▁ 4 1 st ▁consecutive ▁season ▁at ▁Ru pp ▁Arena , ▁with ▁a ▁capacity ▁of ▁ 2 3 , 5 0 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁team , ▁led ▁by ▁John ▁Cal ip ari ▁in ▁his ▁e ighth ▁season ▁as ▁head ▁coach , ▁is ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁S out he astern ▁Conference . ▁ ▁Depart ures ▁▁ 2 0 1 6 – 1 7 ▁New com ers ▁ ▁Ed rice ▁A deb ay o , ▁nick named ▁" B am " ▁and ▁originally ▁from ▁P inet own , ▁North ▁Carolina , ▁was ▁a ▁cons ensus ▁top ▁ 1 5 ▁player ▁in ▁his ▁class . ▁He ▁committed ▁to ▁Kentucky ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 7 , ▁live ▁on ▁ESP N ' s ▁Mike ▁& ▁Mike ▁sim ul cast ▁radio ▁show . ▁He ▁chose ▁Kentucky ▁over ▁NC ▁State ▁and ▁A ub urn . ▁He ▁is ▁ranked ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁ 1 0 ▁by ▁Riv als ▁( No . ▁ 6 ) ▁and ▁ESP N ▁( No . ▁ 6 ). ▁ 2 4 7 S ports ▁( No . ▁ 1 4 ) ▁and ▁Sc out ▁( No . ▁ 1 5 ) ▁tab ▁him ▁as ▁a ▁top - 1 5 ▁prospect ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁class . ▁He ▁has ▁prior ▁USA ▁Basketball ▁experience ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁a ▁Max Pre ps ▁All - American ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁De ' A aron ▁Fox , ▁originally ▁from ▁K aty , ▁Texas , ▁was ▁the ▁second ▁highest ▁r ated ▁point ▁guard