According to ESPN’s Andy Katz, John Calipari told five Kentucky underclassmen to declare for the NBA Draft this spring. That’s right, five:
Kentucky Could Have Five Players Declare For The NBA Draft? FIVE?
↵↵“I’ve already met with every player and met with the five guys who should put their names in the draft,” Kentucky coach John Calipari told ESPN.com Friday morning.
↵Calipari said he told three of those players -- Patterson, Orton and Bledsoe -- to keep their options open.
↵“You don’t know where this is going,” Calipari said. “Eventually you’re going to be a professional. It may not be this year or next year. I told them they have to keep doing their academic work so that if it doesn’t play out they’re still fine.”
↵↵Eric Bledsoe going pro? I’m all for Coach Cal taking an enlightened approach to this process, but good God. Did he see the West Virginia game? It’d be pretty bold of Bledsoe to declare after his lengthy treatise on CLANK! in that one.
↵As for Wall, Cousins, and Patterson, it’s less a surprise that they’d declare, and more a commentary on just how much talent Kentucky had this year. For those three, considering some of the draft projections, it makes perfect sense to go, especially since Patterson is on track to graduate in just three years. And again, it’s pretty amazing that Kentucky had three lottery picks all year... And lost.
↵Oh, and one more thing: Who’s Daniel Orton?
↵(HT: Chris Littmann)
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