A Sea Of Blue - Kentucky Wildcats NBA Draft Tracker 2016Online Home of the Big Blue Nation: Kentucky Wildcats Sports for the Discerning Fanhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46621/aseaof-fav.png2016-07-15T16:15:31-04:00http://www.aseaofblue.com/rss/stream/111306152016-07-15T16:15:31-04:002016-07-15T16:15:31-04:00Skal Labissiere earns first NBA contract with Kings
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<figcaption>Andy Lyons/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The journey of Skal to the NBA is now complete as he signed his first contract with the Kings. </p> <p><span>One of the best feelings any professional athlete can have is the one when they're signing a pro contract.</span></p>
<p><span>For some, it's merely securing the next payday as they continue to make a living playing the sport they love. For others, it's the culmination of a lifelong journey finally paying off.</span></p>
<p><span>It's the latter for <span>Skal Labissiere</span>, who just signed his first NBA contract with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Sacramento Kings</a>. </span></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Skal makes it official! <a href="https://t.co/nMyyvK5gYQ">pic.twitter.com/nMyyvK5gYQ</a></p>
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/754024408218374144">July 15, 2016</a>
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<p><span>The former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> big man is now officially an NBA player after being the 28th overall pick in the 2016 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA Draft</a>. </span>Though that was a major fall from where Skal was projected to go, he'll still be collecting a nice paycheck over the next 3-5 years.</p>
<p>He's also played very well in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-summer-league">NBA Summer League</a>, enough so that he continues to justify the Kings' <a href="http://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/6/24/12025604/vlade-divac-thinks-skal-labissiere-could-be-steal-of-the-draft" target="_blank">belief they got the biggest steal of the draft</a> in Skal.</p>
<p><span>"I’m really excited about Skal’s future," said Kings’ Summer League coach <span>Bryan Gates</span>, </span><a href="http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/07/13/is-skal-labissiere-the-kings-four-of-the-future/?utm_campaign=Contact+SNS+For+More+Referrer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=snsanalytics" target="_blank">via NBC Sports</a><span>. "Maybe it wasn’t just today, it was watching him. When you go through an NBA season you don’t get to watch a lot of college games. I hadn’t seen Kentucky play. Just seeing him, it’s been cool. I think he has a good future."</span></p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/7/15/12201820/skal-labissiere-first-nba-contract-kingsJason Marcum2016-07-08T11:35:00-04:002016-07-08T11:35:00-04:00Former Cats in Las Vegas Summer League Primer
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<p>Tyler Ulis, Devin Booker Jamal Murray, Skal, Willie Cauley-Stein and more Cats will be ballin' in Las Vegas. Here's everything you need to watch and follow them. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> will have a strong presence in the NBA <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-summer-league">Las Vegas Summer League</a>, while several Cats will be making their professional debuts.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a> will be back in action as shooting guard <span>James Young</span> may be getting his last chance with the Cs if he wants to remain on their roster. He had a solid three-game showing in the Utah Summer League, but he'll need ot keep that up in Las Vegas to secure his roster spot.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OXYxRBEi_PQ" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><span>Trey Lyles</span> also put on a show for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Jazz</a> in the Utah Summer League as he looks like a star in the making for a playoff-contending team. In the Utah league, Lyles finished fourth in scoring (20.3 ppg) and first in rebounding (10.3 rpg).</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XAqk6iN6OmY?rel=0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>But Wildcats fans really are looking forward to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> and <span>Tyler Ulis</span> making his pro debut, not to mention seeing him playing alongside <span>Devin Booker</span> once again. It's rare you get to see two Cats team up in the same backcourt, let alone them be best friends and former UK teammates.</p>
