According to Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports, Kentucky should be one of the best defensive teams in college basketball in 2025-26.
Trotter names Jayden Quaintance, Otega Oweh and Mo Dioubate as three of the best defenders at their respective positions in the nation.
Here are excerpts about each:
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Jumbo utility guards:
3. Otega Oweh, Kentucky: Oweh is just a freak. He is a high-motor scorer who still has energy in the tank on the other end. Kentucky’s defense had almost zero chance against good teams last year if Oweh was not on the floor to chase around shooters like Miles Kelly, chest up big wings like Adou Theiro or bother small point guards like Mark Sears or Tahaad Pettiford. He does a little bit of everything well defensively.
Versatile forwards:
2. Mo Dioubate, Kentucky: Opposing offensive coordinators rarely tried to go right at Dioubate, and when they did, good things seldom happened. Teams averaged just 0.62 points per chance on 29 drives against Dioubate, per Synergy. The 6-7, 215-pound wing is always looking to poke away steals, and he plays with a ton of energy. Kentucky will need him to stay out of foul trouble (so he can stay on the floor), but Dioubate will embrace the chance to pester alphas all year long. He’s also so good on the boards, which is a massive part of defense that can get overlooked.
Elite rim protectors:
4. Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky: Quaintance was one of the youngest players in college basketball last year, and he’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be defensively. The Arizona State transfer will be a massive part of what is expected to be a much-improved Kentucky defense in 2025-26, but he has to get healthy first after a nasty knee injury. If he can get up to speed, Quaintance can do some pretty remarkable things defensively. The 6-9 forward mirrors drivers on the perimeter incredibly well, and he has some freaky anticipation and timing to block jumpers without fouling. Guards getting switched onto Quaintance is not the mismatch they think it is.
Who are college basketball’s best defenders at each archetype?
Some guys who didn’t make All-Defense last year but popped on tape: Florida’s Boogie Fland, Houston’s Emanuel Sharp, La Tech’s Kaden Cooper, UCLA’s Skyy Clark, UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. and Arkansas’ Billy Richmond. pic.twitter.com/NPWxLUmfhB
— Isaac Trotter (@Isaac__Trotter) September 3, 2025
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