OUCH!

[Halldan1]

Kentucky loses top seven scorers to NBA draftThe Kentucky Wildcats will lose their top seven scorers -- Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Devin Booker, Trey Lyles, Dakari Johnson, Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison -- to the NBA draft from the team that won 38 straight games before losing in the national semifinals.

Towns and Cauley-Stein are both considered lottery picks by NBA executives. Towns is likely to go either first or second overall, along with Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor -- who has yet to officially declare for the draft.

Karl-Anthony Towns averaged 9.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game for Kentucky during his freshman season. Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Booker, a freshman shooting guard, is also considered a likely lottery pick after shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc this season.

Lyles, a skilled 6-foot-9 forward, averaged 8.7 points and 5.2 rebounds in 23 minutes per game. According to several NBA executives, Lyles will likely be chosen somewhere in the 15-25 range. The 6-foot-11 Johnson is also leaving despite averaging just 6.4 points and 4.6 boards in 16.3 minutes per contest as a sophomore this past season. Johnson, according to NBA guys, is projected as a fringe first-rounder.

Andrew and Aaron Harrison, who arrived at Kentucky as McDonald's All Americans and projected one-and-dones, have decided to leave after their sophomore campaigns. Aaron led the team in scoring at 11 points per game while Andrew averaged 9.3 points and led the team in assists. After consulting more than 10 NBA executives regarding their draft stock, the consensus was that the twins will both likely be selected somewhere in the second round.

The NBA draft is June 25.

The losses account for 85 percent of Kentucky's scoring from this past season and 77 percent of its rebounding.

The loss of seven players leaves Kentucky with freshman point guard Tyler Ulis and athletic forward Marcus Lee. Veteran forward Alex Poythress is still weighing his options, according to coach John Calipari, after suffering a season-ending torn ACL after just eight games into the season. Ulis should step into the starting role, but Lee's role is up in the air with another strong recruiting class coming into Lexington.

Kentucky coach John Calipari and his staff already have commitments from three top-50 players in the ESPN 100 rankings: skilled big man Skal Labissiere (ranked No. 3), point guard Isaiah Briscoe (No. 13) and wing Charles Matthews (No. 42).

The Wildcats are also still in the mix for several remaining top prospects who have yet to make their decision -- including scoring guard Malik Newman (No. 4), big man Cheick Diallo (No. 11) and smooth wing Brandon Ingram (No. 12) Seven of the top players in the Class of 2015 have yet to make their decisions.

 

[cernjSHU]

Hard to feel sorry about Kentucky's woes. For the record, I think a couple of those players will change their minds. If not, Calipari in one month will reel in more top talent at this late stage than Willard can in 5 years.

 

[BayonneRay]

CernjSHU is right about one thing. When some of the Kentucky players find out that it is more financially feasible to stay at Kentucky than go pro, they will be back. As the old joke states the players probably couldn't afford the pay cut.

 

[dcPirate]

One (or both) of the Harrison's and Dakari Johnson should stay imo. It's almost as if staying at UK more than 2 years is some sort of scarlet letter...

I don't watch enough NBA, is Cauley-Stein really a lottery pick? He seems to have a very limited offensive game any time I have seen him. I guess the upside to his offensive game progressing is the draw?

 

[JIMSOULS]

Not surprised both Harrisons went. Don't those two do anything apart? What next, matching suits at the NBA Draft?

 

[knights1212]

I feel the same about Stein. He seems like a very good shot blocker and defensive player but really all I see from him on offense is running the floor and dunking. Does he ever take a jump shot? I too wonder how he will do in the NBA.

 

[TrueBlue1989]

No worries as he will buy, sorry, recruit 5 more McD's!

 

[halltheway]

OUCH....we should feel that pinch!

 

[hallgrad80]

Schools like Duke, Ky, Kansas and others never rebuild they just reload and they do so irrespective of how many players they lose to the NBA , year after year.

 

[BayonneRay]

About Cauley-Stein and the NBA think Tyson Chandler who made a long career blocking shots and dunking the ball. Chandler has been paid handsomely( 15 million/year) for a long time.

 

[JIMSOULS]

I read comments today from a longtime Kentucky fan who said he doesn't feel the closeness to the Calipari teams that he did with the great Kentucky teams of the past. His reason was that the players don't stick around long enough for him to build a bond with, and that the fun of college basketball has always been watching players develop over a longer period of time. It was an interesting viewpoint. Some fans just want a winner, while others want something a bit deeper.

From a Seton Hall perspective, I think a big part of enjoying 1989 was having experienced the ups-and-downs of those players. It somehow made that season more meaningful.

 

[PiratePride]

Originally posted by JIMSOULS:

I read comments today from a longtime Kentucky fan who said he doesn't feel the closeness to the Calipari teams that he did with the great Kentucky teams of the past. His reason was that the players don't stick around long enough for him to build a bond with, and that the fun of college basketball has always been watching players develop over a longer period of time. It was an interesting viewpoint. Some fans just want a winner, while others want something a bit deeper.

From a Seton Hall perspective, I think a big part of enjoying 1989 was having experienced the ups-and-downs of those players. It somehow made that season more meaningful.

Think it's valid view point about having that sense of "closeness" to teams..... one and done's and JC transfers don't get the same love as four year players. I would imagine (and I only can imagine) what it would be to root for a team with all those stars who would not be remotely close to graduation when they left.

The old college feel is long gone from big time college bb..... gotta get that brass ring ( and all the $'s that go with it) .... any way mentality has ruined it for me. I still love college bb and SHU bb specifically and will always be at the games as long as I can......and want us in the hunt...... but somehow I miss the days of games at Walsh enjoying the game for what it is and not having all the trappings that have taken the soul out of the game..... old guy talk, I know... but my 2cents

Just thought of a couple of exceptions to my premise about early exits.... Sam Dalembert for one...and maybe Luther. But Luther is a little different in that it seems that he didn't get the admiration he enjoys today until after he recovered from his early mistakes.



This post was edited on 4/10 12:13 PM by PiratePride

 

[PirateSal]

Being out at The Final Four and speaking to many Kentucky fans before and after their loss to Wisconsin, Calapari is not as loved at Kentucky as one would think. They DO NOT like the one and done classes he keeps bringing in and they believe for all the talent he should be winning the championship every year. They also, as they said...don't like the grandstanding that he does with the media.