<p>The <a style="text-decoration: underline; background-color: #ffffff;" class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a> will feature€” <span>Jamal Murray</span> making his NBA debut after an amazing season with the Wildcats. He set a host of scoring and three-point records in just one year at UK, and he's poised to be a big-time scorer in a league that needs more shooters like <span>Murray</span>.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> -will feature <span>DeAndre Liggins</span> looking to get back into the NBA. He's been one of the NBA D-League's best players for several years now, but it's not been enough to get him back into the majors. A good showing with the Cavs may get him back there.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/">Memphis Grizzlies</a> will be in action as€” <span>Andrew Harrison</span> looks to continue his journey to the NBA after being a D-League star last year.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/22zhXtyJl9g?rel=0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>Last, but certainly not least are <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Sacramento Kings</a>, who feature a pair of UK big men in€” <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span> and <span>Skal Labissiere</span>. Willie is looking to build off a great rookie season that earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie team. Skal will be making his pro debut as he looks to prove he made the right decision going pro after one season in Lexington.</p>
<p>These games can be watched on NBA TV or one of the ESPN network channels. ESPN will air all 67 games across its various platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU and WatchESPN).</p>
<p>You can watch replays of every summer league game thus far thanks to the <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://espn.go.com/watchespn/sitemap/_/sport/basketball/league/nba-summer-league" target="_blank">Watch ESPN App and Watch ESPN</a>. You keep track of box scores, game recaps and cumulative stats at <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" target="_blank" href="http://www.nba.com/summerleague/">the NBA Summer League website</a>.</p>
<p>Here is the entire 2016 Las Vegas Summer League schedule:</p>
<p><strong><u>Friday, July 8</u></strong><br><em><b>Cox Pavilion</b></em><br>6 p.m. -€” Milwaukee vs. Cleveland<br>8 p.m. -€” Atlanta vs. Houston<br>10 p.m. -€” Sacramento vs. Toronto</p>
<p><em><b>Thomas & Mack</b></em><br>6:30 p.m. -€” NBA D-League vs. Memphis<br>8:30 p.m. -€” Minnesota vs. Denver<br>10:30 p.m. -€” L.A. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Lakers</a> vs. New Orleans</p>
<p><strong><u>Saturday, July 9</u></strong><br><em><b>Cox Pavilion</b></em><br>4 p.m. -€” Phoenix vs. Portland<br>6 p.m. -€” Boston vs. Chicago<br>8 p.m. -€” Denver vs. Memphis<br>10 p.m. -€” Dallas vs. Miami</p>
<p><em><b>Thomas & Mack</b></em><br>4:30 p.m. -€” Cleveland vs. Brooklyn<br>6:30 p.m. -€” Washington vs. Utah<br>8:30 p.m. -€” Philadelphia vs. L.A. Lakers<br>10:30 p.m. -€” San Antonio vs. Golden State</p>
<p><strong><u>Sunday, July 10</u></strong><br><em><b>Cox Pavilion</b></em><br>4 p.m. -€” Atlanta vs. Washington<br>6 p.m. -€” Minnesota vs. Toronto<br>8 p.m. -€” Utah vs. New Orleans<br>10 p.m. -€” San Antonio vs. Portland</p>
<p><em><b>Thomas & Mack</b></em><br>4:30 p.m. -€” Milwaukee vs. NBA D-League<br>6:30 p.m. -€” Houston vs. Sacramento<br>8:30 p.m. -€” Chicago vs. Philadelphia<br>10:30 p.m. -€” Phoenix vs. Boston</p>
<p><strong><u>Monday, July 11</u></strong><br><em><b>Cox Pavilion</b></em><br>4 p.m. -€” Milwaukee vs. Memphis<br>6 p.m. -€” Houston vs. NBA D-League<br>8 p.m. -€” Miami vs. Denver<br>10 p.m. -€” Sacramento vs. New Orleans</p>
<p><em><b>Thomas & Mack</b></em><br>4:30 p.m. -€” Brooklyn vs. Atlanta<br>6:30 p.m. -€” Toronto vs. Dallas<br>8:30 p.m. -€” Cleveland vs. Minnesota<br>10:30 p.m. -€” Golden State vs. L.A. Lakers</p>
<p><strong><u>Tuesday, July 12</u></strong><br><em><b>Cox Pavilion</b></em><br>4 p.m. -€” Washington vs. Brooklyn<br>6 p.m. -€” Boston vs. Dallas<br>8 p.m. -€” San Antonio vs. Chicago</p>
<p><em><b>Thomas & Mack</b></em><br>4:30 p.m. -€” Portland vs. Utah<br>6:30 p.m. -€” Miami vs. Phoenix<br>8:30 p.m. -€” Philadelphia vs. Golden State</p>
<p><strong>Wednesday, July 13 - Monday, July 18</strong>: Games to be determined by final standings</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/7/8/12128856/kentucky-wildcats-nba-las-vegas-summer-leagueJason Marcum2016-07-04T21:12:03-04:002016-07-04T21:12:03-04:00Tyler Ulis gets a great deal on first contract
