June 27, 2003

Photos courtesy of Fernando Medina, Orlando Magic

NEW YORK, N.Y. –
Keith Bogans, who recently completed a terrific four-year career with the Wildcats, was selected 43rd in the 2003 NBA Draft on Thursday, June 26. Bogans, a 6-5 guard from Alexandria, Va., was originally picked by the Milwaukee Bucks before being traded a short time later to the Orlando Magic.

Bogans, who was voted the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year by the league’s coaches, finished his career at Kentucky in the Elite Eight this March as the No. 4 all-time leading scorer in school history with 1,923 points. He also owns the school record for three-point attempts with 743 and is second in school history in three-pointers made with 254.

He becomes the 12th Kentucky player taken in the NBA Draft in the last 10 years, and will bring the total number of former Wildcats currently playing in the NBA to 12. Two other recent Wildcat greats have spent time with the Magic during their careers, including Rodney Dent, who was drafted to Orlando in 1994, where he played for two seasons, and Ron Mercer, who played briefly with the Magic in 2000.

Bogans was one of six SEC players taken in the 2003 Draft. Also drafted by the Magic on Thursday was Louisville’s Reece Gaines. Bogans and Gaines have faced each other on the hardwood four times during their careers and were both selected to the first-teams of their respective conferences in 2003.

Bogans was expected to travel to Orlando on Friday for a 2:30 p.m. press conference.