Two of Kentucky’s four early NBA Draft entrants invited to league’s scouting combine
Two of the four University of Kentucky men’s basketball players who declared early for the NBA Draft this offseason have been invited to participate in next week’s scouting combine in Chicago.
Freshmen TyTy Washington and Shaedon Sharpe were among 76 players announced by the league on Wednesday as having received invitations.
Washington has said he will remain in the draft and not return to Kentucky next season. Sharpe has left the door open for a return, although that is not widely expected by NBA Draft analysts.
A third UK player, Keion Brooks has entered both the NBA Draft and the NCAA transfer portal this offseason. Brooks and former UK teammate Kellan Grady were among 44 prospects invited to next week’s NBA G League Elite Camp in Chicago. The fourth Wildcat to declare for the draft, Jacob Toppin, did not receive an invitation to either camp and is widely expected to remain at Kentucky next season.
The NBA G League Elite Camp gives draft prospects an opportunity to display their skills in front of NBA and G League scouts, coaches and front-office executives Monday and Tuesday by playing in five-on-five games and participating in strength and agility drills. Based on performance, select players from the NBA G League Elite Camp will be invited to participate in the main NBA Draft Combine next Wednesday through Friday.
Players at the main NBA Combine will have interviews with NBA teams and participate in five-on-five games as well as shooting and strength and agility drills.
The event will be televised on May 19 from 3-5 p.m. (ESPNews) and 5-7 p.m. (ESPN2). On May 20, coverage continues from 1-2 p.m. (ESPN2) and 2-5 p.m. (ESPNews).
Washington and Sharpe were two of 11 Southeastern Conference players invited to the Combine, joining Tennessee’s Kennedy Chandler, Alabama’s JD Davison and Keon Ellis, LSU’s Tari Eason, Auburn’s Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith, Mississippi State’s Iverson Molinar, Vanderbilt’s Scotty Pippen Jr. and Arkansas’ Jaylin Williams.
Johnny Juzang of UCLA, who played one season at Kentucky before transferring to the Bruins, was also invited to the main Combine.
The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23. College players with remaining eligibility have until June 1 at 11:59 p.m. to withdraw from the draft if they want to return to school next season.
Washington was Kentucky’s second-leading scorer in 2021-22, averaging 12.5 points per game. He also contributed 3.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game and shot 35 percent from three-point range. Washington is widely projected as a lottery selection.
Sharpe graduated from high school early and enrolled at Kentucky after the first semester last season with the original intention of practicing with the Wildcats, then playing for UK in 2022-23. However, he is projected as a top-10 selection in the NBA Draft and most likely will not don the blue and white.