Five Wildcats featured in new ESPN 2024 NBA Mock Draft

Could we see John Calipari’s first five-man draft class at Kentucky since six players heard their names called in 2015? ESPN is predicting it ahead of the 2023-24 college basketball season, with the Wildcats having five selections overall, three in the first round and two in the top 10.

The top-ranked Wildcat? Five-star freshman Justin Edwards, who sits at No. 5 overall in the updated mock draft, projected to the San Antonio Spurs. That comes after he was previously listed as the No. 1 overall prospect by CBS Sports and The Athletic in recent weeks.

From there, fellow five-star freshman DJ Wagner joins Edwards in the top ten at No. 10 overall to the Houston Rockets, followed by none other than sophomore center Ugonna Onyenso to close out the first round at No. 30 overall to the Denver Nuggets.

Kentucky’s other top-rated freshmen get things rolling early in the second round, starting with five-star forward Aaron Bradshaw at No. 35 overall to the Spurs alongside Edwards, then five-star guard Robert Dillingham at No. 42 overall, joining Onyenso with the Nuggets.

5. Justin Edwards – San Antonio Spurs
10. D.J. Wagner – Houston Rockets
30. Ugonna Onyenso – Denver Nuggets
35. Aaron Bradshaw – San Antonio Spurs
42. Robert Dillingham – Denver Nuggets

Kentucky joins the G League Ignite as the only program with five draft selections in the latest update, the latter with three in the top 10 — including Nos. 1 and 3 in Ron Holland and Matas Buzelis, respectively.

Ron Holland (G League Ignite) – Washington Wizards
Isaiah Collier (USC) – Detroit Pistons
Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite) – Charlotte Hornets
Alex Sarr (Perth Wildcats) – Portland Trail Blazers
Justin Edwards (Kentucky) – San Antonio Spurs
Donovan Clingan (UConn) – Indiana Pacers
Stephon Castle (UConn) – Utah Jazz
Izan Almansa (G League Ignite) – Oklahoma City Thunder
Kyle Filipowski (Duke) – Orlando Magic
DJ Wagner (Kentucky) – Houston Rockets

Kentucky draft history

Kentucky saw just two draft selections in 2023, Cason Wallace coming off the board at No. 10 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by Chris Livingston at No. 58. The Wildcats had two selections in 2022 (Shaedon Sharpe and TyTy Washington), two in 2021 (Isaiah Jackson and BJ Boston), three in 2020 (Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley and Nick Richards) and three in 2019 (PJ Washington, Tyler Herro and Keldon Johnson).

Four Wildcats heard their names called in 2018 (Kevin Knox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jarred Vanderbilt and Hamidou Diallo), three again in 2017 (De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo) and three in 2016 (Jamal Murray, Skal Labissiere and Tyler Ulis) before the last group of at least five with six in 2015 featuring Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles, Devin Booker, Andrew Harrison and Dakari Johnson.

That tied for Calipari’s record he initially set in 2012 with six as Anthony Davis, Michael-Kidd Gilchrist, Terrence Jones, Marquis Teague, Doron Lamb and Darius Miller all heard their names called.

How many will come off the board for the Wildcats next summer?