Koby Brea Selected No. 41 Overall in Second Round of NBA Draft
NEW YORK – Kentucky men’s basketball sharpshooting guard Koby Brea was selected No. 41 overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2025 NBA Draft on Thursday. His draft rights were then traded to the Phoenix Suns. Brea averaged a career-high 11.6 points per game and connected on 43.5% from behind the arc in his lone season with the Wildcats.
“I’ll do anything that’s needed,” Brea said on ESPN’s broadcast. “I’m an extreme competitor. I’m someone who is super coachable. I just want to be there and become the best version of myself and do whatever is asked of me. They’re going to get somebody that is all hands in.”
In Kentucky’s illustrious history, 142 players have now been drafted 144 times with Brea’s selection.
“I could not be more excited for Koby Brea and this opportunity,” UK head coach Mark Pope said. “Two years ago, Koby had a really tough surgery and spent an entire summer in a wheelchair. To see him come back from that, become a Kentucky legend and now make his way to the NBA has been incredible to witness.”
The 6-foot-7 guard appeared in all 36 games for the Wildcats and made 16 starts in 2024-25. Brea drained 93 3-pointers on the season which is the seventh-most in a single season in program history.
The graduate student scored in double figures in 21 games and made multiple 3s in 27 outings. He was at his best inside the friendly confines of Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center where he connected from deep at a 51.4% rate (57-111).
Brea led the team with a career-high-tying 23 points and a career-high 10 made field goals in the NCAA Tournament victory over Illinois that lifted the Cats into the Sweet 16. He added 22 points in UK’s win over Oklahoma in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. In a road win at Tennessee, Brea was a perfect 5 of 5 from the field and tallied 18 points. He set a career high with 23 points and seven made 3s in the win over eventual champion Florida. He earned SEC Player of the Week following his performance against the Gators.
The Washington Heights, New York, native topped 1,000 career points in a home victory over Colgate in late December.
Prior to Kentucky, Brea was a two-time Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year at Dayton. He became just the second player in league history to win the award twice in a career. As a senior, he led the nation in 3-point percentage when he connected on 49.8% of his attempts. It was the highest mark in six seasons in NCAA history.
Brea is the first NBA draft selection under Pope. He is the second player to be taken by the Warriors in UK history. He’ll join three UK players in Phoenix in Devin Booker, Nick Richards and TyTy Washington Jr..
Kentucky has had at least one player selected in 18 consecutive drafts. That’s the longest streak in the nation.
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