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Immanuel Quickley Flourishing in the NBA, Accomplishing Bird and Chamberlain Like Feats

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© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA regular season just came to a close, but the New York Knicks are heading to the NBA Playoffs for just the second time in the last decade, in part due to the play of former Kentucky Wildcat, Immanuel Quickley.

Drafted with the 25th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder – later traded to the New York Knicks – many believed that the Knicks reached for Quickley, who was widely considered to have a second-round draft grade. However, their bet was correct and if there was a redraft, Quickley would arguably be a top-10 selection.

Year-To-Year Improvements

As a rookie, Immanuel Quickley was expected to be nothing more than a shooter off the bench who could give you a couple of productive minutes here and there. He provided just that, averaging 11.4 points and 19.4 minutes per game. He also shot the ball at a 38.9% clip from three, which indicated that he was productive any time he got on the floor.

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His sophomore campaign was a similar story. Quickley saw a slight increase in minutes, playing 23.1 minutes per game, but he still only had 11.3 points per game. After the All-Star break was when things really started to change.

Averaging 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3 assists in the first half of the season, Quickley was given a larger role after the All-Star break and took full advantage of the opportunity. Quickley nearly doubled all his averages with 16 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. His impressive play was highlighted by two triple-doubles in the last four games of the season.

This led the Knicks coaching staff and management to put even more trust into Quickley entering this season, his third in the NBA. While still coming off the bench, he is playing the most minutes of his career (28.9 mpg) and has taken another jump in play. Finishing the season averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, Quickley has put his name into the leader’s discussion for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.

Currently, Quickley and Malcolm Brogdon (Boston Celtics) are neck and neck in terms of who is the favorite to win the 2023 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. If Quickley wins the 2023 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, he will join his former Kentucky teammate Tyler Herro – who won the award last year – as the only Cats to ever win the award.

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This season, Quickley has shown just how valuable he can truly be to a franchise. Similar to his impressive play to close out the season last year, Quickley is carrying momentum into the playoffs averaging 28.8 points per game over the final four games of the season.

Quickley even recorded a career-high 40 points against the Houston Rockets on March 27th. He also tallied 9 assists, and he also managed to shoot a staggering 77.8% from the field on 14-18 shooting.

The highly efficient performance put him in some very elite company, joining the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson as the only players to have 40-plus points and nine-plus assists, on more than 77 percent shooting.

Watch his highlights from the game below:

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Men's Basketball

Amari Williams Selected No. 46 by the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA Draft

Amari Williams is the second Kentucky player selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, as Boston takes the big man with their second round pick.

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Amari Williams is drafted by the Boston Celtics.
Wesley Hale | Imagn Images

Fan-favorite big man (and official Weetabix sponsor) Amari Williams has officially made it to the big leagues, taken by the Boston Celtics with the 46th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, via a trade with the Orlando Magic.

The selection makes Williams the second Wildcat to be scooped up from this year’s pool, following Koby Brea being picked by the Phoenix Suns just five picks earlier at the 41st spot. From Mark Pope’s first Kentucky team, two transfer athletes (thus far) in their last year of eligibility have achieved next-level dreams by way of the blue and white.

Williams, who averaged 11 points, nine rebounds, and three assists per game during his lone season in Lexington, will look to aid Boston in filling their recently vacant five-spot, left by the recently traded Kristaps Porzingis.

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As Wildcat fans surely know, not only can Williams battle with the best of them in the paint, but he can run the floor as efficiently as just about any guard, too. His versatility and sizable frame ensure a high ceiling in the NBA and, despite not every draft board seeing him selected, the league champions two years removed made the call when it mattered.

Hailing overseas from Nottingham, England, and spending his first four years of college basketball at the University of Drexel, Williams’ success is a testament not only to Kentucky Basketball’s immaculate tradition, but to his own incredible work ethic and intangible ability.

Cats fans will be sure to follow and support their point-center to the next level, as they always do. Go be great, Amari – all of BBN has your back.

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Men's Basketball

Koby Brea Selected No. 41 by the Phoenix Suns in the 2025 NBA Draft

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Tristan Pharis | KY Insider

Koby Brea arrived at Kentucky last season as one of the nation’s deadliest shooters, lived up to the billing, and reaped his rewards on Thursday night at the NBA Draft. The former Kentucky star is heading to the Phoenix Suns with the No. 41 overall pick

As a 6-foot-7 wing, Brea entered the 2025 NBA Draft as one of the most experienced prospects after spending four years at Dayton and a fifth at Kentucky during Mark Pope’s successful first season as head coach, where he became one of the best three-point shooters in all of college basketball.

Last season at Kentucky, the Bronx native averaged 11.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 43.5% from beyond the arc on nearly six attempts per game in 36 games, 16 of which were starts, showcasing his scoring ability in transition, off the catch, and via handoffs and screens.

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Not only did Brea achieve his own dreams of playing at the next level, but becomes a piece of history for Pope, becoming the first player drafted out of Kentucky during the Pope era.

Brea joins a rebuilding franchise with a notorious background for drafting Kentucky guards. Eric Bledsoe rings the bell, Tyler Ulis of course, and the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, Devin Booker obviously leads the pack.

Go be great Fuego!

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Men's Basketball

How a Call with Mark Pope Led Denzel Aberdeen to Kentucky

After winning a national title at Florida, Denzel Aberdeen committed to Kentucky without ever visiting campus—thanks to a revealing three-hour call with head coach Mark Pope.

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Chet White | UK Athletics

As a junior, Denzel Aberdeen was a key part of Florida’s national title run. But a certain phone conversation convinced him to leave his home state and head north to Lexington in hopes of experiencing that feeling once again.

He had never set foot in Lexington before deciding to become a Kentucky Wildcat — and he didn’t need to. All it took was one phone call — three hours long, on Easter Sunday — with head coach Mark Pope to convince him that he belonged in blue and white.

“Our phone call lasted about three hours, to be honest,” Aberdeen said, meeting with the media in Lexington for the first time earlier this week. “A lot of it was just getting to know me and getting to know the school, the university, getting to know him (Pope), how their style was, a lot of film. Once I saw that, I was like this looks like a great guy to play for.”

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The two went on to discuss Aberdeen’s role at Kentucky in more depth, including how Pope envisions him fitting into Kentucky’s new system — a system that, according to Aberdeen, is very similar, if not better than the one he just left.

“We had a lot of great players at Florida, especially the tall bigs. Bigs that love to run there, and we have just as much here; our bigs love to run, they play defense, and they play at a fast pace. So I think the things that we’ve got here are just as good, or even better,” Aberdeen said.

Averaging 7.7 points and nearly 20 minutes per game off the bench for the Gators last year, it’s clear to see what Aberdeen brings to the team: experience, versatility, calmness in the backcourt, and championship pedigree. Pope’s phone conversation with Aberdeen wasn’t just impactful on the court — it also speaks volumes to what he is doing off the court in pursuit of the goal he laid out in his introductory press conference: to hang banners.

This phone call wasn’t just about Denzel Aberdeen. It was a glimpse into Pope’s player-first, transparent coaching approach, which could define his era at Kentucky — and potentially make this season a special one, with Aberdeen playing another key role in a deep NCAA Tournament run.

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“I know the goal is to win No. 9,” he said. “I know the fans want that, we want that, all the staff and coaches want that. That pushes us. We know what we gotta do when we come here and put on that Kentucky jersey. Just playing for the University of Kentucky is a big thing. Being here is a blessing, and I can’t look back.”

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