Calipari anticipates Poythress return

Kentucky basketball will have a new look in 2015-16, but there figures to be a familiar face back on the roster.

Alex Poythress is "wanting to come back" for his senior season, UK coach John Calipari said Thursday at a news conference where he was presented the Adolph Rupp Coach of the Year Award, and should be ready for the start of the season.

Poythress tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee 10 games into the Wildcats' 38-1 season. He did not announce his plans two weeks ago when seven Cats with remaining eligibility announced they would declare for the NBA Draft.

"He'll be fine," Calipari said. "Yeah, he'll be fine. I'm so anxious to get him on the court, and get him (back)."

There are some questions about the rest of the roster. Calipari said on Thursday Kentucky hopes to sign "one or two" more players -- junior college guard Mychal Mulder, Class of 2015 forward Cheick Diallo and high school junior Jamal Murray, a Candian who could reclassify to 2015 all are considering the Cats -- but declined to elaborate on exactly what he's looking for to round out the class.

But so far what Calipari knows about his team next season, he likes.

"Some (recruits) have to talk to us, but I think we're going to be fine," Calipari said. "I think at the end of the day it's going to be crazy again."

One key to that craziness could be Poythress, who averaged 5.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in eight games this season and is averaging eight points and 5.1 rebounds over his 81-game college career, with 39 starts.

But Calipari also is expecting a leap from 6-foot-9 junior-to-be Marcus Lee, a former McDonald's All-American who averaged 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game this season, primarily as a backup to projected NBA lottery picks Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein.

"It's his time, and you know what? He knows it's his time," Calipari said. "I think what you'll see is people are going to say, 'Cal should have played him the last two years. What the heck was he thinking?' But those guys in front of him were pretty good."

Calipari said juniors-to-be Dominique Hawkins and Derek Willis also are eager to take on bigger roles. And the Wildcat's current three-man recruiting class of Isaiah Briscoe, Skal Labissiere and Charles Matthews ranks second in Rivals' recruiting class rankings.

Still, there is uncertainty. Calipari has a staff spot to fill -- assistant coach Barry "Slice" Rohrssen left for the same job at St. John's -- and recruits to sign.

But if there's one coach who should be accustomed to roster rollover, it's Calipari, who had mass departures in 2010 and 2012 and has lost two or more first-round NBA Draft picks with eligibility remaining in five of his six seasons at UK.

"It's a different time right now and what we're dealing with," Calipari said. "But it's an exciting time. It's a challenge. I mean, 'How do you do this? This is crazy! You gotta lose your mind!' No, I'm excited for these kids, and then I'll figure it out. After the excitement wears off, I panic a little bit. Then figure out how we're gonna do this next year."