Kentucky freshman point guard Brandon Knight has announced he's staying in the NBA Draft.
Knight is
an expected lottery pick and a player who's been linked to one of the
Cavaliers' two lottery picks. Knight (6'3, 185) led Kentucky in scoring at 17.3 points per
game. His strong finish to his freshman season included the game-winning
shot that eliminated top-seeded and No. 1 Ohio State in the regional
semifinals.
The deadline for underclassmen who originally entered the draft
but did not hire agents to withdraw is Sunday.
The Cavaliers have their
own pick (no lower than fifth) and that of the L.A. Clippers (no lower than 11th) as they await the May 17 lottery.
The Cavaliers have a 19 percent chance of getting the top pick.
Knight announced his decision on the UK campus Friday morning and said he'd received feedback from NBA teams that told him he'll be a top-10 pick.
Two more Kentucky underclassmen, Terrence Jones and
DeAndre Liggins, also entered the draft and face decisions by the end of
the weekend. Jones could be a lottery pick. Liggins, considered a
defensive specialist at the NBA level, would likely be a second-rounder.
Jones wrote on his Twitter account late Thursday evening that he's "50/50" and will make his decision soon.
European big man Enes Kanter, who enrolled at Kentucky last fall but was ruled ineligible by the NCAA, is also expected to be a top-five selection.
--Zac Jackson
