The Kentucky Wildcats were primed to make a deep run in what would’ve been a hectic 2020 March Madness.
Sadly, as the dreams of the madness have ended, so too have those of several Wildcats who’ve played their last game in blue and white.
Although a highly skilled incoming class is expected, the Wildcats will likely see stars like Tyrese Maxey and Ashton Hagans leave Lexington.
Both of them, along with Immanuel Quickley and Nick Richards, made CBS Sports’ top 75 prospects for the 2020 NBA Draft.
Maxey came in at No. 10, Hagans No. 33, and then Quickley and Richards back-to-back at 40 and 41 respectively. EJ Montgomery was left off the list, as expected. Those five were really the only ones with any hope to be in the top-75 prospects.
Maxey, the second-best shooting guard in this ranking, wasn’t necessarily the leader for this Wildcats team, but his quickness and agility have made him one of the most sought after prospects in the upcoming draft.
Hagans is a proven floor general and could take his game to a new level, but he ended the season on a sour note between his on-court struggles and absence from the team due to personal reasons.
As for Quickly and Richards, they are both trending prospects, as they were the only two Wildcats on the All-SEC first team after strong finishes to the season. Richards has been projected in this range for several months now, but Quickley was just starting to see his name on big boards before the season ended.
If this ranking is any indicator of how the NBA feels about Quickley, then we probably should not expect him back for a junior season. Being a top-40 pick means he’d likely get guaranteed money and more roster security, making it hard for him to pass on going pro.
Rounding out the positional rankings, Hagans was ranked as the 12th-best point guard despite being No. 33 overall. Quickley and Richards were ranked as the eighth-best shooting guard and sixth-best center.
All told, these are good rankings for the Wildcats, and there really isn’t much to complain about as far as the placement goes.