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Cats Galore: Tracking The 14 Kentucky Alums In The 2025 NBA Playoffs

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UK Athletics

As every true basketball fan knows, Kentucky has the most active NBA players of any college in the country, and that can get a little hard to keep track of when 14 former Wildcats were spread across the opening two rounds of the NBA playoffs.

To make it easier to follow, here’s a breakdown of each Cat in the NBA playoffs and how they performed when it mattered most.

First Round

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Western Conference

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies

The Thunder feature arguably the best fully developed Kentucky product since Anthony Davis in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), and the likely MVP is doing MVP things so far in the playoffs.

On a Thunder team that won 20 more games than the Grizzlies this season, Gilgeous-Alexander had no problem leading Oklahoma City past Memphis, averaging 27.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists over the four-game sweep.

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Don’t let SGA’s scoring dip fool you, as he was only needed for 23 minutes in a Game 1 blowout, where he still posted 15 points in a 51-point win.

Also hailing from Kentucky, Cason Wallace saw 20.5 minutes per game in the opening series, contributing 4.0 points, 2.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds on 41.2% shooting.

No. 2 Houston Rockets vs. No. 7 Golden State Warriors

In an upset loss to the Warriors, the Rockets didn’t lean much on the lone Kentucky alum between the two teams.

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Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, failed to score in the 10 total minutes he saw during the series, but he made the most of his seven minutes in Game 5, notching one block and two steals on the defensive end.

No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves

This series featured three former Wildcats: Julius Randle and Rob Dillingham for Minnesota, and Jarred Vanderbilt for Los Angeles.

Dillingham, the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, did not appear in the series, but Randle was nothing short of pivotal in a 4–1 series win for a Wolves squad considered the underdog against LeBron, Luka and the Lake Show.

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Randle averaged 22.6 points, four above his regular-season mark, 5.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists, shooting 48.1% from the field and 39.3% from three-point range. In the opening-round loss for the Lakers, Vanderbilt averaged 1.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 12.2 minutes per game.

No. 4 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers

The only former Cat in this 4–5 matchup, Jamal Murray has built his reputation on big playoff moments for the Nuggets, and that continued in this series where he averaged 22.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists across seven games against the Clippers.

His standout moment came in Game 5, when he exploded for 43 points, five rebounds, seven assists, one block and two steals, with just one turnover, while shooting 64.4% overall and 57.1% from deep.

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That performance gave Denver a 3–2 lead before they closed the series in Game 7.

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 8 Miami Heat

Miami featured two former Kentucky standouts — Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro — but despite their best efforts, Cleveland rolled to four straight dominant wins over the Heat.

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In his first season as an All-Star, Herro struggled to close the series. While he posted 33 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in Game 2, he managed just 17 total points in Games 3 and 4, shooting 6-23 from the field and 2-12 from beyond the arc.

Adebayo also had difficulty maintaining consistency, surpassing his season average in Games 1 and 3 but barely breaking double digits in Games 2 and 4.

Ultimately, Adebayo’s 17.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, combined with Herro’s 17.8 points, weren’t enough to prevent a disappointing sweep by the Cavs.

No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Detroit Pistons

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New York versus Detroit was an entertaining series between two franchises that have struggled to find playoff success this century, but Karl-Anthony Towns was determined to make an impact and lead the Knicks to the next round.

In a six-game series win for New York, Towns averaged 19.7 points and 10.0 rebounds while flirting with 50-40-90 shooting splits, proving his efficiency on a star-studded Knicks roster.

Though his numbers were below his season averages of 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds, Towns has helped carry New York on its deepest playoff run since 2000.

No. 4 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks

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Throughout the five-game series between the Pacers and Bucks, there was virtually no action from former Kentucky players. Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson, the No. 22 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, had his season cut short by a torn Achilles after just five regular-season games.

Milwaukee’s Chris Livingston, meanwhile, logged five minutes of playoff action versus Indiana, missing his only shot attempt and recording one rebound.

Second Round

Western Conference

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No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Denver Nuggets

In one of the best second-round matchups, Gilgeous-Alexander continued his hot streak as the Thunder battled Murray and the Nuggets through seven intense games.

Though still slightly below his season average, SGA averaged 29.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists, including a standout performance of 35 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals while shooting an eye-popping 63.2% from the field and 75% from three.

Maintaining his consistency, Wallace continued to impress in his limited role, averaging 6.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.9 steals in 21.4 minutes per game.

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Murray, on the other hand, struggled to find rhythm in the series and managed just 13 points in 35 minutes during Denver’s 125–93 loss in Game 7.

