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The Kentucky Wildcats basketball team could still make the NCAA Tournament, but Dick Vitale thinks this iconic program should be much better than its 19-12 record this season, considering its massive $22 million roster.
The legendary ESPN college basketball analyst didn’t hold back his feelings about the Wildcats as they took on Florida in Saturday’s SEC main game. After the Gators hit a few free throws to extend their lead to 26-19 in the first half, Vitale began to attack the Wildcats.
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Head coach Mark Pope of the Kentucky Wildcats during a game between the Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats on March 7, 2026, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. (Jeff Moreland/Icon Sportswire)
“I’ll say it here, I played in several Kentucky games, win or lose, $22 million for that team. [which has been reported] in terms of NIL for their players,” he said, according to Awful Announcing. “I think with $22 million they could have put together a better team than they did. Really.”
The Wildcats ended up losing by a score of 84-77, and Vitale continued on Kentucky late in their 12th loss of the season.
“I’ll tell you one thing, you don’t want to walk out of here thinking you won a moral victory,” Vitale said, referring to a hard-fought game against the No. 5-ranked Florida team. “Moral victories don’t count at this level of basketball. And you hear some, ‘We played them close. We played them hard.’
“At the end of the day, you’re from Kentucky. You’re from Kentucky. And you have to leave here with a victory, especially at home. There are no moral victories. Come on. I don’t want to hear that.”
Collin Chandler and Jasper Johnson of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrate in the first half against the Ole Miss Rebels at Rupp Arena on January 24, 2026 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
The Wildcats were once the best program in the country under former coach John Calipari, who left for Arkansas after being unable to make a deep March Madness run in recent seasons, including a shocking first-round loss to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats have since been coached by Mark Pope and reached the Sweet 16 in last year’s tournament before losing to Tennessee.
Kentucky Jasper Johnson in action against Michigan State at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY on November 18, 2025. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated)
But this year, Kentucky is 10-8 in SEC play and now faces the No. 9 seed in the next tournament this week. The winner of each conference earns a tournament berth, but the Wildcats know that a strong seed in the NCAA Tournament requires a strong run heading into Selection Sunday this weekend.
The Wildcats begin their SEC tournament play Wednesday against No. 16 LSU.
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