LEXINGTON, Ky. — The NBA began Tuesday night with 29 former University of Kentucky players on opening day rosters. That is the most for any college program with Duke being the next closest with 23.
There are currently 18 teams out of the 30 in the league that have at least one former Wildcat on their roster. There are three teams that have three Wildcats on their roster. Former UK stars Michael Kidd Kidd-Gilchrist (2012), Malik Monk (2017) and PJ Washington (2018-19) call Charlotte their home; DeMarcus Cousins (2010), Anthony Davis (2012) and Rajon Rondo (2005-06) play for the Lakers; and Hamidou Diallo (2017-18), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2018) and Nerlens Noel (2013) will suit up for OKC. Five other franchises have two each.
In the 10 seasons Calipari has been the head coach at Kentucky, his players have totaled nearly $1.9 billion in NBA contracts. In just the 2019-20 season alone, UK players are set to make more than $255 million.
Wildcats in the NBA
Bam Adebayo – Miami Heat
Eric Bledsoe – Milwaukee Bucks
Devin Booker – Phoenix Suns
Willie Cauley-Stein – Golden State Warriors
DeMarcus Cousins – Los Angeles Lakers
Anthony Davis – Los Angeles Lakers
Hamidou Diallo – Oklahoma City Thunder
De’Aaron Fox – Sacramento Kings
Wenyen Gabriel- Sacramento Kings
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
Tyler Herro – Miami Heat
Keldon Johnson – San Antonio Spurs
Enes Kanter – Boston Celtics
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – Charlotte Hornets
Brandon Knight – Cleveland Cavaliers
Kevin Knox – New York Knicks
Skal Labissière – Portland Trail Blazers
Trey Lyles – San Antonio Spurs
Darius Miller – New Orleans Pelicans
Malik Monk – Charlotte Hornets
Jamal Murray – Denver Nuggets
Nerlens Noel – Oklahoma City Thunder
Patrick Patterson – Los Angeles Clippers
Julius Randle – New York Knicks
Rajon Rondo – Los Angeles Lakers
Karl-Anthony Towns – Minnesota Timberwolves
Jarred Vanderbilt – Denver Nuggets
John Wall – Washington Wizards
PJ Washington – Charlotte Hornets
