Kentucky Wildcats coach John Calipari spoke at an alumni luncheon on Monday and told the crowd he believes up to seven players will jump for the NBA after this season, KSR.com reported on Monday.
John Calipari thinks 7 Wildcats might enter the 2014 NBA Draft
Everyone knows Kentucky’s incoming class of freshmen are really good, but there might not be anyone left after this year.
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The Wildcats incoming class features a wealth of five-star prospects, led by No. 2 ranked Julius Randle and Andrew Harrison, the top freshman guard.
Calipari has had the best success out of all college coaches in guiding his college players to the NBA in recent years. In 2012, Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist became the first teammates to be taken No. 1 and No. 2 in the history of the NBA Draft. He has alhad three players drafted No. 1 in the past six years as well; Davis and John Wall at Kentucky and Derrick Rose from his time at Memphis.
Early mock drafts aren’t as ambitious as Calipari’s claims, but the Wildcats should see plenty of names called at the 2014 NBA Draft. Draft Express has four Wildcats going in the first round. NBADraft.net has five Wildcats drafted total, three coming in the first ten picks.
Calipari also mentioned that he would like to coach an undefeated team before he retires. He has been close before, with the Memphis Tigers in 2008 and the Wildcats in 2010 and 2012.
“Before I retire, I’d like to coach an undefeated team because they say it can’t be done.”
The last team to finish as undefeated NCAA Champions were the Indiana Hoosiers in 1976. There have been close runs since, with the 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels and the 2004 Saint Joseph's Hawks both finishing the regular season undefeated but falling in the NCAA Tournament.
The record for most picks from one school in the NBA Draft since it expanded to two rounds was set by Calipari and Kentucky in 2012 when six players were drafted.
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