Pilgrim’s Intel: Will it be Tshiebwe, Hunter Dickinson or neither? That’s the big question Big Blue Nation is dying to have answered. Although his NBA stock is not high, Oscar was Kentucky’s biggest NIL earner this past season. That said, we still got glimpses of his dominant form, and, of course, huge heart. The reigning national player of the year returned to Kentucky for a senior year, but a preseason knee procedure prevented him from reaching full health until midway through. Oscar Tshiebwe (C, Sr.) – Oscar announced on April 7 he will test the waters of the NBA Draft. Make good money, develop with another season under Coach Cal and make a push for the draft next summer in a weak class overall. And assuming NIL makes sense and a similar role remains on the table, all sides involved expect that to be the final decision for the native of Chicago. The draft process, though, will allow him to learn what he needs to work on before ultimately returning to Kentucky. NBA teams are pessimistic the 6-foot-6 guard will be drafted and would struggle to find a two-way deal, a reality Reeves embraces. Reeves is not interested in grinding things out in the G-League with minimal financial return, certainly not when NIL is available in Lexington with one final year of eligibility. And that’s a path Reeves and those around him are happy to take advantage of. Reeves has not yet worked out for teams, nor has paperwork been returned regarding his official draft grade, but the expectation is that the dynamic scorer will be strongly encouraged to consider a return to Kentucky. Pilgrim’s Intel:John Calipari has encouraged the 22-year-old to explore the draft and receive feedback from NBA franchises, a process that is officially underway. In his first season in Lexington, the Illinois State transfer was Kentucky’s second-leading scorer and, by season’s end, carried the Cats offensively on more than one occasion. Kansas State and Texas A&M were other early options with varying levels of interest.Īntonio Reeves (G, Sr.) – Reeves announced on April 4 he will test the waters of the NBA Draft, leaving open the option to return. He also took a trip to Georgia to weigh a potential return to where his career started in Athens, but Seattle has emerged as the likely landing spot. Pilgrim’s Intel:Wheeler is trending toward Washington, who hosted the 5-foot-9 point guard on a visit this past weekend. John Calipari confirmed that Wheeler wants one more season elsewhere as a fresh start. Due to injuries, he only played 21 games this season, eventually as a backup to Cason Wallace. Sahvir Wheeler (PG, Sr.) – TRANSFER PORTAL – Wheeler entered the transfer portal on March 27, bringing his two-year career in Lexington to an end. A projected lottery pick, Wallace was hampered by injuries throughout his freshman season, but still shined, especially after assuming the starting point guard role. 2020-21 season: 5.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 17.1 MPGĬason Wallace (G, Fr.) – NBA DRAFT – As expected, Cason Wallace announced on April 1 he will enter the draft and stay in.He is not listed on any of the major mock drafts. In his senior season at Kentucky, Toppin moved into a starting role and flourished, doubling his point and rebounding totals. Jacob Toppin (F, Sr.) – NBA DRAFT – On March 31, Toppin announced he is declaring the NBA Draft and forgoing his eligibility. May 11: Transfer Portal closes (Date by which players must tell their school they’re leaving).Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images Important Dates/Deadlines Previous intel will be marked as such, with new updates highlighted in red. Here’s an updated look at where we stand with Kentucky’s 2023-24 roster and what Jack Pilgrim is hearing behind the scenes. While there’s plenty of uncertainty in the frontcourt, there has been some clarity on one of Kentucky’s wings who is also testing the draft waters. Furthermore, Dickinson would like to make his decision this week, creating a complicated situation for Oscar, who is still training and gathering feedback as he tests the NBA Draft waters, and the Kentucky coaching staff. On Monday, Matt Jones shared that Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson is very interested in coming to Kentucky, but only if Oscar Tshiebwe does not return for a final season. We’ve yet to receive any official updates regarding next year’s roster this week, but there have been plenty of rumblings.
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