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<figcaption>Andy Lyons/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Despite falling to Round 2, Tyler Ulis is now in a great situation with the Suns. </p> <p>For much of the pre-draft process, <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kentucky Wildcats</a> guard <span>Tyler Ulis</span> was widely expected to not only be a first-round pick, but possibly even sneak into the end of the lottery.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, a reported hip issue helped lead to <span>Ulis</span> falling all the way to the 34th pick before the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> scooped him up. The second round can be a scary situation for players as teams can choose how much of the contract to guarantee, if at all.</p>
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<p>Thankfully for <span>Ulis</span>, the Suns will not only guarantee the first two years of his deal, but they'll also pay him like a late first-round pick, <a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.azcentral.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fnba%2Fsuns%2F2016%2F07%2F03%2Fphoenix-suns-plan-embrace-youth-hold-cap-space%2F86663426%2F%3FhootPostID%3Db8aece84ab476319b7ebd98bfb254622&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aseaofblue.com%2F2016%2F7%2F4%2F12095126%2Ftyler-ulis-contract-suns-ends-deserved" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">according to Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic</a>, who notes Ulis may be the team's third point guard if they part ways with <span>Ronnie Price</span>.</p>
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<p>Ulis, as a second-round pick, is not guaranteed that, but the Suns will give Ulis the equivalent of a late first-round pick’s contract, which would start at about $1 million and <b>have the same two guaranteed years</b> with two team option years.</p>
<p><span>The Suns will have to weigh whether Ulis can be a third point guard as a rookie or if the team needs Price’s experience after <span>Eric Bledsoe</span>’s and <span>Brandon Knight</span>’s multiple surgeries.</span></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.spotrac.com/nba/draft/" target="_blank">According to Spotrac</a>, a late first-round contract pays around $1.1-1.5 million annually, which Coro alluded to Ulis getting. The fact Ulis will also get two years of guaranteed money means Ulis is set to make over $3 million in the next two years.</p>
<p>While Ulis likely has a much longer future ahead of him, the fact that he'll be getting at least $3 million is pretty nice. The only question now is how the Suns handle their crowded backcourt that's mainly comprised of former Wildcats. I would venture to say one of <span>Brandon Knight</span>, <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> or <span>Archie Goodwin</span> isn't on the final roster as <a target="_blank" href="http://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/6/23/12018692/eric-bledsoe-brandon-knight-traded-suns">Phoenix appears likely to deal Knight or Bledsoe</a>.</p>
<p>Whatever happens, Devin Booker's outstanding rookie year has things looking up for the Suns, and having his best friend as a teammate certainly helps.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/7/4/12095126/tyler-ulis-contract-suns-ends-deservedJason Marcum2016-06-27T17:19:54-04:002016-06-27T17:19:54-04:00NBA Rookie of the Year Odds have just one Wildcat
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<figcaption>Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Bovada has put out the odds for the 2017 NBA Rookie of the Year winner following last week's draft.</p>
<p>This year's crop of <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> entering the NBA has just one contender among these odds, and it's <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a> guard <span><span>Jamal </span>Murray</span>, who comes in with the fifth-best odds at 12-1.</p>
<p><a style="background-color: #ffffff;" class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.libertyballers.com/">Philadelphia 76ers</a> forward <span>Ben Simmons</span> is the favorite at 13-4, followed by <span>Buddy Hield</span> at 11-2, <span>Brandon Ingram</span> at 13-2 and <span>Kris Dunn</span> at 15-2.</p>
<p>As for the other Cats, it's hard to see <span>Tyler Ulis</span> having a big enough role with the guard-heavy <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Phoenix Suns</a> to make a run at this award. That's also true of <span>Skal Labissiere</span> and the frontcourt-heavy <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Sacramento Kings</a>. Neither of them are in situations that will allow them to earn any awards as rookies, let alone one that requires consistent production for the entire season.</p>
