Skip to main content

Kentucky coach John Calipari expects starters to declare for NBA draft

Kentucky head coach John Calipari discusses NBA futures of his starting five.
  • Author:
  • Publish date:

Kentucky head coach John Calipari said Monday that several of his players will likely declare for the NBA draft.

Though nothing has been officially announced, Calipari discussed the futures of some of his players from this season’s team that went 38-1 and lost in the national semifinals to Wisconsin.

• MANNIX: NBA prospects to watch in Final Four

Calipari told reporters that junior forward and first-team AP All-American Willie Cauley-Stein (8.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.7 blocks), freshman forward Karl-Anthony Towns, sophomore guards Andrew and Aaron Harrison and freshman forward Trey Lyles (8.7 ppt, 5.2 rebounds) are likely to forego their final seasons of college eligibility and enter the draft, which will be June 25 in New York City.

"There's not going to be any brainwashing, forcing, pushing either in or out. I want each kid to make a decision for themselves," Calipari said. "I did tell a couple of the kids that it's a man's league; it's not a child's league. If you're not ready for a man's league, you need to come back."

Calipari also said that sophomore Dakari Johnson and freshman guard Devin Booker are considering possibly declaring for the draft.

Aaron Harrison led the team in scoring this past season, averaging 11 points and 2.6 rebounds per game. Towns (10.3 ppg) and Booker (10.0 ppg) were the only other players that averaged double digits this season for the Wildcats.

The deadline for early entry eligibility is 11:59 p.m. ET on April 26.

- Scooby Axson