Sports Illustrated lists 3 Wildcats in new NBA Mock Draft

We now know that the NBA Draft is likely to occur in mid- to late-October after the NBA Finals has ended.

But what we do not know is what evaluation methods will be allowed leading up to the draft. Based on the information that he has received so far, Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated released a new mock draft on Wednesday.

The first former Kentucky Wildcat comes in just outside the lottery at No. 15. Woo has Tyrese Maxey being drafted by the Orlando Magic at that spot. This is what he had to say about the Kentucky guard:

“Maxey still figures to land between 10 and 20 but has become one of the more divisive prospects, with some scouts optimistic about his scoring chops and makeup, and others unimpressed by his year at Kentucky. Granted, he wouldn’t be the first Kentucky prospect to take off after the fact. There’s a scenario where Maxey emerges as a Marcus Smart-level player who can be invaluable in multiple ways without necessarily being a high-efficiency scorer. He should at least be an average shooter moving forward, and if he embraces defending and improves as a secondary playmaker, Maxey should be a useful rotation piece. Orlando could use another young guard, and should be able to grab one with this pick.”

Woo lists two more Kentucky Wildcats in his draft. He believes Immanuel Quickley could be taken early in the second round by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 32 overall pick. The final Wildcat on the board is Ashton Hagans, who Woo has going to the Atlanta Hawks at No. 52 overall.

EJ Montgomery continues to be MIA as he has in other mock drafts, but it is a bit of a surprise to see Nick Richards left off after his spectacular junior year. Woo did respond to KSR’s Drew Franklin on Twitter to explain that decision.

“Think everyone acknowledges he’s improved”, Woo wrote. “But he turns 23 this year, centers are becoming surplus, and the sense I get from teams is that he’ll need to go to the G League. I’d expect him to be in camp somewhere but not sure he’s drafted. The draft is still months away FWIW.”

Could Nick Richards work his way into the draft? Some of that may depend on whether or not workouts will be allowed between now and then. Regardless, it does seem like he will get a shot at making a roster even if he goes undrafted.

What do you think about Woo’s predictions? Read the rest of his mock draft here.