<p>John Calipari has coached his fair share of NBA ROY winners. <span>Derrick Rose</span>, <span>Tyreke Evans</span> and <span>Karl-Anthony Towns</span> have all earned this honor after one year of Coach Cal coaching 'em up.</p>
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<p>Here are all the odds:</p>
<p><span>Ben Simmons</span> (PHI) 13/4<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Buddy Hield</span> (NO) 11/2<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Brandon Ingram</span> (LAL) 13/2<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Kris Dunn</span> (MIN) 15/2<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><b><span>Jamal Murray</span> (DEN) 12/1</b><u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Denzel Valentine</span> (CHI) 12/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Joel Embiid</span> (PHI) 14/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Wade Baldwin IV</span> (MEM) 16/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Marquese Chriss</span> (PHO) 16/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Thon Maker</span> (MIL) 16/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Taurean Prince</span> (ATL) 16/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Dragan Bender</span> (PHO) 20/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Jaylen Brown</span> (BOS) 20/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Brice Johnson</span> (LAC) 20/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Caris LeVert</span> (BKN) 20/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Malachi Richardson</span> (SAC) 20/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Jakob Poeltl</span> (TOR) 25/1<u></u><u></u></p>
<p><span>Domantas Sabonis</span> (OKC) 28/1</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/6/27/12046302/nba-rookie-of-the-year-odds-2016-17-seasonJason Marcum2016-06-27T15:38:16-04:002016-06-27T15:38:16-04:00Skal playing with little girl is too cute
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<p>In case you needed any more reason to love Skal. </p> <p>Around the NBA, many rookies are getting to meet their new teams for the first time after being drafted last Thursday.</p>
<p>For <span>Skal Labissiere</span>, that means making a trip across the country to meet with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Sacramento Kings</a>, who spent the 28th-overall pick of the draft on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> big man, something that's become common for them. He'll now team up with former Cats Willie Cauley-Stein, <span>DeMarcus Cousins</span> and possibly <span>Rajon Rondo</span>, who is set to hit free agency.</p>
<p>For now, Skal is in Sacramento as he gets introduced to the city, community and Kings organization. In case you needed any more confirmation that Skal is as nice of a person as you'll ever meet, watching him play ball with a little girl at the Kings' facility is just the sweetest thing you'll watch today:</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The most adorable passing drill you've ever seen <a href="https://t.co/BJqNW8q4Fw">https://t.co/BJqNW8q4Fw</a></p>
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/747467577602023424">June 27, 2016</a>
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<p>Meanwhile, fellow Kings rookie <span>Georgios Papagiannis</span> was not as friendly with his camper:</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="und">✋ <a href="https://t.co/XufswM5YLp">https://t.co/XufswM5YLp</a></p>
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) <a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings/status/747478529844121600">June 27, 2016</a>
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<p>C'mon man.</p>
<p>Anyhow, Skal also apparently has a dog, Dash, who even calls his own little son.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nba.com/kings/blog/newest-king-shows-puppy" target="_blank">Via the Kings' official website</a>:</p>
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<p><span>Dash is a Pomsky, a cross between a Siberian Husky and a Pomeranian. According to <span>Labissiere</span>, Pomskies "are good looking, smart and easy to train!"</span></p>
<p><span>Leading up to the draft, Skal was away from home a lot and he expressed how much he missed his favorite new pal on Father’s Day.</span></p>
