Declaring for the NBA Draft is becoming somewhat of a trend for University of Kentucky Wildcats in the lead-up to the June event.
On Tuesday, junior forward Nick Richards became the fourth player from John Calipari’s squad to announce that he will enter the professional Draft ahead of schedule.
The 6’11” forward has now ensured that 80% of the team’s starting lineup will not return for next season. Richards, a native of Kingston, Jamaica, averaged 14.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game this season in 30 starts until the season was called off.
Richards spent his first two seasons in Lexington as a reserve, seeing only minimal time on the court and falling into the shadow of other talented big men. He took a big step forward this season, however, becoming a key member of Kentucky’s frontcourt.
He was named a first-team All-SEC selection by writers, and impressed with his tenacious defense and surprisingly good shot. People around the country in college basketball circles were impressed with how much the big man improved in such a short time.
Consensus on Richards’ draft position isn’t settled, with some predicting him to go as early as late in the first round and others considering him a second-round selection.
