Kentucky Basketball fans finally got another look as they were back in action this week, as multiple practice highlight videos were released, giving Big Blue Nation an early glimpse of what Mark Pope’s 2026-27 squad is capable of.
The first set of highlights came Thursday evening after Kentucky’s current roster squared off against La Familia as the alumni team prepares for The Basketball Tournament. The current Wildcats came away with a 31-19 victory, but it was the individual performances and team chemistry that stood out most.
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Point guard Zoom Diallo showed exactly why he’s expected to lead the offense this season, attacking the basket with confidence for several crafty finishes while also knocking down a 3-pointer. Kentucky’s ball movement also impressed, as Milan Momcilovic found 7-footer Ousmane N’Diaye for a made 3-pointer, a promising sign of the big man’s ability to stretch the floor.
The Wildcats also displayed strong chemistry in transition, with Mason Williams finding Jerone Morton on a cut to the basket, while Braydon Hawthorne connected from beyond the arc. Momcilovic added another highlight by setting up Malachi Moreno for an easy dunk as the offense continued to generate quality looks.
Mark Pope later shared another collection of practice clips featuring Momcilovic and Moreno. Momcilovic caught fire from deep, drilling six 3-pointers, including an impressive contested fadeaway coming off a screen that barely seemed possible. Moreno continued to dominate around the rim with multiple powerful dunks, including one emphatic poster, before finishing the session with a strong blocked shot on N’Diaye.
It’s still only summer practice, but the early signs are encouraging. Kentucky’s spacing, passing, shooting, and overall chemistry appear to be progressing quickly, giving fans plenty of reasons to be excited as the Wildcats continue building toward the 2026-27 season.
