The 2021–22 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represents the University of Kentucky in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.
The Wildcats, founding members of the Southeastern Conference, play home games at Rupp Arena and are led by John Calipari in his 13th season as head coach.
Previous season
The Wildcats' last season was marred with many inconsistent stretches and a multitude of losses which saw the team finished the season 9–16, 8–9 in SEC play.
It was their worst season since 1988–89 and their worst winning percentage since 1926–27, as was their 1–6 start to begin the season, from which they never recovered.
This start was their worst since 1911.
To end their SEC play, they lost by one point in the first round of the SEC tournament to Mississippi State which left the Wildcats without an automatic tournament bid.
Because of that, they did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
This also marked the worst season that John Calipari has coached since 1989 which was his first season at Massachusetts.
Offseason
Coaching changes
Departures
Additions to staff
Player departures
Note that all players in the 2020–21 season, regardless of their classification, had the option to return to the program.
Due to COVID-19 impacts, the NCAA declared that the 2020–21 season would not count against the athletic eligibility of any student-athlete in any of the organization's winter sports, including basketball.
This led the NBA and its players union to agree that for the 2021 draft only, players who were seniors in 2020–21 had to declare their eligibility for the draft.
2021 Recruiting class
On October 26, 2020, Bryce Hopkins committed to play basketball for the University of Kentucky over offers from Louisville and Wisconsin.
Hopkins is the first commitment in the 2021 recruiting class and the #9 ranked power forward in the 2021 class by 247Sports.
He is a consensus four-star player by the four main recruiting services and is ranked #38 overall by 247Sports.
On October 31, 2020, Daimion Collins committed to play basketball for the University of Kentucky over offers from Alabama and Oklahoma.
Collins is the second commitment in the 2021 recruiting class and the #2 ranked power forward in the 2021 class by 247Sports.
He is a consensus five-star player by the four main recruiting services and is ranked #10 overall by 247Sports.
On May 12, 2021, TyTy Washington committed to play basketball for the University of Kentucky over offers from Arizona, Baylor, Kansas, LSU and Oregon.
Washington is the third commitment in the 2021 recruiting class and the #1 ranked point guard in the 2021 class by 247Sports.
He is a consensus five-star player by the four main recruiting services and is ranked #11 overall by 247Sports.
2023 recruiting class
On November 20, 2021, Reed Sheppard verbally committed to play basketball for UK over multiple offers, with Louisville and Virginia among the most active in attempting to recruit him.
The son of former UK basketball players Jeff Sheppard and the former Stacey Reed, he was the first commitment to the 2023 recruiting class.
At the time of his commitment, he was the #3 ranked combo guard in the 2023 class by 247 Sports.
Incoming transfers
Roster
Schedule and results
|- !colspan=12 style=| Exhibition
|- !colspan=12 style=| Regular season
|- !colspan=12 style=| SEC Tournament See also
2021–22 Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball team
References
