Three former Wildcats named to 2022-23 All-NBA Teams
We here at KSR call it the BBNBA for a reason.
On Wednesday night, the three 2022-23 All-NBA Teams were announced by the league office. Making up the 15-player list were a trio of former Kentucky Wildcats, who all produced career seasons for their respective franchises.
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the highest recognized of the bunch, making the All-NBA First Team alongside a superstar group that also included Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Elsewhere, Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox and New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle were tabbed to the All-NBA Third Team.
Kentucky led the NBA in terms of the number of former players on opening-day rosters. Since 2015, head coach John Calipari has seen eight of his one-time ‘Cats go on to earn 14 All-NBA honors — the most of any college during that span.
Starting with Gilgeous-Alexander, it should be no shock to see him make the First Team. Now in his fifth NBA season, the slow-paced floor general put together his best year yet, averaging 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.6 steals in 35.5 minutes per outing for OKC. He started in all 68 games he appeared in for the Thunder, finishing with impressive shooting splits of 51.0/34.5/90.5.
Despite a youthful OKC entering the ’22-23 campaign as an expected lottery team, SGA powered his squad to a 40-42 overall record and a spot in the NBA play-In Tournament. Most notably, Gilgeous-Alexander led the entire league in 30-point outings, reaching that mark in 44 of his 68 games played. He also made his first All-Star appearance.
As for Fox, the Kings’ point guard led the oft-forgotten franchise to its first playoff spot since the ’05-06 season. Behind his career year, Sacramento finished third in the Western Conference with a 48-34 overall record but was bested in the first round of the postseason by the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
Fox, who was also a first-time All-Star in what is his sixth NBA season, recorded averages of 25.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in 33.4 minutes per contest. He started in all 73 games he appeared in for the Kings, shooting 51.2 percent from the floor, 32.4 percent from deep, and 78.0 percent from the free throw line. The former UK lead guard was also named the inaugural winner of the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award.
Finally, Randle is making his second appearance on the All-NBA Team after being named to the Second Team in 2020-21. Following a down stretch in ’21-22, the brutish big man was back to his impactful ways this season for the New York Knicks, which are currently facing the Miami Heat in the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the first time the franchise has made it this far since 2013.
The two-time All-Star averaged 25.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 35.5 minutes per game for the Knicks, starting all 77 games he played in. Randle shot 45.9 percent overall, 34.3 percent from long range, and 75.7 percent from the charity stripe. He posted 40 double-doubles throughout the season and topped at least 40 points three times.
2022-23 All-NBA Teams
First Team
G: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
G: Luka Doncic (DAL)
C: Joel Embiid (PHI)
F: Jayson Tatum (BOS)
F: Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL)
Second Team
G: Donovan Mitchell (CLE)
G: Stephen Curry (GSW)
C: Nikola Jokic (DEN)
F: Jaylen Brown (BOS)
F: Jimmy Butler (MIA)
Third Team
G: De’Aaron Fox (SAC)
G: Damian Lillard (POR)
C: Domantas Sabonis (SAC)
F: LeBron James (LAL) *19th All-NBA selection, most all-time*
F: Julius Randle (NYK)
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