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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball NBA Mock Draft Round-Up

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UK Athletics

The halfway point of the college basketball season is almost here and that means one of John Calipari’s favorite days of the year is getting closer, NBA Draft day.

Coming into the season, several Kentucky Wildcats had hopes of getting drafted. However, there are currently just two Wildcats that are projected to be drafted, Oscar Tshiebwe and Cason Wallace.

Up to this point, Tshiebwe and Wallace have been Kentucky’s most valuable players, so it is no surprise to see they are projects to make their dreams a reality. Let’s take a look and see where they stand.

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Cason Wallace

The Athletic: 8th
CBS Sports: 6th (Oklahoma City Thunder)
ESPN: 9th (Orlando Magic)
NBA.com: 11th (Indiana Pacers)
Yahoo Sports: 13th (Utah Jazz)

Coming in as a top-10 prospect and McDonald’s All-American, Cason Wallace was sure to make an impact. Yet, it is safe to say he has been better than advertised.

Through the first half of the season, Cason Wallace has arguably proved himself to be the best all-around freshman in the country and the stats prove it. Amongst freshmen, Wallace is the only one to be ranked in the top 20 in points (12.9), assists (3.9), and steals (2.3), while shooting 50% FG and 40% 3P.

Coming in, Wallace’s on-ball defense was heralded, and he has proven that he can be an NBA team’s best on-ball defender. What has impressed scouts the most is his three-point shooting ability and playmaking

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For Wallace, the ceiling is very high and he could continue to move up draft boards as the season continues.

Oscar Tshiebwe

The Athletic: 58th
ESPN: 54th (Phoenix Suns)
NBA.com: 54th (Brooklyn Nets)

Despite sweeping all of the National Player of the Year awards last season, Oscar Tshiebwe was projected as a fringe first-round to mid-second-round pick. With his feedback from the NBA, Tshiebwe made the decision to return to Lexington.

Looking at a deeper 2023 draft, Tshiebwe is on the edge of the second round in almost all mock drafts. Tshiebwe did have minor knee surgery back in October and has only recently started to match last season’s numbers. With that said, there is still room to improve his draft stock.

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Proven as an elite rebounder and with his improved footwork, an NBA team will draft Tshiebwe in the later half of the draft. To improve his draft stock, Tshiebwe must tighten up on defense and display some perimeter skills as the season progresses.


There are some notable absences from the draft projections, including Damion Collins, Chris Livingston, and Jacob Toppin.

Collins and Toppin have the physical tools to be drafted, but have just not consistently put it together. However, Toppin is coming off back-to-back 20+ point performances and looks to be turning the corner, and could play his way into the draft conversation.

Young freshman Chris Livingston is also on the outside looking in right now but is steadily improving every game, showing a lot of promise, and looking to rise in the ranks throughout the rest of the season.

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With the five freshman coming in that will likely play a lot of minutes, several Wildcats will have tough decisions to make at the end of the season.

Men's Basketball

Amari Williams Picked 46th 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 to the Phoenix Suns With the No. 41 Overall Pick 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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