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After having their streak of consecutive years with a lottery pick broken earlier in the night, the Kentucky Wildcats finished strong with Tyrese Maxey going No. 21 to the Philadelphia 76ers, and the New York Knicks pulled the trigger and took Immanuel Quickley with the No. 25 pick.
Kentucky extended their streak of having multiple first-round picks to 11 straight drafts.
Maxey lands in Philly, alongside Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, two stars in their own right. Maxey should be able to step in immediately and provide scoring for a team that lacked a serious go-to scorer and jump-shooter last season, outside of Embiid.
Quickley will be a one hell of a pro player with a long career ahead of him, especially heading to play under former Kentucky assistant coach Kenny Payne in New York.
Nick Richards was drafted by New Orleans but then traded to Charlotte, where he will join No. 3 pick Lamelo Ball and former Wildcat and teammate, PJ Washington.
Unfortunately for Ashton Hagans, an SEC Defensive Player of the Year award winner, he did not hear his name called, as he’ll now look to break into the NBA as an undrafted free agent.
As expected, EJ Montgomery and Kahlil Whitney did not hear their names called. It’s unclear if they’ll get a chance in the NBA, its G-League, or they’ll sign overseas deals for the time being.
Here is what Twitter had to say about the Cats’ successful night:
The @sixers got an absolute steal in @TyreseMaxey. You’re going to love him, Philly! He’s another one of our guys who is #BuiltDifferent! pic.twitter.com/ilfNfXXMb9
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) November 19, 2020
.@IQ_GodSon, the #25 pick in the 2020 #NBADraft is #BuiltDifferent @NBADraft on @espn pic.twitter.com/YhZyj1GEWB
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 19, 2020
We've had multiple first-round picks in every #NBADraft of @UKCoachCalipari's tenure
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 19, 2020
Coach Cal joined the @NBADraft on @ESPN to discuss pic.twitter.com/RhVQyHeOat
@TyreseMaxey CONGRATS Lil bro!! Proud of you kid. The work continues! Philly got a good one for sure! ✊
— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 19, 2020
Preciate it big bro!!! Much love https://t.co/kQ9QsSrRS2
— Tyrese Maxey (@TyreseMaxey) November 19, 2020
GOD IS SOOOOO GOOOODD
— Immanuel Quickley (@IQ_GodSon) November 19, 2020
“They said I couldn’t do it Coach!!!” @KentuckyMBB They didn’t understand my why! Love you #BuiltDifferent #GodisGood @UKCoachCalipari pic.twitter.com/PSCwf8BdQn
— Immanuel Quickley (@IQ_GodSon) November 19, 2020
https://t.co/JjANIlTD4D pic.twitter.com/7usgHezspn
— Jason Marcum (@marcum89) November 19, 2020
.@KentuckyMBB has had multiple first-round picks in every Draft under Coach Cal pic.twitter.com/kmbPXcRMUz
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 19, 2020
The SEC PoY is a first rounder!
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) November 19, 2020
Congrats to Immanuel Quickley on going No. 25 overall in the #NBADraft! pic.twitter.com/F6res5e8nB
Tyrese Maxey gets to play for a playoff team and be coached by Doc Rivers, who developed former Wildcat Rajon Rondo (also drafted 21st overall) into an NBA All-Star. https://t.co/qAHMwSDBDS #Sixers #BBN
— Jason Marcum (@marcum89) November 19, 2020
.@TyreseMaxey sheds tears of joy after being drafted 21st by the @sixers.
— NBA (@NBA) November 19, 2020
2020 #NBADraft presented by State Farm on ESPN pic.twitter.com/xXuiAZ3wzg
With the 21st pick in the 2020 NBA Draft...@TyreseMaxey pic.twitter.com/MleZakGTGs
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 19, 2020
Tyrese Maxey is the 21st pick to the Philadelphia 76ers.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 19, 2020
Kentucky extends its streak with a 1st round draft pick to 11 Drafts, the longest streak in the Modern Draft Era (since 1966).