<p><span>"My son is growing up so fast. My first Father’s Day ever and spending it without him."</span></p>
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<p>Must love dogs!</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/6/27/12044632/skal-labissiere-little-girl-cute-puppy-sonJason Marcum2016-06-26T12:51:40-04:002016-06-26T12:51:40-04:00A Few Notes on Kentucky's NBA Draft History
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<figcaption>Mike Stobe/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>UK once again had a strong presence in the NBA Draft.</p> <p>2016's version of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft">NBA Draft</a> had no shortage of excitement.</p>
<p>Boston held eight (EIGHT!) of the sixty picks. Philadelphia was so desperate to trade up for <span>Kris Dunn</span>, they offered the kitchen sink to several teams—and still didn't get him. <span>Jaylen Brown</span> went third to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Celtics</a>, a move that many would not have expected (but ASOB's own <a target="_blank" href="http://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/6/21/11984748/nba-mock-draft-2016-a-sea-of-blue-edition">Justin Hodges</a> did!). Sacramento dropped 20 spots to have Phoenix draft <span>Skal Labissiere</span> for them.</p>
<p>And I'm pretty sure ESPN's Jalen Rose compared a 2<sup>nd</sup> round pick to Larry Nance Sr.</p>
<p>As a nice complement to this madness, the University of Kentucky saw its own share of excitement- once again having a strong presence in the NBA Draft.</p>
<p>While it wasn't UK's strongest draft year, the Wildcats still produced 3 draftees. Here are some historical notes following Kentucky's 2016 draft night:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">-<b><span>Jamal Murray</span> picked 7<sup>th</sup> by Denver</b>. Kentucky's highest scoring freshman ever will be the fifth Wildcat to suit up for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Nuggets</a>. Others: Dan Issel, Dwight Anderson, Mark Pope, Ron Mercer.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">-<b><span>Skal Labissiere</span> picked 28<sup>th</sup> by Sacramento (via Phoenix)</b>. Skal will presumably join the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Kings</a>, whose 2015-16 starting lineup included fellow Wildcats Rajon Rondo, <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span> and <span>DeMarcus Cousins</span>. <i>Labissiere will be the 16th former Wildcat to be drafted by or play for the Kings (NBA's oldest franchise).</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">-<b><span>Tyler Ulis</span> picked 34<sup>th</sup> by Phoenix</b>. Kentucky might pull a monopoly on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Suns</a>’ backcourt. Barring trades, Phoenix could have <span>Ulis</span>, <span>Devin Booker</span>, <span>Archie Goodwin</span>, <span>Brandon Knight</span> and <span>Eric Bledsoe</span> as its 2016-17 guards. This is getting ridiculous. <i><span>Ulis</span> will be the 15th former Wildcat to be drafted by or play for the Suns</i>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">-With <span>Murray</span> and Skal both making the first round, John Calipari now has 17 one-and-dones at Kentucky, ALL OF WHICH WERE DRAFTED IN THE FIRST ROUND. The streak continues.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">-In seven years at Kentucky, Calipari has now seen 29 of his players get drafted or play in the NBA.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">-The NBA Draft Lottery began in 1985. Since then, Kentucky has produced 19 lottery picks.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">-All-time, Kentucky has 131 players drafted/played in the NBA. 49 of these players were first round draft picks*. 24 players were drafted in the top 10.</p>
<p>It's Kentucky Basketball's world; we're just living in it. Let's finish up with highlights of a recent Kentucky draftee:</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R3EaAKiBeLg" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><i>Other Notes:</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Tom Payne was a 1<sup>st</sup> Round Pick in the 1971 Hardship Draft.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">**As the NBA has expanded, the number of picks per round has gradually increased over time.</p>
<p><i>Sources: Basketball-Reference, ESPN, Kentucky Statistics Main Page</i></p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/6/26/12023530/a-kentucky-wildcats-nba-draft-historyNPDillon2016-06-25T11:35:58-04:002016-06-25T11:35:58-04:00How do former Cats fit in to their NBA teams?
