Kentucky Basketball in the 2017 NBA Draft

In what’s become an annual rite of passage, the next wave of Wildcats will have their dreams come true as they make the transition from college basketball stars to professional basketball players. No other school has come close to doing what Kentucky has done recently in helping players reach their ultimate goal of playing in the NBA. Since John Calipari arrived at Kentucky for the 2009-10 season, UK has had 28 players picked in the NBA Draft, more than double any other school. UK has produced 21 first-round draft picks during that time period, 14 top-15 selections, 11 top-10 picks and three No. 1 overall draftees. 

The next group of Wildcats hopes to add to those numbers Thursday night. Starting at 7 p.m. on ESPN, UK draft hopefuls Bam Adebayo, Isaiah Briscoe, De’Aaron Fox, Dominique Hawkins, Isaac Humphries, Malik Monk, Mychal Mulder and Derek Willis will watch patiently — some of them in person at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York — in hopes of hearing their name called.

We’ll have coverage all night long on the @KentuckyMBB social media handles on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, plus additional post-draft coverage here on UKathletics.com. But, in the meantime, to get you ready for draft night, take an in-depth look at our players, where they’re projected, and what others are saying about them. 

• Kentucky has had 119 guys drafted 121 times (Johnny Cox ’58 and Roger Newman ’60 both drafted in Jr. eligible draft, but returned for senior year and were drafted again).
• UK has had 42 players selected in the opening round (21 have come in the last seven years) of the draft.
• Kentucky has had 28 players selected in the draft over the last seven years, more than double the next-closest school (Kansas).
• Kentucky has had 11 players selected in the top 10, 14 in the top 15 and 21 in the first round of the draft in the last seven years.
• The Wildcats have had at least one player taken in the top seven of the draft in seven consecutive seasons. Since the lottery began in 1985, only two teams have had more than one player taken in at least four consecutive drafts (Kentucky, 2010-16 and Kansas, 2012-15).
• Calipari has had two or more players selected in nine consecutive NBA drafts dating back to 2008 with Memphis.
• Calipari has had four players taken No. 1 overall in his career (Derrick Rose, John Wall, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns). He’s the only coach in the history of the NBA to have three or more players selected No. 1 overall.
• After never having a No. 1 draft pick in the history of its storied program prior to Calipari’s arrival, the Wildcats have had three selected in the last seven years (John Wall, 2010, Anthony Davis 2012, Karl-Anthony Towns 2015).
• With Towns selected at No. 1 overall in 2015, Kentucky tied Duke for the most No. 1 overall picks in NBA history with three.
• When Towns went No. 1 overall in 2015, Calipari claimed more No. 1 picks (4) than the entire Big 12 conference (3), Big East (2), American (2) and Pac 12 (1) since the beginning of the NBA Draft Lottery in 1985. Only the ACC (6) has more, while the Big 10 ties Calipari with four.
• With LSU’s Ben Simmons drafted No. 1 in 2016, the SEC has had four of the last seven No. 1 selections. Five total players from the SEC have been drafted No. 1 overall. Simmons, the three UK players and NBA Hall of Famer and LSU alum Shaquille O’Neal. 
• In 24 seasons as a head coach, Calipari has coached 39 NBA Draft picks, including 27 first-round selections with 14 of those going in the top 10. He has had 28 selected in the last seven years as UK’s head coach, including 21 coming in the opening round.

MOCK DRAFTS

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT … 

.@Dhawk_25 (@KentuckyMBB) goes 1-on-1 with @brianseltzer after today’s workout » https://t.co/1A4IzUwuOh pic.twitter.com/jT1BW7jaAx

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) June 12, 2017

• Herald-Leader: Hawkins will have opportunities to play pro ball — and the NBA is calling, too
• The Cats’ Pause: Bucks VP of Scouting ‘very impressed’ with Hawkins
• Video: Hawkins posts 45-inch vertical
• Draft Express profile

They tell you to embrace the grind…But it’s not a grind if you love what you do. This experince has been invaluable. pic.twitter.com/elchV1EDLu

— Isaac Humphries (@IsaacHumphries7) June 19, 2017

• Herald-Leader: Humphries says playing for Kentucky prepared him well for NBA workouts
• Video: NBA.com one-on-one with Humphries
• The Cats’ Pause: Humphries has ‘unbelievable’ pro day workout
• Draft Express profile

For @AhmadMonk, @KentuckyMBB was just the beginning.

This is his NBA #ScoutingReport. pic.twitter.com/lJGKz0O9kk

— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) June 16, 2017

• CoachCal.com: Monk’s athleticism, potential excite NBA teams
• NBA.com: Get to know Malik Monk
• SB Nation: Monk is more than the best shooter in the draft
• Swarm and Sting: Malik Monk is worth trading up for
• The Cats’ Pause: ESPN lists Malik Monk among biggest potential draft steals
• Arizona Central: Monk’s selling point? Scoring
• Draft Express profile