Five Kentucky players are in the updated ESPN top 100 NBA draft prospects
The NBA Playoffs are under way, and a number of former Kentucky Wildcats are attempting to win a championship. However, there is a new group of Wildcats who are hoping to begin an NBA career this year.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony released an updated version of his top 100 NBA draft prospects (subscription required) on Thursday, and the Cats are represented. While there aren’t any top ten players this year, there are five from Kentucky on the list.
There has been a little bit of movement from the Wildcats on the list. A few of them made pretty significant moves up the list. Others took a slight dip.
Here’s a look at the five Kentucky Wildcats ranked by ESPN.
The sharp-shooting Brea is down three spots, but he’s still a player that could wind up being drafted. He has good size, and can get his three-point shot off at any time. His defense also improved as the year went on, so he’s a well-rounded player, and one worthy of a draft pick. Somebody could get a steal late in round two of the draft.
Williams jumped up 15 spots in this update, close to the draft range. His offense in terms of scoring is severely limited, but he’s an excellent passer and has great size and strength. Defensively, there’s a lot to like. He is a good shot blocker, rebounds well, and moves well to stay in position. He’s a project, but you can’t teach his size.
Kentucky’s leading scorer last year, Oweh has some obvious talents. He has good strength and can get into the lane to score. He also defends well. However, he’s a bit undersized for an NBA guard, and he doesn’t have a great outside shot. He may need to return to school and refine those areas.
An injury ended Robinson’s season, but he showed off a very good shot from three-point range, and impressive leadership qualities. He can get perimeter shots up, but isn’t a physical player, and could struggle against NBA bodies. His defense is still a work in progress as well.
Carr had some huge moments this season, and in many ways, is what the NBA wants from a big man. He shoots it well from outside, and runs the floor effectively. However, he doesn’t have great rebounding skills, and he can get pushed around at times.