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<p>A look at the fit for the three Cats selected in the 2016 NBA Draft.</p> <p>Draft night, or as Coach Cal calls it, "Graduation Night", has come and gone officially ending the 2015-16 college basketball season for Kentucky.</p>
<p>The roller coaster ride for the Big Blue Nation was just that, a roller coaster ride with ups and downs throughout Draft night. From the high of <span>Jamal Murray</span> being a lottery pick, to the low of <span>Skal Labissiere</span> dropping to the end of the first round, to the joy we all felt when we found out that <span>Tyler Ulis</span> would be reunited with <span>Devin Booker</span> in Phoenix, back down to the disappointment of not hearing <span>Alex Poythress</span>' name called.</p>
<p>What does this mean for these four individuals?</p>
<p>Most believed that <span>Jamal Murray</span> would be selected somewhere between the 3-7 pick in the draft. This proved to be true, on the low end, unfortunately, when Murray was selected seventh overall to the <a href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Denver Nuggets</a>. Murray joins four other draft picks selected by the Nuggets in the draft of which I'd imagine the majority reading this will have never heard of (including me).</p>
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<p>That being said, Murray joins a Denver backcourt that includes former Kentucky recruit Emmanuel Mudiay. Mudiay will likely remain at the point guard slot so Jamal will look to take over the shooting guard position which was held last season by <span>Gary Harris</span>.</p>
<p>Last season, <span>Harris</span> averaged just over twelve points a game and just under three rebounds. Jamal will bring Mudiay a much better perimeter shooter to kick out to than Harris did who shot just 35% from three last season. Whether Murray takes the starting role on opening day is yet to be seen but look for him to play a major role in the rotation from day one and to challenge for and possibly take over the starting job at some point in the season.</p>
<p>Skal's fall from the top has been almost unbelievable if you consider how he was viewed at this time last season. Coming out of high school he was projected to be the first or second overall pick with <span>Ben Simmons</span>.</p>
<p>As the season carried on it became clear that was no longer the case and by draft night he was thought to be a late lottery to around the 20th pick.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R03FB4kzsmw" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>Unfortunately, that's not how the night ended up for Skal who dropped to the 28th overall selection by the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a>. Shortly after the pick, he would be traded to the <a href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Kings</a>. This means that Skal joins former Kentucky big men Demarcus <span>Cousins</span> and <span>Willie Cauley-Stein</span>.</p>
<p>This virtually assures a backup role for Skal behind these two excellent bigs. If Skal can get better on the glass and continue to knock down his jump shot however, he can help take attention off of Cousins which would help the Kings out tremendously.</p>
<p>Now for most Kentucky fans' favorite moment of the night, with the 34th overall pick the Phoenix Suns select <span>Tyler Ulis</span>. As mentioned earlier this reunites the best friends since elementary school Ulis and <span>Booker</span>. It also makes for a lineup possibility that we would all love to see if only for one trip down the floor of <span>Brandon Knight</span>, <span>Eric Bledsoe</span>, <span>Devin Booker</span>, <span>Tyler Ulis</span>, and <span>Archie Goodwin</span>.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1IXtCj_w8nM" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>Probably not the best lineup to keep for a game since there's no size at all but it would be a cool moment for all of the Big Blue Nation. As for where Ulis fits in, you see it there. His competition is all former Cats. Since <span>Bledsoe</span>, <span>Knight</span>, and <span>Booker</span> will most likely all start this gives Ulis an opportunity to back up and learn from his Big Blue Brothers.</p>
<p>Also the obvious chemistry he already shares with Booker will be a major help as well. It all depends on how Ulis can adjust to guarding the elite guards of the NBA at his size. As for me, I'd never bet against Tyler Ulis.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, <span>Alex Poythress</span> would go undrafted in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA Draft</a>. However, much like <span>Aaron Harrison</span> a couple years ago this gives Alex the chance to try out on teams at summer camps where he can look for a good fit for him. This worked out well for Aaron as he's been on the <a href="https://www.atthehive.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Hornets</a>' roster for much of the past season.</p>
