Four Wildcats Find New Homes In NBA After Draft

Lane Mills
Herald Staff
lane@harrodsburgherald.com

This year’s NBA Draft took place on Thursday, June 22, featuring some of the most highly-touted prospects the league has seen in years. Big names like Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller dominated the headlines.

Though Kentucky was right in the mix as always, seeing four players enter the draft: Cason Wallace, Chris Livingston, Jacob Toppin and Oscar Tshiebwe.

After a disappointing loss in the Round of 32 in last year’s NCAA tournament, Kentucky fans will be sure to miss four of the biggest difference-makers from the ’22-23 team.

The first to go was Wallace to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the tenth pick. He’d be the only UK player drafted in the lottery this year, and will join UK alumni Shai-Gilgeous Alexander in a Thunder backcourt that is sure to ruffle some feathers in the Western Conference. Wallace started his season at Kentucky on the bench, though it didn’t take him long to claim the starting point guard spot and lead the team through all the season’s ups and downs.

Second, and last to be picked in the draft, was Chris Livingston, who would be taken very last by the Milwaukee Bucks at 58. He plays an array of positions, and for a Bucks team that has been knocked out of the playoffs two years in a row now, with this year’s first-round upset being particularly worrying, his versatility will be more than welcome. From the two spot to the four spot, Livingston can provide, and prove that in his time at Kentucky.

Going into the draft, Livingston’s agency promised that he was destined to go to one team, going as far as to cancel workouts with other groups and calling their front offices, telling them not to pick him. Even if it was at the last possible moment, it seems like the Bucks got their guy.

The remaining two Cats, despite going undrafted, still managed to find a home.