That's 30 1st rounders from Kentucky under John Calipari. pic.twitter.com/5QthzzMoor
Kentucky had two picks in the first round. Want to know how many Duke had? pic.twitter.com/6kRAsN0I8o
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) November 19, 2020
Finally, something to say when the Thanksgiving family zoom asks me what I’m thankful for in this godforsaken year. https://t.co/yfZlMyh1qD
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) November 19, 2020
They certainly aren’t in the heads of NBA GM’s https://t.co/uYGiiSLJt5
— JP (@JPaulYall) November 19, 2020
4K vs. 240p pic.twitter.com/PY8GA8dymt
— The Ringer (@ringer) November 19, 2020
With the 42nd pick in the 2020 #NBADraft the @PelicansNBA select @iamnickrichards from the @universityofky #LaFamilia x #BuiltDifferent pic.twitter.com/kCcRnC9WoI
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 19, 2020
I’m so happy for Nick Richards. He’s a great story.
— Shawn Smith (@gbbcountry) November 19, 2020
trade alert
— BBN Tonight (@BBNTonight) November 19, 2020
Richards is actually heading to Charlotte to join the Hornets... alongside his former teammate @PJWashington https://t.co/EHw4SCTI0a
@iamnickrichards YESSIR BIG FELLA PROUD OF YOU MY GUY
— PJ Washington (@PJWashington) November 19, 2020
NICHOLAS RICHARDS
— Leah Edmond (@leahedmond13) November 19, 2020
What are the @hornets getting (via Pelicans) in 42nd pick Nick Richards?
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 19, 2020
"They’ll look at his age and worry, but he’s not your typical American 22-year-old," UK assistant Joel Justus told me. "Mark my words: He will be the steal of this draft." https://t.co/dqhiqyREjU
.@iamnickrichards is on his own path. That path has taken him to the @NBA
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) November 19, 2020
He's #BuiltDifferent
Watch the @NBADraft on @espn pic.twitter.com/eq3XJ1Twcp
— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) November 19, 2020
AP Source: The Hornets gave up their second round pick 2024 to the Pelicans to acquire Kentucky's 7-foot center Nick Richards, who was selected No. 42 overall.
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedAP) November 19, 2020
Nearly fours years to the date that Nick Richards committed to Kentucky, did he finally get drafted.
— Tres Terrell (@TerrellTres) November 19, 2020
1,469 days.
In a system where you feel like a failure if you aren’t a one-and-done, Nick Richards watched nine teammates get their names called over three years
Never gave up. https://t.co/AiWKLyBxtu
Nick Richards, who was selected 42nd overall by the New Orleans Pelicans, became the highest-drafted Jamaican player since Rumeal Robinson (10th overall in 1990) and the first Jamaican player drafted since Jerome Jordan (44th overall in 2010).
— Jerry Tipton (@JerryTipton) November 19, 2020
CONGRATULATIONS Nick Richards (@iamnickrichards )!
— Excel Sports (@excelsm) November 19, 2020
The newest member of the @hornets who selected him 42nd overall! #EXCELing #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/Lz1SZHVu6w
Kentucky has No. 21 Tyrese Maxey (Sixers), No. 25 Immanuel Quickley (Knicks) and No. 42 Nick Richards (Hornets via Pelicans) drafted.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) November 19, 2020
Also Ashton Hagans, EJ Montgomery, Kahlil Whitney and Nate Sestina undrafted. And so concludes the 2020 meat market.
Top undrafted players: Devon Dotson, Killian Tillie, Nate Hinton Josh Hall, Karim Mane, Markus Howard, Ty-Shon Alexander, Mason Jones, Paul Eboua, Nathan Knight, Naji Marshall, Kaleb Wesson, Myles Powell, Ashton Hagans, Lamine Diane, Kahlil Whitney, Freddie Gillespie, Tres Tinkle
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) November 19, 2020
#BuiltDifferent https://t.co/HODaGzD0Je
— Joel Justus (@UKCoachJustus) November 19, 2020
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