<p>Hopefully, things will work out as well for Alex and he can achieve his dream of playing in the NBA.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/6/25/12022874/how-kentucky-wildcats-fit-nba-teamsTyler Jessie2016-06-24T20:41:31-04:002016-06-24T20:41:31-04:00Path of Skal vs Maker is bad news for basketball
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<figcaption>Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Skal Labissiere entered college as a potential No. 1 overall pick in his draft class, but ended up falling all the way to No. 28. His disappointing season in college cost him millions, and if he could do it over he'd likely avoid college. That's what Thon Maker did. With that draft loophole being found, could we see more players avoid college?</p> <p id="IiPF91">John Calipari sits in the green room, visibly stressing and burying his head in his hands, across from one of his top prospects <span>Skal Labissiere</span>.</p>
<p>As the picks fly by in the first round, they’re still waiting to hear Labissiere’s name called. Skal was the No. 1 recruit in Scout.com’s final rankings before his college season started. He was ranked above No. 1 pick <span>Ben Simmons</span>, No. 2 pick <span>Brandon Ingram</span>, No. 3 pick <span>Jaylen Brown</span> and everyone else in his class.</p>
<p>Everyone saw him as a star, and a top three pick in the draft. But Calipari and Labissiere sat there, waiting, all the way up until pick No. 28, when the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/">Suns</a> drafted him and traded him to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Kings</a>.</p>
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<p id="XhnqO1">While Skal and company sat and waited for his name to be called, <span>Thon Maker</span>, who never went to college while <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/06/23/just-how-old-is-thon-maker-nba-scouts-reportedly-arent-sure/" target="_blank">scouts aren't 100% sure of his age,</a> went 10th overall. Maker never played against <span>Brown</span>, <span>Simmons</span>, <span>Ingram</span>, or almost anyone else who went to college in the draft. He has had minimal experience against top-tier talent, and yet the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewhoop.com/">Bucks</a> took him at No. 10.</p>
<p>Labissiere went up against Maker in 2015 in a Nike league and dominated him, but the tide has turned since then. As Labissiere sat there, you can only imagine that he pondered how long he would have been sitting in the green room had he been able to bypass college. He likely would’ve been the first or second player to step foot on that stage, and his disappointing season at Kentucky cost him tons of money.</p>
<p id="YK0Tem">Before we go any further, I’ll explain how Maker was able to bypass college, as it is an odd situation. He was originally supposed to be in the NCAA recruiting class of 2016, but was on track to graduate early, and switch to the class of 2015 instead. It would have put him on the fast-track to college stardom, but instead, he was able to enroll at the Athlete Institute in Canada and play alongside and against great players like Kentucky’s own <span>Jamal Murray</span>.</p>
<p>Instead of re-classifying, Maker stayed back a year and played with his younger brother at the Institute, and it was then determined that his year at the Athlete Institute qualified him for the for the 2016 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">NBA Draft</a>, without him ever having to step foot on a college campus.</p>
<p id="Vr4Md9">So if Maker was able to bypass college and go as high as he did, despite controversy surrounding him and his game, does that mean that more players could do the same? No one predicted Maker in the top 10 up until draft week, and no one predicted Labissiere to fall as far as he did.</p>
<p>However, we’ve seen countless prospects leave high school and go into college as a predicted No. 1 pick. It’s not too often that they collapse and fall as far as Skal did, especially when they spend a year at a program like Kentucky, but it happens, and now that we’ve seen Maker find a loophole, we could see more players go for the same thing.</p>
<p id="ocKLsA">It’s obvious that college basketball helps your game immensely. Despite the fact that his draft stock fell, Labissiere is a better basketball player now than he was before he came to Kentucky. He’s still the same athlete, he’s developed a turnaround shot, he’s been forced to toughen up (even if only a tad), and he’s had experience against top-flight division 1 talent.</p>
