Four Kentucky players to be drafted by NBA? ‘They’re all pros,’ rival coach says.
Whenever the NBA Draft occurs, it will have repeated mentions of Kentucky players being selected. That is if Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley, Ashton Hagans and Nick Richards enter the draft.
That’s how Mississippi State Coach Ben Howland said he sees it.
“I think they’re all pros,” he said on a teleconference Monday. “I think every one of them will get drafted.”
As of Monday, no Kentucky player had announced his intention to enter this year’s NBA Draft. On his final radio show of the season, UK Coach John Calipari said that four or five of his players could enter the draft process.
Howland, whose teleconference came the day after his star big man, Reggie Perry, announced he would enter the draft, spoke glowingly of UK’s three guards and Richards as NBA prospects.
“Hagans is an NBA point guard, no doubt,” Howland said. “His biggest issue is just getting better at his shot, which he will.”
Hagans, who made only 25.8 percent of his three-point shots and 40.4 percent of all shots, led all Southeastern Conference players in assists overall (6.4 per game) and in league play (5.6 per game).
Quickley was voted SEC Player of the Year. Although Howland said he voted for Richards, he said, “I love Quickley. … Just a heck of a talent and a winner.”
Howland saluted the multiple ways Richards could impact a game.
“I love Richards and his game and how far he’s come in his career,” he said. “He can step out and shoot. He’s got a nice face-up jump shot from 17, 18 feet.
“He runs like the wind. Very good defender. You can see him switching screens (and) staying in front of guards like they do in the NBA. … He can do that, no problem.”
As for Maxey, Howland pointed out that several mock drafts have the freshman projected as the first UK player selected.
An initial part of the pre-draft process has undergrad players like the UK quartet receiving feedback from an NBA committee on the range of picks each can expect to be taken. Howland said he expected that information to be sent late this week or early next week.
Sestina’s future
The NCAA ruled Monday to allow spring sports athletes an extra season of eligibility because of the coronavirus pandemic but also decided that winter sports athletes who were not able to complete their 2019-20 seasons would not be afforded the same privilege.
That decision put an end to the basketball career of Kentucky graduate transfer Nate Sestina.
“I’m so disappointed that I’m not going to have another year to coach @NateSestina23 and have him in our program,” Kentucky head coach John Calipari tweeted Monday night. “I know he’s disappointed and wanted to come back. He knew the chances weren’t great but that doesn’t make this hurt any less for him.
Sestina’s one season with the Wildcats after he transferred from Bucknell ended with the Wildcats winning the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship.
Calipari tweeted that he was proud of the way Sestina took the news.
“He was hopeful but has had a great attitude on what that next step will be for him,” the UK coach said. “(Sestina) had an unbelievable season and helped us achieve the level of success that we did. He improved in so many areas and showed great veteran leadership through actions and performance. Our guys absolutely loved him.
“I’m going to miss seeing @NateSestina23 in the gym every day but there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s helped himself and will have opportunities professionally if that’s what he chooses.”
This story was originally published March 30, 2020 at 3:55 PM.
