This year’s edition of the Kentucky Wildcats is quickly becoming the unlikely Cinderella story of the NCAA Tournament. 
Upon reading that, there are undoubtedly many who would respond, “Unlikely, how so?” Well, let’s review. 
Entering the year, the Wildcats and their recruiting guru of a head coach, John Calipari, gathered together a stellar recruiting class that will, without question, go on to rival some of history’s greatest. 
Led by Julius Randle (No. 30), sharpshooter Aaron Harrison (No. 9), his twin brother Andrew (No. 5), James Young (No. 8), Dakari Johnson (No. 7) and Marcus Lee (No. 25), the Wildcats boasted an unprecedented five signees in the top 25 of the ESPN 100. 
With such a solid class, it is not surprising the Wildcats began the season ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press preseason poll — quite the leap for a squad that finished 21-12 in the previous season and only reached the first round of the NIT before Robert Morris University abruptly ended its season. 
However, as oft is the case with young talent, it takes time for the players to gel, grow and mature as a team. The gifted, young group has competed every night this season but just could not seem to win against the juggernauts of the NCAA. 
Tough losses to Michigan State, North Carolina and Baylor   early in the season dropped Kentucky to No. 13 in the AP Poll. 
The team’s struggles continued in SEC play, and the Wildcats suffered two losses to the now-top-ranked Florida Gators, two to Arkansas, one to South Carolina and another to LSU.
Considering the team that Billy Donovan has in Florida, most were not quick to panic. But the losses to South Carolina, Arkansas and LSU were all games the majority would say  Kentucky should have won. Immediately, it seemed the Cats were written off as an incredibly talented group of players who were a bit inconsistent and could not win the big games.
While critics continued to jaw over what a disappointment this collaboration of talent that was once in conversations as one of the greatest was, the Wildcats continued with the duration of the season.
They continued to mature. They continued to learn the nuances of their teammates’ game. They began to mesh into a unit as the winter days passed in Lexington. Then, something clicked.
From the youthful team’s first game in the SEC Tournament up to their hard-fought loss against Florida in the SEC Championship game, it was clear the inexperienced, unorganized Kentucky team was no more.
The Cats entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 8 seed in a stacked Midwest Region with powerhouses Louisville, Michigan and Wichita State. The odds were piled highly against them. But this new-look Kentucky team has not wavered and now rides on a collision course with history.
They bested Wichita State in a game for the ages, took care of Louisville in the Sweet 16, defeated Michigan in the Elite 8 and now all that stands between the Wildcats and their shot at a  national title is a talented and dangerous Wisconsin team.
To put their run into perspective, not since the Fab 5 of Michigan (Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Chris Webber, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson) in 1992 has a group of five starting freshmen gone this deep into the tournament. Are we bearing witness to this generation’s Fab 5? It is quite possible.
This team has the talent to go the distance just as the Fab 5 did. Whether or not the Wildcats can actually best the feats of “the greatest class ever recruited” and attain a national title is yet to be seen.
Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain: we are all definitely witnesses to history. One day, we, much like the generation able to view the legendary quintet, will be able to say we saw the closest any other recruiting class may ever come to reaching such heights.
  
Correction: When this article was originally posted online on April 4 and in the April 4 issue of The Reflector, the article reported that Julius Randle was No. 3. He is actually No. 30. The Reflector regrets this error.