![]() Such players as James Wiseman in 2019 and Jalen Duren in 2021 might have been Wildcats before Penny Hardaway took over the Tigers.ĭuke, though, has successfully built on its connections to USA Basketball, almost ironic given how great the concerns were, originally, that time away from the recruiting road for Krzyzewski and his assistants was costing them the ability to sign big-time players. Kentucky’s knack for landing the most coveted players was affected by Memphis’ entry into that space, as well. But Duke’s surge in recruiting high-end players has impacted the Wildcats. In that same period, Kentucky has produced 19 first-round picks, six of them going in the top 10, and have been to the Final Four once and to the Elite Eight twice more. MORE: Duke stars tell what's its like to be recruited by Coach K That helped produce two Elite Eight finishes and the record-breaking 13 th Final Four for Krzyzewski. Including that season, they’ve had 10 top-10 picks in eight years. ![]() The Blue Devils won Krzyzewski’s fifth NCAA championship that season. * - stats include Enes Kanter and Shaedon Sharpe, who never played in a gameīut 18 of those first-round picks came since 2015, after Duke chose to increase its emphasis on one-and-done prospects with the recruiting class of Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow and Tyus Jones. Kentuckyįirst-round picks since 1989 (Two-round era)įirst-round picks since 2009 (Calipari arrives) ![]() 26 by Timberwolves, will be the last first-round pick signed by Coach K. With only point guard Jeremy Roach returning from the rotation of this season’s Final Four team, it’s almost certain forward Wendell Moore, Jr., chosen at No. Mike Krzyzewski had 10 first-round picks at Duke in the 90s, eight in the 00s, 21 in the 10s and now five this decade. Of UK’s 47 first-round picks, 34 of them came through the program since Calipari was hired to coach the Wildcats in March 2009. So it helps.”Īlthough the stats on the two-round draft go back to 1989, the contest between Duke and Kentucky hasn’t lasted that long. Carrawell wanted this group to beat that because, “Now, when I go into a recruit’s home or something, I’m like: Man, I coached that guy. 4 Kyle Filipowski, a 6-11 center.ĭuke associate head coach Chris Carrawell played for the Devils in the 1998-99 season, when they lost just two games all season, fell in the NCAA championship game and had four players selected in the first round. When four Blue Devils became first-round picks Thursday night in the 2022 NBA Draft and Kentucky produced two (including Shaedon Sharpe, who actually never saw the floor in Lexington), Duke trails UK 49-45 for the most first-rounders since the draft was shortened to two rounds in 1989.Īnd it’s possible Duke could pull even closer next June with three of the top four prospects in high school basketball joining the 2022-23 Blue Devils: No. That’s in part because Duke has caught up – at least – in the recruiting game. Kentucky has not been collecting those lately. It’s how that helps to land the next bunch of draft choices, first-rounders and lottery picks to aid in the pursuit of the Final Four and NCAA championship. This was not well received by those who follow the program and treasure the program’s eight NCAA championships, but nuance rarely gets its due.Īlthough there is no trophy awarded to the college basketball team or coach producing the most NBA Draft choices, or the most first-rounders, or even the most lottery picks, there is a reward for all of this. A dozen years ago, after a night in June 2010 when five Kentucky players were chosen in the NBA Draft first round with even a guy who barely played for the Wildcats included, Wildcats coach John Calipari was compelled to declare, “I’d like to say it is the biggest day in the history of the program.”
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