Will Nick Richards and/or EJ Montgomery return to UK?

The offseason is always busy for the Kentucky Wildcats, and this year is no different.

Nick Richards has officially declared for the NBA Draft. He plans to go through the process and gather feedback from NBA personnel and then determine from there whether or not he should stay in the draft.

That news came three days after we found out that EJ Montgomery is doing the exact same thing. Only difference here is that EJ specified that his goal is to be a first rounder, whereas Nick didn’t specify a round.

So, to stay up-to-date on who is officially gone vs who is testing the waters vs who is staying, let’s list it out.

PJ Washington, Tyler Herro, and Keldon Johnson have all declared for the draft and will stay in the draft. Nick Richards and EJ Montgomery are testing the draft waters to see where they stand.

Ashton Hagans and Immanuel Quickley have announced that they’re coming back next year. And Jemarl Baker is transferring out of the program.

When it comes to Richards, he is a sophomore with dreams of playing in the NBA. This is the perfect time for him to go and get feedback to see what he needs to do in order to make those dreams a reality.

As for Montgomery, many thought, and still think, that he is a first-round talent that just didn’t show it this year. With PJ Washington and Reid Travis getting a majority of the minutes during the season, it was hard for EJ to prove himself. Montgomery has all the tools to be a NBA star, but he may need another year before he gets that first round guarantee he’s looking for.

Then there’s also the potential Kentucky could add Kerry Blackshear, which would make it harder for Richards and/or Montgomery to boost their stock next season.

Undoubtedly, both of these guys could benefit greatly from coming back to school and playing another year under John Calipari. However, if they hear what they want to hear, they will probably stay in the draft and pursue their dreams.

What do you think?