Kentucky Basketball: WIllie Cauley-Stein Hints at NBA Draft Declaration, How Many Teammates to Follow?
ByWillie Cauley-Stein seems primed to declare for the NBA Draft and following him could be up to six of his Kentucky Wildcats teammates.
Speaking with the Lexington Courier-Journal, the Wildcats' junior center indicated he is leaning toward going pro but had yet to make up his mind.
"It's time to take another step," he said. "I mean, obviously, I'm not 100 percent on it, but I'm pretty sure I know what I want to do. Gotta talk to a couple more people, but probably was my last game here."
Kentucky coach John Calipari told USA Today Cauley-Stein will certainly not be the only Wildcat to declare for the NBA Draft. He said he expects sophomore guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison, as well as sophomore forwards Karl-Anthony Towns and Trey Lyles to go pro.
Calipari said sophomore center Dakari Johnson and freshman guard Devin Booker may be the only Wildcats who received regular playing time this season to stay. Calipari said he has spoken to a number of his players individually since losing to Wisconsin in the Final Four.
"There's not going to be any brainwashing, forcing, pushing either in or out. I want each kid to make a decision for themselves," he told USA Today. "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."
Cauley-Stein, a first-team All American this season, Towns and Lyles are widely projected to be first round picks should they declare. Booker may also be a first round selection as well.
Calipari ran a ball-sharing offensive system that saw no player average more than 11 points per game at season's end, though there were seven players who averaged at least six points per game. He also kept his players fresh by switching out as many as five players at a time.