One paragraph on every former Kentucky player in the NBA ahead of the 2025-26 season

The 2025-26 NBA season has finally arrived.

Games begin Tuesday night, headlined by the Houston Rockets against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:30 p.m. ET (Peacock/NBC) and followed by the Golden State Warriors against the Los Angeles Lakers at 10:00 p.m. ET (Peacock/NBC). How we watch NBA games will look a bit different this season, with multiple streaming services to choose from on any given night. But the on-court product will mostly look the same.

By our count, 28 former Kentucky Wildcats will suit up on opening night rosters, ranging from MVP candidates and All-Stars, all the way down to role players and G Leaguers. To preview what lies ahead over the next several months, we’re breaking down every ‘Cat with one paragraph on what you need to know the most. Let’s get started.

Bam Adebayo (MIA)

• Bam Adebayo was still one of the league’s best defenders last season, but he’ll be looking for a bounce-back campaign offensively. His 18.1 points per outing were his fewest since 2019-20 and his 48.5 field goal percentage was a career-low. Adebayo attempted more three-pointers last season (221) than in every previous season combined (104). Miami is a borderline playoff team going into the season — they’ll need a big all-around season from Adebayo to make it in.

Devin Booker (PHX)

• Devin Booker is entering year 11 as a pro, all of them spent with the Phoenix Suns — this could be one of his worst team seasons yet. Out went Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and in came pieces the Houston Rockets wanted to get rid of. Booker signed a massive two-year, $145 million extension in the summer that locks him down through 2029-30. He doesn’t plan on going anywhere and is the obvious franchise leader, but all it takes is a poor start before the rumors start to grow. The Suns have a first-year head coach running a roster that isn’t playoff-caliber. Booker is still an All-Star player.

Koby Brea (PHX)

• Sticking in Phoenix, the Suns inked rookie Koby Brea to a two-way contract. Brea will spend a good chunk of this season trying to prove himself in the G League. His shooting skills (combined with playing for a potential lottery team) should give him a few opportunities in the NBA throughout the season. Watching Booker from the sidelines will be a good model of success.

Anthony Davis (DAL)

• What the Dallas Mavericks lack in the backcourt, they make up for in the frontcourt, including 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis. After being shipped to Dallas in the Luka Doncic deal, Davis will have a full season with the Mavericks, serving as a veteran to No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. But making the playoffs in the West will once again be a challenge. Davis played just nine games with the Mavs last season. There is plenty of talent around him, but this team will, in a sense, be learning how to play together on the fly.

Rob Dillingham (MIN)

• This is a potentially massive season for Rob Dillingham in Minnesota. The front office brought him in as a top 10 pick last year to help ease ball-handling responsibilities off Anthony Edwards. That did not happen. They’ll need it even more so this season now that Mike Conley is a year older and the backcourt depth has thinned. Another season buried on the bench won’t do Minnesota or Dillingham any good. He’s done some good things in the preseason, though.

Justin Edwards (PHI)

• Who would have thought Justin Edwards would be Kentucky’s best rookie from last year’s draft? The 6-foot-7 wing took full advantage of the 76ers’ injury misery, producing right away for a bad team. What will his role look like with Philadelphia healthier going into the season? The front office gave Edwards a multi-year deal in the offseason, but they drafted VJ Edgecombe for a reason.

De’Aaron Fox (SAS)

• Starting the season with an injured hamstring is never ideal, and that’s what De’Aaron Fox is doing for what is still basically a new team. He played just 17 games for the Spurs last season following a mid-season trade from the Kings. The numbers did not stick out. He’ll likely miss some games to begin the season. But he has this guy named Victor Wembanyama playing alongside him, and that MVP-type leap is coming sooner rather than later from him. If there were ever a year for Fox to get back to shooting 35 percent from deep, this would be the one. He also signed an extension with the franchise in the summer.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)

• There’s only so much we can say about the reigning MVP that hasn’t already been said. Depending on which sports book you ask, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the favorite to repeat as MVP. His Oklahoma City Thunder will be he favorite to repeat as champions. SGA had about as perfect a season as any player could have in 2024-25, but the 27-year-old is still only getting better. A potential dynasty could be on the way if everything goes according to plan.

