As the Kentucky Wildcats prepare for the SEC and NCAA Tournaments, talks about the NBA Draft are already starting, with Cason Wallace being the only Wildcat listed in the latest ESPN NBA Mock Draft. ESPN predicts that Wallace will go No. 13 overall to the Los Angeles Lakers, joining former Wildcats Anthony Davis, Wenyen Gabriel, and Jarred Vanderbilt. If this comes to fruition, it would likely be the most Wildcats on an NBA roster for the 2023-24 season.
Wallace has been Kentucky’s best and most consistent player this season and has had the highest draft stock since the beginning of the season. He is averaging 11.7 points, 4.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals while shooting 44% from the field and 35% from three.
However, the surprise in this mock draft is that no other Wildcats made the list. Oscar Tshiebwe, who was previously considered a second-round pick, is now projected to go undrafted by ESPN. It remains to be seen if this will change before the NBA Draft deadline.
Although Jacob Toppin’s been on the rise lately, and his mid-range game has drastically improved, he isn’t showing up on any draft boards either.
Antonio Reeves would likely have to play himself into the league. The good thing about Reeves is that his game is fit for the NBA game and every roster needs a spot up shooter. He’ll likely make a roster somewhere and develop into a fine NBA player. He’ll need to put on some weight but think more along the lines of a Tyrese Maxey.
It seems like several players on this year’s team could benefit from another season at Kentucky to improve their draft stock. As for Wallace, his focus remains on helping Kentucky succeed in the postseason. He is expected to return for SEC play against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Friday.
You can see the complete NBA mock draft list for 2023 here.
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Read: End of Season Grades For Kentucky
Read: Tshiebwe Named All SEC
