Kentucky basketball fans have grown accustomed to seeing a number of players selected in the NBA Draft each season under head coach John Calipari, but that may not be the case this season in Mark Pope's first year as head coach.
College basketball talent and NBA talent can be different, and this 2024-25 Kentucky basketball team is loaded with college talent — players who are elite in college but often don't make it in the league.
Kentucky has several players up for grabs in this year's NBA Draft, with Jackson Robinson, Brandon Garrison and Collin Chandler all mentioned in mock drafts. Of the current roster, Robinson is the most likely to go pro because he's tall, can handle the basketball and can shoot.
Chandler is an intriguing prospect, but given he's an older freshman, his chances to excite NBA scouts are now.
Garrison has a ton of potential and is a player that could excite NBA teams if he has a really good season.
But at the end of the day, if Robinson has a great season, he's a candidate for the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. He'll probably need to score at least 18 points per game and have a consistent 3-point shooting percentage, but he's more than capable of doing that.
Kentucky likely won't send as many lottery-pick talent into the upcoming NBA draft as fans are accustomed to, but there's a good chance a few players will end up selected.
