30 former Wildcats named to 2023 NBA training camp rosters

Zack Geogheganby:Zack Geoghegan•10/05/23•

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The 2023-24 NBA season is already less than three weeks away. Opening day is Tuesday, Oct. 24 with a nationally televised doubleheader. The defending champion Denver Nuggets host the Los Angeles Lakers in game one before the Phoenix Suns head to Golden State for a showdown with the Warriors for the nightcap. At least four former Kentucky Wildcats will take the hardwood for between those two contests.

But before we get to that point, roster cuts across the league must be made. Training camp officially began on Monday and the first preseason game tipped off on Wednesday morning in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Between now and Oct. 23 — just 18 days away — NBA teams will finalize their rosters ahead of the 2023-24 season, which means players teetering on the edge of making a team will have to show enough during that short time in order to stick around for the season-opener.

When it comes to former Kentucky players, for the most part, the majority of them won’t have to worry about cracking the day-one roster. The likes of Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and many others have already established themselves in the league. But for the likes of TyTy Washington, Mychal Mulder, Wenyen Gabriel, and more, these next two two-ish weeks will be vital in showing to their front offices they can hang in the world’s top basketball league.

In total, 30 one-time Wildcats were named to NBA training camp rosters for the preseason. NBA teams will be required by Oct. 23 to have their rosters set (15 players on regular contracts, plus three two-way deals for 18 total roster spots). You can see all 30 names below, sorted alphabetically by last name. Four of the 30 players are on two-way contracts, meaning they can be sent to the G League during the NBA season.

Again, most of these ‘Cats won’t have to worry about making the finalized roster, but there are several who will be fighting for their jobs. In particular, Wenyen Gabriel (BOS), Oscar Tshiebwe (IND), Mychal Mulder (MEM), TyTy Washington (MIL), Jacob Toppin (NYK), Olivier Sarr (OKC), and Johnny Juzang (UTA) will all be competing for roster spots.

Gabriel proved last season to be effective off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers, and with the Celtics’ limited frontcourt depth, there’s a good chance he will sneak onto the final roster come opening day. Mulder, Sarr, and Juzang will enter camp with high hopes of making the final rosters for their respective franchises, but it will be an uphill battle for Mulder to actually crack the roster compared to the other two.

As for Tshiebwe, Washington, and Toppin, they will have to impress in training camp if they want to stay on board. Washington will be helped out by the fact that Milwaukee is lacking backcourt depth, but even still, there is going to be plenty of competition. Tshiebwe’s two-way deal will likely keep him around regardless, although he could see extended time in the G League as a result.

Then you’ve got a small group of Wildcats who are locked into contracts but will need to have breakout seasons if they want to extend their NBA careers beyond the ’23-24 season. They include Kevin Knox (POR), Brandon Boston Jr. (LAC), and Isaiah Jackson (IND). Knox and Boston will both become free agents after this season while the Pacers have the option to bring Jackson back for another season. Indiana has until Oct. 31 to decide if they want to pick up that club option or let Jackson test free agency next summer. He’s the most likely of the three to earn another contract at this point, but expectations will be higher for the soon-to-be third-year pro.

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2024-05-10