No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 7 Golden State Warriors

After Steph Curry injured his hamstring in Game 1 of the Warriors’ conference semifinals matchup against the Timberwolves, Minnesota had a lot less to worry about.

Randle, already above his scoring average in the opening round, boosted his numbers by 8 points per game, averaging 25.2 points on improved shooting at 53.3% from the field.

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Minnesota blew past Golden State, winning four straight after dropping Game 1 at home, advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the second straight season.

No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 3 New York Knicks

In what was arguably the biggest upset of the 2025 playoffs, Towns and the Knicks defeated the Celtics in six games, rallying from two 20-point deficits in the first two games to take a shocking 2–0 series lead in Boston.

Over the six games, Towns averaged 19.8 points and 12.7 rebounds, leading the team in rebounds and ranking second in scoring.

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KAT and the Knicks will face Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals for a spot in the NBA Finals.

No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 4 Indiana Pacers

As previously mentioned, Jackson, the only Kentucky alum on either side, was sidelined with a torn Achilles less than two months into the regular season.

The Pacers defeated the top-seeded Cavaliers in five games, stunning the Cavs on the road to take a commanding 2–0 series lead before closing it out in Cleveland with a 114–105 win.

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Recap

Of the 14 former Kentucky Wildcats rostered by NBA playoff teams, eight advanced past the opening round and competed in the conference semifinals.

Six Cats now remain on the four teams left standing: Gilgeous-Alexander and Wallace with the Thunder, Randle and Dillingham with the Timberwolves, Towns with the Knicks and Jackson with the Pacers.

With this in mind, a former Wildcat is guaranteed to take home an NBA championship ring this June.

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Men's Basketball

Brandon Garrison Takes On A Leadership Role Heading Into Next Season

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Brandon Garrison and Kentucky head coach Mark Pope
Eddie Justice | UK Athletics

Brandon Garrison had his ups and downs during the 2024-25 season, at times making plays above his experience level on the court, and other times, causing unfortunate turnovers and making Big Blue Nation yell “pass the ball” when he attempted to show off his handles.

However, since the offseason has began, we’ve seen the backup big man from last year’s squad take major jumps in not only his skill set, but in his mentality and leadership as well.

“BG” announced that he was coming back to Kentucky on April 12 for the 2025-26 season, and since then, has been the talk of the town to be the starting center for Mark Pope’s second-year team.

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Last season, Garrison played behind Amari Williams, coming off of the bench and averaging 5.9 points per game and 3.9 rebounds per game in just 17.3 minutes a night. 

Having played a year already in Pope’s system, Garrison may get a nod for the starting role over one of the transfer pickups, especially since Pope and the coaching staff have been publicly vocal about his development. With young players such as Jayden Quaintance and Malachi Moreno coming in behind Garrison, you can guarantee he will play a major role in their development.

In an offseason press conference, Pope said that Garrison has already taken on more of a mentorship role heading into next season.

“He’ll be the first to tell you that Amari Williams was a life-changing mentor for him,” Pope said. “He’s excited to help some other guys come along.”

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Pope added on that Garrison went out of his way to have breakfast and talk to four of the incoming transfers, on their official visits, about Kentucky and the way the staff does things.

“Brandon Garrison showed me some signs in the last month, and certainly this summer, where he is just, like he is growing up, man,” Pope said in an interview with KSR on May 22. “It’s so cool to see, it’s the best thing to see as a coach. He’s talking about what he wants to be. It’s no longer kind of what he is and who he is and how he acts, but it’s what he wants to become.”

As the season inches closer, we’ll learn more about Garrison’s impact on the court and if he’ll be the day one starter, but regardless, off the court, you can bet he has some wisdom to pass down.

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Former Wildcats Headline Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals Matchup

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Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Kevin Jairaj | IMAGN

The NBA Finals tip off with familiar faces on both sides in the first-ever series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers.

For the first time since 2012, when the Thunder were led by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City is in the NBA Finals. The franchise has the opportunity to earn its first title in Oklahoma City since the team’s rebrand and relocation in 2008.

As for the Pacers, it’s the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. Indiana is seeking its first championship in team history. 

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City’s superstar and crowning 2024-25 league MVP has continued his season-long dominance into the postseason. Averaging 31.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Gilgeous-Alexander impressed as the Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1, as he led all but one game of the series in scoring. 

After an underwhelming performance in Game 3, Gilgeous-Alexander responded with a near triple-double performance, posting 40 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Oklahoma City defeated the Timberwolves narrowly, 128-126.

