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Kentucky players in the NBA: How many players in the NBA today have attended the University of Kentucky?

Samir Mehdi
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Kentucky players in the NBA: How many players in the NBA today have attended the University of Kentucky?

How many players in the NBA today have attended the University of Kentucky and who all are they? 

The University of Kentucky is among the few pristine colleges in the United States that seems to attract high school basketball phenoms while also producing high end talent that prospers within the NBA. Guys like Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, and Karl Anthony Towns are just a few of the big names players that spent time as a Wildcat. 

John Calipari has been the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats since 2009 and won the NCAA Championship back in 2012 with future number 2 overall pick, Michael Kidd Gilchrist at the helm.

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When most people think about former Wildcats that have succeeded within the league, they think of the aforementioned young stars of the league. It’s easy to forget that legends of the past such as Jamal Mashburn, Tony Delk, Antoine Walker, and Rajon Rondo all attended the University of Kentucky before entering the big leagues. 

Young stars in the NBA today that have attended Kentucky. 

There is a rather long list of players that have been Kentucky Wildcats and were subsequently drafted into the NBA this past decade. This ranges from role players like Enes Kanter, Eric Bledsoe, Willie Cauley-Stein to superstars like Karl Anthony Towns and Devin Booker (both were teammates in 2015).

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John Wall and Demarcus Cousins, two players who are a bit of an afterthought in the 2020s after having been All-NBA talent in the 2010s, also attended Kentucky together. 

More recently, Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, PJ Washington, and Shai Gilgeous Alexander were also Wildcats. Jamal Murray and De’Aaron Fox are two score first Western Conference point guards who were under Calipari’s wing during the mid-2010s. 

It’s safe to say that the University of Kentucky has produced some incredible high-end talent that’s enjoyed an incredible amount of success within the NBA. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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