Four Wildcats Selected in the 2011 NBA Draft

Editors Note: This is the press release issued by the University of Kentucky regarding this year's NBA Draft. 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Four former Wildcats were selected in the 2011 NBA Draft, including top 10 picks Enes Kanter and Brandon Knight who were selected third and eighth overall. 

Kanter was selected No. 3 overall by the Utah Jazz, followed by Knight at No. 8 by the Detroit Pistons. Josh Harrellson went 45^th to the New Orleans Hornets. DeAndre Liggins ended the night for Kentucky when he was selected 53^rd by the Orlando Magic.

Player                          Drafted by                                Rd.       # Pick   # Overall

Enes Kanter                  Utah Jazz                                    1             3             3

Brandon Knight              Detroit Pistons                             1             8             8

Josh Harrellson              New Orleans Hornets                    2            15           45

DeAndre Liggins            Orlando Magic                              2            23           53

It marks the second straight year that Kentucky had multiple players selected in the top 10 of the draft. Additionally, the Wildcats have had nine players drafted in the last two years.

UK head coach John Calipari has coached nine first round picks in the last six years and has had a player drafted in five of the last six years.

2011 NBA Draft

UK Notes

• The last time the Wildcats had multiple players selected in the first round of the draft in back-to-back years was in 1996 (Antoine Walker - 1^st Rd., 6^th overall, Boston; Tony Delk – 1^st Rd., 16^th overall, Charlotte; Walter McCarty – 1^st Rd., 19^th overall, New York) and 1997 (Ron Mercer – 1^st Rd., 6^th overall, Boston; Derek Anderson – 1^st Rd., 13^th overall, Cleveland).
• Kentucky has had four players selected in the top 10, five in the top 15 and seven in the first round of the draft in the last two years.
• Josh Harrellson was the 100^th Wildcat to be taken in the NBA Draft.
• The Wildcats have had 101 players drafted by the NBA since the draft began in 1947.
• 27 Wildcats have been selected in the first round.
• Enes Kanter is the third Wildcat drafted by the Utah Jazz franchise. The last was Scott Padgett in the 1999 draft (1^st Rd., 28^th overall).
• Brandon Knight is the sixth Wildcat drafted by the Detroit Pistons franchise. The last was Tayshaun Prince in the 2002 draft (1^st Rd., 23^rd overall)
• Josh Harrellson is the fourth Wildcat drafted by the New Orleans Hornets franchise. The last was Jamaal Magloire by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2000 draft (1^st, 19^th overall).
• DeAndre Liggins is the third Wildcat to be drafted by the Orlando Magic franchise. The last was Daniel Orton in the 2010 draft.               

It marks the second straight year that Kentucky had multiple players selected in the top 10 of the draft. Additionally, the Wildcats have had nine players drafted in the last two years.

UK head coach John Calipari has coached nine first round picks in the last six years and has had a player drafted in five of the last six years.