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The Thunder blew out Minnesota in Games 4 and 5 thanks to back-to-back massive performances by Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 34 and 40 points, respectively. Clinching his first bid to the NBA Finals. 

At midcourt after their Game 5 victory, OKC hoisted the Western Conference Trophy in front of their home crowd. Gilgeous-Alexander walked off with the Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson Trophy for his Western Conference Finals heroics.

Cason Wallace

Second-year pro Wallace is the Thunder’s ultimate plug-and-play contributor. Although Wallace isn’t a stat-stuffing machine like Gilgeous-Alexander, his defensive prowess stands out.

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In five games, the Kentucky product averaged 25.8 minutes per game off the bench. Wallace was often assigned to guard Wolves superstar Anthony Edwards. 

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged five points, 3.6 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and nearly a block and steal per game. 

Known for his hustle, Wallace excels at imposing himself on defense despite commonly matching up with larger opponents. His ability to disrupt the Timberwolves’ offense created offensive opportunities, which coincided with his pass-first mentality on offense.

Wallace could be found stealing from 7-foot-1 Frenchman Rudy Gobert in the post and nailing 3-pointers on the other end.

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In Game 5, Wallace scored only five points but had two rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Helping OKC seal a commanding 124-94 victory to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.

Isaiah Jackson

The tallest former Wildcat out of the bunch, Jackson stands at 6-foot-9 as a physical off-the-bench presence for Indiana.

Unfortunately, the big man won’t be available to play in the NBA Finals. In the fifth game of the season, Jackson suffered a season-ending Achilles tear on Nov. 1 in a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. 

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This season Jackson made six appearances for the Pacers, including a start against the Boston Celtics early in the season. Posting seven points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.

Despite the injury, the four-year Pacer would still receive a ring if Indiana wins for his short-lived contribution this season.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips-off on Thursday, June 5, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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The 2025-26 Cats Consensus: It’s Time for Banner Number Nine

Every new and returning Wildcat shares the same dream: bringing a championship trophy to Lexington once more.

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Mark Pope in a crowd of fans at Big Blue Madness
Tyler Ruth | UK Athletics

“We are here to win banners.”

While just about everything Mark Pope said at his introductory press conference went viral in one way or another, that aforementioned declaration stood out amongst his crowd of quotes like no other to a fanbase more than a decade removed from a national championship.

To the big blue nation, Coach Pope’s words last spring were a much needed battle cry. Now, as he’s set to enter his second year at the helm, Pope has made sure the team he assembled for the 2025-26 season shares the same hunger.

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It begins on a basic level, with players across the board throwing the number “9” around on social media in posts, replies, and commitments. Much like the Kentucky faithful, the newest roster to roll through Lexington isn’t afraid to make reference to the top task at hand.

For (likely) starting point guard Jaland Lowe, it’s an opportunity he “can’t miss.” “See y’all soon #BBN,” he said in a post on X, announcing his return to the collegiate level. Lowe chose a junior season at Kentucky over a chance to be chosen in the NBA Draft. Otega Oweh, the now-projected SEC player of the year, would follow suit shortly thereafter.

The Ultimate Goal

Andrija Jelavic, a primary member of the incoming unit, as well as the team’s lone international player, dubbed the title chase as “the ultimate goal” in his interview with KY Insider. “We all [the team] agree that the ultimate goal is the same and that is to bring a championship to Kentucky, to the state and the fans,” he said.

To Jelavic, it goes further than hunger. It’s a responsibility.

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And that responsibility is what sets Kentucky apart from other programs. As awkward as the conversation around John Calipari can get, when push comes to shove, much of the dissatisfaction growing within the fanbase as his tenure came to a close was rooted in the coach’s apparent disinterest in winning another championship.

Year after year went by; top-ranked roster after top ranked roster. After a while, it seemed that Kentucky was more often mentioned in the first round of the NBA Draft than it was in the NCAA Tournament. The problem persisted, the tension festered and, ultimately, the two sides split… and it all goes back to that elusive ninth title.

Name on the Front of the Jersey

Mark Pope has said before that he wants to bring in guys who are playing for the name on the front of their jersey. It just so happens that there are enough of those like-minded athletes across the nation to build one of the consensus best teams in college basketball, all of whom are in full pursuit of a new blue banner in the rafters of Rupp.

With a mindset like that shared across the board and talent like the 2025-26 team has at hand, it’s only a matter of time before that dream becomes a reality once more. For the first time in more than a decade, the entire Big Blue Nation is on the same page – and that includes the guys who can actually make it happen.

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