Which kentucky players are going to the nba

Because Kentucky keeps injuries close to the vest, no one is quite sure what to make of it. Is the injury - which has sidelined Clarke since before Christmas - that bad? Why is it taking so long to heal? Meanwhile, some are asking the opposite: Is Clarke milking it, because he or his inner circle is afraid his draft stock is slipping, and didn't want to be exposed further at the college level?

To be clear, neither myself or the NBA exec is saying that is definitely what has happened, or is accusing Clarke of anything malicious. But these are questions that are being asked. Couple that with some shaky high school intel on Clarke's work ethic and attitude and it's leading to again, very volatile draft positioning for Clarke. And you have potentially those same issues popping up at Kentucky.

Now, if it is a serious ankle injury [that's a different conversation]. In Clarke's defense, he was actually more productive than Boston when he was on the court and also showed the most diverse skill-set on the team. While he wasn't great when asked to handle the ball, John Calipari still trusted him to run the point. And he was hitting nearly 43 percent from behind the three-point line when he played.

Ultimately however, there is no real way to evaluate Clarke, or his NBA Draft prospects, until we see him back in action. What can you say about Isaiah Jackson that already hasn't been said? Early on he was the guy that seemed to be vastly underrated in the NBA's eyes, someone who at 6'9 or 6'10 had elite athleticism and an uncanny knack for blocking shots on the defensive end. That size and athleticism is still there, but his basketball savvy seems to be lacking. He's shooting just 43 percent from the floor a relatively low number for a guy who spends so much time close to the basket and hasn't attempted a three-pointer all season.

In a world where basketball is becoming more "position-less" by the year, that's not ideal. Nor is his knack for picking up bad fouls, which is limiting him to just 20 minutes played per game.

It's something the NBA folks have noticed as well. And he had two or three games this year where he looks like a potential Top 10 draft pick, and other games where he looks like he needs to go back to college for another two or three years.

It's also about figuring out the intel on him, but he's 6'9, 6'10, run and jump athletes that can block shots like that and defend all over the floor, they're hard to come by. If you've read the previous 1, words or actually watched any Kentucky games it's clear that none of these guys have cemented themselves in the eyes of NBA scouts. Which is what makes the next few weeks so interesting for all three.

They all have NBA aspirations, and right now, they're largely not doing anything to help them. Still, that doesn't mean they can't help themselves over the remainder of the college hoops season. Not just by actually playing better which would certainly help but by doing the little things needed to help turn the team around. But the next part is, run your own race. It takes some guys much longer to come into your own as a college basketball player and as an NBA prospect.

That's not to say that the players can or will decide to return. But depending on the player, and how the next few weeks go, it's something that all three should consider. Finally, it's not all bad news Let's end this article on a positive note, and there was one when I asked the exec one final question: We knew that Boston, Clarke and Jackson were deemed the team's best NBA Draft prospects coming into the season. But has anyone else played themselves into consideration? The answer was "yes" and that player was Jacob Toppin.

To be clear, we're talking about Toppin as a long-term NBA prospect. No one is saying that he should declare this year, or would get drafted if he did. But considering that most believed he wouldn't even play this season at all, he has impressed with his energy and elite athleticism. Many regard Ralph Beard as one of the top players in Kentucky history. Beard was a three-time All-American. What went wrong? Beard took money from gamblers and was banned from the NBA for life for the scandal.

His No. He only played three seasons in the NBA but was on the Boston Celtics championship teams in and Tommy Kron was one of Rupp's Runts and was a big part of the Kentucky team that went to the championship game in Rodrick Rhodes was great at times at Kentucky. Rhodes went on to a mediocre NBA career after being drafted 24th overall in the first round.

Michael Bradley transferred from Kentucky to Villanova University after his sophomore season. That season, he averaged Bradley lasted a few years, but only averaged 2. Jack Givens led Kentucky to the title. He scored 41 points in the title game. Givens is third on Kentucky's all-time scoring list. He averaged a mere 6. Jeff Sheppard played on two national championship teams at the University of Kentucky. His time in the NBA was brief.

He averaged 2. He totalled 13 points and 18 rebounds in 21 games. He played at Kentucky from to He joined the Boston Celtics in the for eight games, 26 minutes and six career points. He'll likely be the second-to-last Celtic to wear No. Paul Pierce should be the last. Cotton Nash played three years at Kentucky and was named an All-American in each of those years.

He averaged Nash was drafted 12th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers. Stories Schedule Roster Stats. Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email. Photo by Jesse D. Vanderbilt preview, viewing info and more Kentucky vs.