NBA Draft Rankings 2018: ESPN Projects Top 100 Prospects

The Kentucky Wildcats are still a major work in progress, but there’s no denying they have a wealth of NBA talent.

After it appeared UK could might lose just two players to the pros from this year’s team, it now looks almost certain they’ll lose a third. It comes in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who continues to rise up the NBA draft rankings, including the latest offering from ESPN.

Shai was one of the biggest risers in the new rankings, checking in at No. 18 overall. It’s well deserved, as Shai is a rising star that’s helped carry his team amidst a host of injuries. He’s also established that he’s the best guard on this team, though he’s not always the most efficient at running the show compared to Quade Green.

Still, if Shai is projected in that range during the pre-draft process, expect him to be a one and done.

While it remains to be seen if Shai will actually leave after just one season, it continues to look like Kevin Knox is a lock to do so. He’s now ranked No. 11 in ESPN’s rankings, putting him in good position to be drafted in the lottery.

Knox will certainly have some clunkers here and there, but when he’s on, he’s as hard to guard as just about any player in college hoops, and he continues to get better. By the time March rolls around, Knox may be one of the best players in college hoops, making it an easy call for him to leave for the NBA.

As for Hamidou Diallo, despite a recent string of duds, he’s still ranked No. 24 overall, putting him in good position to be drafted in Round 1. But if he keeps putting up stinkers like he did at South Carolina, he will eventually fall out of that first-round range.

But if he can find more consistency and get back to being the guy we saw over the first month of the season, he’ll be safely projected into the first round, so expect him to be a one and done as well.

After them, no other Wildcat is even projected safely into Round 2. Jarred Vanderbilt (50), Nick Richards (51) and PJ Washington are all projected in a range where they could go undrafted if they came out.

Saying this, now that Vanderbilt is healthy, I fully expect him to rise in the Round 1 range by the time the season is over, so we should probably get used to the thought of him being a one and done.

Here is a look at ESPN’s top 30 prospects:

1. Luka Doncic

2. Deandre Ayton

3. Marvin Bagley III

4. Mohamed Bamba

5. Michael Porter Jr.

6. Trae Young PG

7. Jaren Jackson Jr.

8. Collin Sexton

9. Miles Bridges

10. Mikal Bridges

11. Kevin Knox

12. Robert Williams

13. Daniel Gafford

14. Wendell Carter Jr.

15. Dzanan Musa

16. Troy Brown

17. Lonnie Walker

18. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

19. Bruce Brown

20. Chandler Hutchison

21. Mitchell Robinson

22. Anfernee Simons

23. Trevon Duval

24. Hamidou Diallo

25. Shake Milton

26. De’Anthony Melton

27. Keita Bates-Diop

28. Brandon McCoy

29. Khyri Thomas

30. Jontay Porter