Highest paid ex-Cat in the NBA? It depends on how you crunch the numbers.

Several former University of Kentucky stars are among the highest paid players in the NBA — starting next season.

An examination of NBA contract numbers collected on Spotrac.com and Basketball-Reference.com shows that while the 28 former UK players on NBA rosters (not counting three ex-Cats on two-way contracts) aren’t at the top of the food chain this season, they will be soon.

Multi-year deals for John Wall, Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker don’t kick in until the 2019-20 season.

Meanwhile, it’s Anthony Davis leading the way for the former UK player contingent at $25,434,263, which is tied for 23rd in the league with Bradley Beal, Andre Drummond and Hassan Whiteside. No worries for Davis, though. He’s due for a massive contract in 2020-21 when he re-ups with the New Orleans Pelicans OR tests free agency (perhaps the Los Angeles Lakers or the Boston Celtics?).

Wall, who is making just under $20 million this season at $19,169,800 for the Washington Wizards, will move up to a tie for fourth in the league next season when his salary jumps to $37,800,000.

Booker and Towns will see even bigger bumps in their pay next season when they’re both earning $27,250,000. Booker will play the 2018-19 season for the Phoenix Suns at the bargain price of $3,314,365 while Towns will make $7,839,435 with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Other former Cats making more than $10 million this season include the New York Knicks’ Enes Kanter ($18,622,513), the Milwaukee Bucks’ Eric Bledsoe ($15 million), the Houston Rockets’ Brandon Knight ($14,631,250) and the Charlotte Hornets’ Michael Kidd-Gilchrist ($13 million).

One big name not making $10 million-plus is DeMarcus Cousins, who’ll earn just $5,337,000 while he plays an abbreviated season with the Golden State Warriors. He’ll be attempting to prove he has recovered well enough from a torn left Achilles tendon to deserve a major multi-year deal.

When it comes to average salaries, Wall’s deal for 2019-22 is tied with the Houston Rockets’ James Harden for No. 1 in the league at $42,336,000 per season. Booker and Towns’ contracts, which run from 2019 to 2023, are 14th overall at $31,610,000 per year.

This story was originally published October 16, 2018 at 8:48 AM.