2010 NCAA tournament. No doubt about it. End of discussion. The team currently carries a 29-2 record, with losses only at South Carolina and Tennessee. With this impressive record, the team is currently ranked #3 in the country and bound for the NCAA tournament after missing out last year.

In order to improve on last year’s shortcomings, the University brought in a new coach, John Calipari, and recruited the nation’s top players to rebuild its winning program. It is a well-known fact that elements of a championship team are size, athleticism, and all around skilled players. The University of Kentucky has all of those.
The average height on the team is 6 foot, 7 inches, making them the tallest team in the country. The heights of the starting five are 6 foot 1 inch, 6 foot 4 inches, 6 foot 7 inches, 6 foot 9 inches and 6 foot 11 inches, which creates matchup problems for other teams. Although undersized by Wildcat standards, Eric Bledsoe (6 foot, 1 inch) and John Wall (6 foot, 4 inches) are one of the best guard duos in the country. Bledsoe makes up for his shorter stature with a 6 foot, 6 inch wingspan. Bledsoe made a name for himself early in the season, dominating his way to 25 points in a road victory over Florida.
Wall is a “natural leader with the skill to make others better,” Calpari said on the University of Kentucky website.
Wall has lived up to his high expectations, averaging nearly 17 points per game and over six assists, both of which are team highs. Around the basket, the team is just too tall. Inside, junior Patrick Patterson (6 foot, 9 inches) and freshman Demarcus Cousins (6 foot, 11 inches) force their way to a combined 31 points and 18 rebounds per game. Sophomore Darnell Dodson (6 foot, 7 inches), the last member of the starting five, gives the team six points per game and is able to post up smaller opponents on top of his defensive responsibilities
Off the bench, the team brings in 6 foot 10 inch, 255-pound freshman Daniel Orton, to complement Cousins and Patterson. Other key role players are Darius Miller (6 foot, 7 inches), DeAndre Liggins (6 foot, 6 inches) and Ramon Harris (6 foot, 6 inches). Clearly, the team has enough size.
The next element of a successful team is athleticism. Just watching the Wildcats play answers all questions related to the topic. Whether it’s Wall driving coast to coast with his blazing speed, Bledsoe showing off his 40-inch vertical leap with a thunderous two-handed dunk, or Cousins exploding for an offensive rebound, the team is athletic.
Combining the impressive size and athleticism, the Wildcats are able to turn over 7 seven steals per game on defense to highlight reel dunks on offense. Another combination of size and athleticism the team uses to its advantage is rebounding. Cousins averages 10.3 rebounds per game, placing him at #13 in the country. As a whole, the Wildcats average over 42 rebounds per game.
The Wildcats are very athletic.
The last element the Wildcats possess is all around talent. Cousins and Patterson were McDonald’s All-Americans, the highest honor high school players can receive. Orton was considered the third best center, the 22nd best player nationally last year. Wall averaged over 22 points per game his senior season, and led his high school team to 2nd place in the state tournament.
Also, Wall was considered the number one overall prospect in the class of 2009 nationally. Bledsoe led his high school team to a runner-up finish in the state tournament his senior year, while averaging over 20 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds per game. Bledsoe was also a highly recruited player in high school, choosing Kentucky over Cincinnati, Memphis, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama.
Along with the role players, the Wildcats combine to score nearly 80 points per game, which is first in the SEC and 14th nationally. Even less heralded players such as Liggins, Dodson, Miller and freshman Jon Hood are gifted individuals. All had chances to play for other nationally recognized programs and were also high profile players in high school.
The Wildcats are talented.
The University of Kentucky Wildcats have three major elements of a championship winning team. Given their size, athleticism, and skills, there is no reason the team should not win the national title this season.  