ESPN’s Big Board: Four Cats in NBA Draft’s top 20
Four University of Kentucky players are listed as first-round selections in the latest ESPN Big Board for this year’s NBA Draft.
UK freshman Karl-Anthony Towns has taken over the No. 1 spot from Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor. “In virtually every scenario on our lottery mock draft, Towns is now going No. 1,” ESPN’s Chad Ford wrote.
Willie Cauley-Stein is No. 7 on the new Big Board, followed by UK teammates Trey Lyles (No. 18) and Devin Booker (No. 19). Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison and Dakari Johnson are not listed in the top 30, nor the “next five in” category that follows.
No Kentucky player has publicly declared for the NBA Draft, although Towns, Cauley-Stein, Lyles and the Harrison twins are all widely expected to leave for the pros.
Kentucky has scheduled a news conference for Thursday at which players who are ready will discuss their decisions.
CBSSports.com’s Gary Parrish reported Wednesday that the Harrisons have decided to head to the NBA, while Booker and Johnson are both “leaning toward leaving” Kentucky, too.
UK junior Alex Poythress has requested and has been given NBA feedback, Coach John Calipari said on his radio show Tuesday night.
This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 3:14 PM with the headline "ESPN’s Big Board: Four Cats in NBA Draft’s top 20."