Tyler Herro (MIA)

• Like Fox, Tyler Herro will enter the season injured, but his issue could keep him sidelined for longer. Coming off his first All-Star appearance, Herro could miss several weeks out of the gate. That’s not ideal for Miami’s middling playoff hopes, and another reason why Adebayo has to play well early and often on both ends of the floor. But Herro could be in line for another impressive season once he does return. He scored a career-best 23.9 points per game in 2024-25 — and this upcoming season will be free of Jimmy Butler drama.

Isaiah Jackson (IND)

• After missing nearly all of last season with a torn Achilles, Isaiah Jackson received a solid contract extension with the Pacers. But this Indiana team won’t be the one that made it to the NBA Finals last season. Tyrese Haliburton is expected to miss the entire season, while Myles Turner was shipped off to Milwaukee. Losing Turner will directly impact Jackson and should allow him more playing time, potentially as the starter.

Keldon Johnson (SAS)

• Coming off the bench all of last season, expect a similar role for Keldon Johnson in year seven with the Spurs. He’ll serve as a complementary scoring piece next to Fox and Wembanyama, but can he juice his three-point shooting numbers after making just 31.8 percent a season ago? If Johnson doesn’t make obvious improvements, his time in San Antonio might not last much longer. The Spurs are working on Wembanyama’s timeline.

Johnny Juzang (MIN)

• After three seasons in Utah where he played just 102 games, Johnny Juzang could see a real role with the Timberwolves this season, but he’s still on a two-way deal and will bounce between the G League. Juzang shot 37.6 percent from deep last season on 314 attempts. If he can knock down shots, minutes could come his way, but Minnesota wants to put the best players on the floor and not fool around much with giving bench players extended opportunities (like what happened with Dillingham last season).

Tyrese Maxey (PHI)

• After making an All-Star Game in 2023-24, Tyrese Maxey was thrust into a larger role in 2024-25 as his teammates went down with injuries. His scoring went up, but his efficiency went down. Eventually, Maxey went out with an injury too, playing just 52 games on the season. Still only 24 years old, he’ll be expected to slide back into his spot as an All-Star point guard. But Philly’s entire season still depends on the health of Joel Embiid.

Malik Monk (SAC)

• After being mentioned in trade rumors all offseason, Malik Monk remains a member of the Sacramento Kings. But there is an obvious logjam in the backcourt of players similar to Monk: guards who need the ball in their hands to score and make plays. Monk will be an option for Sixth Man of the Year, but this Kings roster makes little sense and isn’t expected to win many games. Don’t be shocked if he’s rumored as a trade target again this season.

Jamal Murray (DEN)

• Can Jamal Murray make his first All-Star Game this season? The Nuggets pieced together a roster around Murray and Nikola Jokic (the best player in the world) that should have them competing for a championship once again. But Murray has more or less been the same player since returning from his ACL injury ahead of the 2022-23 season — which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This will be an important year for the 28-year-old co-star. If he plays at an All-Star level all season, Denver will be a top title contender.

Immanuel Quickley (TOR)

• As someone who follows the NBA closely, I often forget Immanuel Quickley is even in the league. He played just 33 games for the Raptors last season, but put up numbers when he did. Toronto will be fighting for a playoff spot in the East. Quickley is making a boatload of money that he hasn’t earned on the floor just yet. Can he establish himself as a no-doubt starting point guard in the NBA? This season might be what decides that.

Julius Randle (MIN)

• It wasn’t an All-Star season, but Julius Randle ended up fitting in nicely with Minnesota in 2024-25, which resulted in another Western Conference Finals appearance for the franchise. Randle had his best overall postseason as a pro, as well. The Wolves are essentially running back the same core from last season. It was Randle’s best shooting season since 2018-19. Another run like that will have Minnesota in the mix out West once again.

Antonio Reeves (CHA)

• Can Antonio Reeves break into the rotation in Charlotte? He shot the ball well as a rookie for the Pelicans, but only appeared in 44 games. It’s unlikely he’ll see a rotational role with the Hornets early on, but this team could once again sit near the bottom of the standings. An opportunity should come. Reeves is on a two-way deal.