<p>But when it comes down to it, is that really what a top-flight high school prospect cares about? If someone went to Labissiere and told him that he could bypass college and hurt the development of his game, but make millions more and have the praise of a top draft pick, he would be out of his mind to reject that and go to college. The risk/reward of spending a year in college is high, and most high school athletes would rather see those additional zeros on their first contract.</p>
<p>So, why not continue to play high school prep competition, be absolutely dominant, and go higher in the draft?</p>
<p id="iM2a9w">It wasn’t just Labissiere that hurt his draft stock by going to college for a year either; <span>Cheick Diallo</span>, Stephen Zimmerman and <span>Diamond Stone</span> all had underwhelming seasons in college, and their draft stock took a hit because of it.</p>
<p>And what’s even more evidence that players not going to college are making more money is all the international players that were drafted early in the first round. The first round of the draft saw 15 international players have their names called, the most ever in an NBA Draft, and eight of them never played college basketball. These guys bypassed college, and all eight of them were selected before Skal, who was the last foreign-born player taken in the first round.</p>
<p id="r0eFYg">I’m not saying that every prospect in the world will be clamoring to play one more season in a prep school, or finding an international club to play for in order to avoid college and hurting their draft stock (<span>Karl-Anthony Towns</span> was not supposed to be the top overall pick until he led Kentucky to one of the greatest winning streaks in college history), but this could start a slight trend.</p>
<p>More and more we may see players look to avoid college, especially those who have a lot to lose. If a prospect like Skal, with a slight frame and not much toughness down low, is expected to go No.1 or No. 2 overall, there’s no doubt that he’s trying to go straight to the league if possible. If he’s able to take the Thon Maker route, he’s doing it.</p>
<p>You can’t argue with millions of dollars, additional endorsements, and the fame that being a top pick gives you, as opposed to falling to the back of the first round and having to work that much harder to make others think you are as good as everyone once believed you were.</p>
<p id="duQzkj">Labissiere, <span>Stone</span>, <span>Diallo</span> and Zimmerman became victims of a rule that we thought was mandatory to follow. However, with Maker managing to skip a year of college and still make it to the NBA higher than Labissiere and others, we could see a few prospects -- especially international ones -- looking for ways around that one college season every year.</p>
<p>That's not just bad for college basketball, but will hurt the NBA as well. For the sake of this discussion, let's assume Skal, Diallo, Zimmerman and Stone all turn out to be busts, and their draft day falls was NBA teams simply getting it right with their college evaluations.</p>
<p>Now, what if those guys skipped college altogether and played overseas or for a prep team? Do we see them suddenly going high in the first round, possibly even the lottery because teams were unable to evaluate them against high-level talent, just as Maker avoided.</p>
<p>See the issue? Now NBA teams are suddenly being forced to take chances on guys like Thon, Diallo and Skal high in the draft without an accurate evaluation for them, which undoubtedly leads to more busts and wasted premium draft picks.</p>
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<p><span>Maybe Thon ends up being worth the 10th overall pick, and maybe Skal ends up being the 28th-best player out of this draft, but even if true, reaching said conclusion is much less likely to occur if Skal skips college, which may help him go 10th or 11th instead. </span></p>
<p id="lYm1vt">Some might also question what that means for Kentucky, a program that is currently thriving on a one-and-done philosophy, but no one should be too worried. Like I said before, we’re not going to see every single prospect looking to avoid college.</p>
<p>There are great values to college that help a player. His game improves, he matures, and depending on the coach, he also becomes a much better person. Calipari has done an outstanding job "raising" his players at Kentucky, both on and off the floor. He’s still going to get a ton of five-star prospects to come to Kentucky, although he might lose one or two every few seasons to that loophole.</p>
<p id="BbXT86">As we go forward, it will be interesting to see how this is handled. Will more players look to skip college? Will the NBA and the NCAA work to close the loophole? Will Maker fail to pan out, causing this idea of avoiding college to die out?</p>
<p>It’s certainly going to make for an interesting storyline as we watch Skal and Maker develop, and see who actually turns out to be the better pro.</p>
https://www.aseaofblue.com/2016/6/24/12026294/thon-maker-skal-labissiere-college-basketball-nbaJeremy Chisenhall