Wallace is a lock to be an NBA Draft pick, but what about Tshiebwe and Livingston?
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NBA Draft night is shaping up to be a long one for Kentucky basketball fans.
There’s no question that Cason Wallace will be drafted. The only drama for him will be whether he’s a lottery pick (i.e. chosen among the first 14 selections). If not, it’ll be soon after.
After Wallace goes off the board, there will probably be a bit of a wait before, and if, teammates Chris Livingston and Oscar Tshiebwe are selected, while Jacob Toppin is not projected to be a draft pick.
Last year’s final pick came in just after 12:30 a.m. ET, so have some coffee at the ready and maybe get a nap in ahead of time.
Tshiebwe, who has been making the predraft workout rounds, is banking on his elite rebounding ability to earn him an NBA roster spot, whether it be as a draft pick or as an undrafted free agent.
“I believe there will be a team that is going to really need me (to) help them,” Tshiebwe told Indiana Pacers team writer Wheat Hotchkiss in a report posted June 12. “… I fight for rebounds, I outrun everybody, I fight for position to help my team win.”
He’s also hoping that having Coach John Calipari in his corner in the predraft process pays off.
“It was one of my dream schools,” Tshiebwe told Hotchkiss. “I wanted to play for Coach Calipari because Coach Calipari is an NBA producer who is producing a lot of kids going to the NBA. I’m very honored and I’m very grateful to be able to play for Coach Calipari at Kentucky. Kentucky has helped me a lot. People don’t even know how much Kentucky has helped me in this journey.
“Coach Calipari is talking to all these teams, ‘Y’all got to get Oscar, y’all got to get Oscar, y’all got to get Oscar. That kid works harder than anybody else. That kid will do (more) extra things than anybody else.’”
Meanwhile, Livingston cut off his NBA Draft workout schedule early, leading to speculation that a team has given him a promise that it will choose him.
That all leads up to several hours of intrigue Thursday night, when we’ll find out how many Wildcats are selected.
Here’s some more information and prognostication on this year’s Kentucky basketball NBA Draft class.
Cason Wallace
Age, height, weight, position: 19, 6-foot-4, 193 pounds, point guard.
2022-23 statistics: 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 34.6% on threes.
ESPN rankings: 15th overall, fifth-best point guard.
ESPN player comparisons: Jrue Holiday, Cameron Payne, Tyler Ennis, Will Blalock.
The Ringer ranking (as of June 14): 11th overall.
The Ringer mock draft (as of June 20): 16th by the Utah Jazz.
The Ringer player comparisons: Jrue Holiday, De’Anthony Melton.
The Ringer analysis: “Defends much bigger than his height would suggest. Much like Jrue Holiday, he hounds opponents with his length, toughness, and fundamentals. … Soft touch from all over the floor. He’s comfortable using floaters and runners. At the rim, he can use either hand. … He’s best suited for a ball-sharing offense since he’s more of a combo guard. … Unproven shooter off the dribble, especially from behind the arc. … Fit will matter for him, because he needs to be paired with a primary guard that he can thrive off of.”
CBS Sports ranking: 12th overall.
CBS Sports player comparison: DeAnthony Melton.
CBS Sports analysis: “The best on-ball defensive menace in the 2023 class. … He’s a long-strider with good passing instincts who can facilitate and create… .”
Chris Livingston
Age, height, weight, position: 19, 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, small forward.
2022-23 statistics: 6.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.7 assists.
ESPN rankings: 54th overall, 14th-best small forward.
ESPN player comparisons: Jonah Bolden, Tyrese Martin, Charles Matthews, Chaundee Brown Jr.
The Ringer ranking (as of June 14): 45th overall.
The Ringer mock draft (as of June 20): 43rd to the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Ringer player comparisons: Keith Bogans, Dwayne Bacon.
The Ringer analysis: “Possesses an NBA frame with long arms and a thick upper body, which he uses to do a lot of the dirty work on offense. … Projects as an effective straight-line driver who can attack closeouts and rumble his way to the basket. … Super inefficient on pull-ups and floaters. This is in part due to his loose handle, lack of playmaking feel, and inability to create space off the bounce.”
CBS Sports ranking: 65th overall.
Oscar Tshiebwe
Age, height, weight, position: 23, 6-foot-9, 260 pounds, center.
2022-23 statistics: 16.5 points, 13.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.0 blocks.
ESPN rankings: 60th overall, seventh-best center.
ESPN player comparisons: Kenyon Martin, Justin Hamilton, Paul Davis.
The Ringer ranking (as of June 14): 62nd overall.
The Ringer mock draft (as of June 20): Undrafted.
The Ringer player comparisons: Reggie Evans, short Andre Drummond.
The Ringer analysis: “One of the best rebounders in college basketball history. He’s like Gollum in pursuit of his ring. Even if it means ripping the ball away from his teammates, he never stops hustling for his precious. … During the predraft process, he has worked on shooting corner threes, which would be a game-changing skill for him to develop. … Sloppy passer. Struggles with making basic reads and delivering the ball with accuracy. … He has subpar positioning in pick-and-roll defense, and he doesn’t really deter players from driving on him.”
CBS Sports ranking: 63rd overall.
Jacob Toppin
Age, height, weight, position: 23, 6-foot-9, 205 pounds, power forward.
2022-23 statistics: 12.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists.
ESPN rankings: 86th overall, 17th-best power forward.
ESPN player comparisons: Rayshaun Hammonds, Lavoy Allen, Jakarr Sampson, Isaiah Mobley.
The Ringer ranking (as of June 14): Unranked (analysis unavailable).
The Ringer mock draft (as of June 20): Undrafted.
CBS Sports ranking: Unranked.
Thursday
NBA Draft
When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
TV: First round on ABC-36 and ESPN; second round on ESPN only
Everything you need to know about the 2023 NBA Draft, with projections for UK’s prospects
For Kentucky basketball, the pros and cons of Oscar Tshiebwe’s NBA decision
No Oscar, no problem? Tshiebwe says Kentucky’s frontcourt will be fine, even without him.
Cason Wallace looks back on his time at Kentucky, ahead to the NBA. ‘I have no regrets.’
Chris Livingston is staying in the NBA Draft. Here’s what that means for Kentucky.
