Since 2000, John Calipari has produced 41 first-round picks in the NBA Draft. That, quite simply, is a lot. Well over one per year on average. Some of those have been great picks — Karl-Anthony Towns, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, etc. etc. Some of them haven't panned out quite as well. Nevertheless, if you played for John Calipari in college, there's a pretty good chance you'll be picked in the first round of the draft.
Every first-round NBA Draft pick John Calipari has produced since 2000
Player | Pick | Year |
|---|---|---|
Dajuan Wagner | 6 | 2002 |
Shawne Williams | 17 | 2006 |
Derrick Rose | 1 | 2008 |
Tyreke Evans | 4 | 2009 |
John Wall | 1 | 2010 |
DeMarcus Cousins | 5 | 2010 |
Patrick Patterson | 13 | 2010 |
Eric Bledsoe | 18 | 2010 |
Daniel Orton | 29 | 2010 |
Enes Kanter | 3 | 2011 |
Brandon Knight | 8 | 2011 |
Anthony Davis | 1 | 2012 |
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | 2 | 2012 |
Terrence Jones | 18 | 2012 |
Marquis Teague | 29 | 2012 |
Nerlens Noel | 6 | 2013 |
Archie Goodwin | 29 | 2013 |
Julius Randle | 7 | 2014 |
James Young | 17 | 2014 |
Karl-Anthony Towns | 1 | 2015 |
Willie Cauley-Stein | 6 | 2015 |
Trey Lyles | 12 | 2015 |
Devin Booker | 13 | 2015 |
Jamal Murray | 7 | 2016 |
Skal Labissière | 28 | 2016 |
De'Aaron Fox | 5 | 2017 |
Malik Monk | 11 | 2017 |
Bam Adebayo | 14 | 2017 |
Kevin Knox | 9 | 2018 |
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 11 | 2018 |
PJ Washington | 12 | 2019 |
Tyler Herro | 13 | 2019 |
Keldon Johnson | 29 | 2019 |
Tyrese Maxey | 21 | 2020 |
Immanuel Quickley | 25 | 2020 |
Isaiah Jackson | 22 | 2021 |
Shaedon Sharpe | 7 | 2022 |
TyTy Washington Jr. | 29 | 2022 |
Cason Wallace | 10 | 2023 |
Reed Sheppard | 3 | 2024 |
Rob Dillingham | 8 | 2024 |
Will John Calipari produce a first-round pick in 2025?
Potentially. Arkansas forward Adou Thiero is right on the edge between a late first-round pick and an early second, and if he slides into the top 30, he'll be the 42nd first rounder from Cal (and the above list will be updated accordingly.)
Thiero would be the ultimate Calipari pick — he spent his first two college seasons at Kentucky, and followed Cal to Arkansas, where he broke out as a key contributor and switchable defender.
Calipari once produced five first-round NBA Draft picks in a single year
In 12 different drafts, Cal has produced more than one first-round draft pick. But 2010 still stands above all, when five Kentucky Wildcats went in the first round, starting with John Wall at No. 1, and ending with Daniel Orton (who averaged 3.4 points per game at UK) at No. 29.
Two years later, Kentucky went No. 1 and No. 2 in the draft, with Anthony Davis going first overall to New Orleans and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist going right after him to Charlotte. Tough luck.
Many of Calipari's first rounders have reached star status
Combined, Cal's first-round picks have been to 39 All-Star Games — and counting! There are at least 10 more combined ASG appearances between KAT, Book, SGA, Maxey, AD and Sharpe (let a Blazers fan hope).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the first Cal deciple to win an MVP award, which he captured this year during one of the most memorable single seasons in NBA history. Of course, SGA also won an NBA title and secured Finals MVP. That's like, a basketball triple crown.