What TyTy Washington declaring for NBA draft means for Kentucky basketball 2022-23 roster
LEXINGTON - Kentucky basketball's 2021-22 roster was built around veterans, but for the 13th consecutive season the Wildcats will have a one-and-done freshman NBA draft pick.
Freshman guard TyTy Washington, who ranked second on the team in scoring during an injury-affected season, declared for the draft Wednesday as widely expected. Washington told ESPN he planned to hire an agent and end his college eligibility.
Washington's decision ensures Kentucky's streak of one-and-done draft picks throughout the John Calipari era continues. For the second time in Calipari's tenure as coach, Kentucky is expected to have just one freshman who played in games declare for the draft though.
Freshman forward Daimion Collins, a five-star prospect like Washington in the 2021 class, is reportedly planning to return to Kentucky after playing sparingly as a freshman. Freshman forward Bryce Hopkins is not considered a NBA draft prospect this year but still has been the subject of possible transfer rumors.
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Multiple Kentucky freshmen have been drafted in 10 of Calipari's first 12 seasons. The exceptions were 2011 when freshman Brandon Knight was joined in the first round by Enes Kanter, a 2010 signee who never played for UK after the NCAA ruled him ineligible, and 2020 when freshman Tyrese Maxey was drafted in the first round but classmate Kahlil Whitney, who left UK's team during the 2019-20 season, went undrafted.
Washington could still be joined in the draft by UK freshman Shaedon Sharpe, who was originally a member of the class of 2022 but graduated a semester early to enroll at UK and practice with the team. Sharpe's camp has said his plan was to return to school for the 2022-23 season, but most NBA draft analysts have projected him as a draft pick this summer. Sharpe could then end up leaving Kentucky without playing a game.
How did TyTy Washington play for Kentucky basketball?
For much of his season at Kentucky, Washington was the most productive freshman guard in the country.
He averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 31 games. Washington led the Southeastern Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.35) and was named second-team All-SEC by the league coaches.
Washington has spent the majority of the season playing off the ball with junior Sahvir Wheeler handling point guard duties. But when Wheeler missed two games with a neck injury, Washington proved more than capable of running the offense with a school-record 17 assists in the Jan. 8 win over Georgia.
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Multiple ankle/leg injuries stalled Washington's momentum in the last month of the season.
In his final six games after returning from the second ankle injury, Washington shot just 35.2% from the field. In the season-ending loss to No. 15 seed Saint Peter's, Washington converted just 2 of 10 shots with one assist and two turnovers.
At his best, Washington was an efficient scorer also capable of getting his teammates involved.
"He's like the silent assassin," Calipari said after Washington totaled 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting with nine assists and one turnover in a win over High Point in December. "Quietly, he tiptoes in and gets 15 points and nine assists, and if you ask me how he played ... you would probably say, he played OK. ... He does it quietly."
Where is TyTy Washington projected to be drafted?
Throughout his freshman season Washington has been projected as a likely lottery pick, but mock drafts are becoming more split on him. In his latest update after the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony dropped Washington from No. 10 to No. 14. The most recent mock drafts from Bleacher Report and The Athletic project Washington at No. 9 and No. 15 respectively. In its most recent mock draft from January, Sports Illustrated projected Washington as the No. 24 pick.
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How will Kentucky basketball replace TyTy Washington?
The answer to this question largely depends on Sharpe's draft decision.
If Sharpe returns to Kentucky, he is an easy replacement for the best option to create his own shot from the backcourt. If Sharpe declares for the draft, the pressure increases on incoming freshmen Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston. Both Wallace and Livingston are ranked as consensus top-10 prospects in the 2022 high school class, but they will need time to develop, just as Washington did.
Calipari is likely to return to the transfer portal to find reinforcements for his backcourt -- especially if Wheeler and Sharpe leave. However, finding a veteran transfer with Washington's scoring ability could be difficult. Guards with that skillset are more likely to be in the draft than the transfer portal.
Washington is the second UK guard to leave UK this offseason, following little-used sophomore reserve Dontaie Allen, who entered the transfer portal. Junior forward Keion Brooks has also declared for the draft while leaving open the door to a possible return.
Email Jon Hale at jahale@courier-journal.com; Follow him on Twitter at @JonHale_CJ.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: NBA draft: TyTy Washington leaving Kentucky basketball after 1 year
