‘Like Our Graduation:’ Lottery Cats Enter NBA Together

De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo spent their lone college season taking turns in the spotlight at Kentucky.

That made it only fitting that the three Wildcat freshmen took turns in the spotlight in the NBA Draft green room on Thursday night.

“We’re like brothers so it’s just like our graduation,” Adebayo said on ESPN’s broadcast of the draft.

Fox, Monk and Adebayo were all in Barclays Center for the NBA Draft and they were picked in the lottery. Fox went fifth to the Sacramento Kings, Monk went 11th to the Charlotte Hornets and Adebayo went 14th to the Miami Heat.

That made for a pleasantly short night in Brooklyn, New York, for John Calipari, who flew in from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and took a break from coaching the Team USA U19 team to watch the draft. 

“When those guys in that green room are done, I’m out,” Calipari said. “I am out. I don’t care who else gets picked. Just my guys.”

Calipari was predictably happy, having taken all sorts of pictures with his three players and their families. As often as he’s been in this position – Calipari has now coached 17 lottery picks, 24 first-rounders and 31 draftees at UK – it never gets old.

“It’s really exciting,” Calipari said. “Somebody said, ‘You got lipstick! Somebody kissed you.’ I said, ‘Yeah, it was one of the mothers. And don’t wipe it off. Leave it on there.’ These families, to live it with them, it’s just amazing.”

Fox had his parents with him in the green room and even wore a suit lined with pink ribbons in honor of his mother, a breast cancer survivor. Bound for the West Coast where he will join fellow former Wildcats Willie Cauley-Stein and Skal Labissiere, the dynamic point is already looking ahead.

“I can’t even describe it, like I said,” Fox said. “I’m extremely happy. I’m finally where I wanted to be. But like they said all week, the work’s just beginning.”

The work will begin for Monk in Charlotte for owner Michael Jordan and alongside former Wildcat Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. The guard had a video interview with Jordan – “the GOAT,” by Monk’s description – earlier this week, so getting picked by the Hornets didn’t catch him off guard. In that interview, Monk no doubt shared some of the same things about himself that he did at the draft.

“A winner,” Monk said. “I’m a winner. Always trying to win. Do the best I can to win and knock down open shots, any shot I can get, all the clutch shots. I try to make the best, and I’m going to learn, learn from the vets and listen to the coach and try to be the best player and best listener and learner ever.”

Fox and Monk have been projected lottery picks throughout the draft process, but Adebayo was somewhat of a late riser. He attracted attention for the toughness, athleticism and unselfishness he showed all season, but showed off a solid shooting stroke in workouts. That must have caught the attention of the Heat, who have a Hall of Famer of their own as president in Pat Riley.

“You know, when I went to work out, I spoke to Pat Riley,” Adebayo said. “But other than that, they seem real cool. They seemed really interested in me, and I seemed real interested in them. I bring a smile to everybody, and I bring a lot of energy.”

Riley, a member of the legendary Rupp’s Runts 1965-66 Kentucky team, and the Heat had never drafted a UK player until Adebayo. Based on a conversation between Riley and Coach Cal, that could change soon.

“Pat Riley gave me the greatest compliment,” Calipari said. “He says, ‘Your kids come in this league and they’re all good teammates.’ Because they all had to share. They all had to give up something.”

Fox, Monk and Adebayo did exactly that when they played together at UK and the team benefited as a result. Thursday night, it was their turn.

“I’m about these kids,” Calipari said. “If I’m about them and I love them, they’ll love each other. If I’m about them, they want to win and they don’t have to worry about themselves. They can worry about each other and winning. That’s been what we do.”