Nick Richards (PHX)

• The Suns certainly don’t lack mediocre centers, and Nick Richards is right there among the bunch. He’ll fight for minutes in Phoenix with Mark Williams, Oso Ighodaro, and rookie Khaman Maluach. Richards did average 9.5 points and 8.6 rebounds across 36 games for Phoenix last season, though. He’s a solid depth option for a Suns team that isn’t expected to make a playoff run.

Shaedon Sharpe (POR)

• Fresh off a four-year, $90 million contract extension, Shaedon Sharpe has the faith of the Trail Blazers’ front office behind him. Will he use that faith to actually improve his overall game? There is All-Star potential in the 22-year-old, but it’s been far from consistent. Sharpe wants to score the ball, and he does it well, but rounding out his game is what he needs to take that next leap. If Portland has a better season than expected, it will be in part because Sharpe has started to figure it out.

Reed Sheppard (HOU)

• What will Reed Sheppard’s role in year two with the Rockets look like? He did not get the chance to play consistently as a rookie, but he is clearly above the G League level. Sheppard’s expected role grew once Fred VanVleet went down with a torn ACL in the offseason, although he might not be a regular starter. Expectations are high for Sheppard in Houston this season, where he’ll play alongside Kevin Durant on a team hoping to reach the NBA Finals. A lot of eyes will be on the London, KY native this season.

Jacob Toppin (ATL)

• Jacob Toppin will start the season on a two-way deal with the Hawks. He’s shown to be an All-Star at the G League level, but hasn’t played enough NBA games yet. Atlanta has a talented roster this season around star guard Trae Young — how much playing time could come Toppin’s way? It’s best to be pleasantly surprised. Toppin will likely get another run at dominating in the G League for most of the season.

Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK)

• Other than the Cleveland Cavaliers, the New York Knicks will be the team to beat in the East. Karl-Anthony Towns is a major reason why. The Knicks fired their head coach and replaced him with Mike Brown, but the core of the rotation is mostly the same for a team that just won 51 games and made the Eastern Conference Finals. Another All-Star season is expected (and needed) out of Towns if New York is to live up to lofty expectations. The Knicks will be a lot of people’s picks to win the East.

Oscar Tshiebwe (UTA)

• It’ll be another two-way contract season for Oscar Tshiebwe, who has been one of the best G League players of the last couple of seasons. But he’s back in Utah once again, a team that will be among the worst in the entire league. Could that open more playing time for Big O? He put up numbers down the stretch of last season for the Jazz.

Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL)

• Will Jarred Vanderbilt actually play this season? That’s the question surrounding the versatile forward. He played 29 games in 2023-24 and just 36 in 2024-25. The Lakers sure could use his defense and rebounding this season too, especially with LeBron James already on the mend. Luka Doncic will prop this team up into playoff caliber, but it’s on guys like Vanderbilt to fill in the gaps and make this a title contender.

Cason Wallace (OKC)

• Going into year three, Cason Wallace already has a championship ring on his finger. He improved on both ends of the floor from year one to year two. Can he take on an even larger role in 2025-26? Oklahoma City is running back the core of last season’s title winners, meaning Wallace will be a key figure once again in helping team success. Taking a step in the right direction offensively could make him a lot of money.

PJ Washington (DAL)

• PJ Washington will be in the running for Sixth Man of the Year coming off the Dallas bench. As mentioned, the Mavericks have plenty of front-court depth, led by Washington, who had arguably his most productive season as a pro in 2024-25. Dallas inked him to a four-year, $90 million deal in the offseason. Washington, who can stretch the floor and hit the glass, will be a member of a tough group of forwards/centers this season.

Amari Williams (BOS)

• Starting the season on a two-way deal with Boston, there is a path to playing time for rookie Amari Williams. The Celtics are facing a bit of a gap year with Jayson Tatum recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. The frontcourt depth is lacking. Williams might play out of necessity if any injury happens. We won’t expect much from the second-round draft pick, but he’s in an interesting situation going into 2025-26.

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