2024 NBA Draft: Ranking Kentucky's draft prospects entering March Madness

The Kentucky Wildcats, per usual, have the most NBA Draft prospects in the NCAA Tournament. There isn't another college-to-NBA pipeline quite like the one John Calipari has built in Lexington. While there are plenty of valid criticisms of Cal as a coach, it's impossible to knock his track record of player development — at least as it pertains to his best players turning pro.

As the No. 3 seed in the South Region, Kentucky will battle No. 14 Oakland in the first round of March Madness. That is a winnable matchup (duh), even if the Wildcats feel more beatable than your average top-3 seed. Their second-round matchup with Texas Tech or NC State is where it should, in theory, start to get interesting. Talent isn't a question, but execution is. The Wildcats are prone to getting stubbornly outmatched on the schematic front. Plus, it's a young group. Experience generally pays on this stage.

That said, it's not hard to imagine Kentucky's overwhelming talent leading to a deep run. Several prominent figures, from former presidents to NCAA experts, have the Wildcats going to the Final Four.

As fans across the country gravitate toward the arena and the TV, so will NBA scouts. The longer Kentucky lasts, the more time NBA teams have to build up data on the litany of prospects on the roster.

So, why not rank them? Here are all the viable 2024 NBA Draft prospects on Kentucky's roster, ranked from worst to best.

8. Aaron Bradshaw probably needs another season at Kentucky

Aaron Bradshaw has seen his role diminish in recent weeks, with the return of Zvonimir Ivisic and the rise of Ugonna Onyenso complicating the frontcourt hierarchy. The raw talent is undeniable. Bradshaw is a mobile 7-footer who flashes shooting range out to the 3-point line and a lot of rim-protecting upside on defense.

That said, he's not a great shooter yet and he lacks a ton of polish offensively. Bradshaw doesn't pass — like, hardly ever — and his thin frame makes it hard to handle physicality around the rim. Strong defenders easily push Bradshaw off his spot. On defense, thicker centers will plow straight into his chest with a high rate of success.

NBA teams will naturally keep tabs on mobile, stretchy 7-foot-1 bigs, but Bradshaw would benefit from another season of college basketball to fine-tune his skill set and establish a stronger baseline of production.

7. Ugonna Onyenso can do the simple things at a high level

Ugonna Onyenso briefly entered the transfer portal after playing sparsely as a freshman, but he ultimately opted to remain in Lexington. Despite battling inconsistency and Kentucky's impressive frontcourt depth, Onyenso rolls into March Madness as the Wildcats' starting center. He doesn't offer the most robust skill set, but NBA teams ought to take interest.

Onyenso finishes everything around the rim. He's built powerfully at 6-foot-11, feasting on offensive rebounds and dump-offs in the paint. He doesn't shoot 3s, but he's comfortable catching on the roll and fluidly moving downhill into a layup or a dunk.

On the other end, he blocks a ton of shots — averaging 2.7 per game in only 18.6 minutes. He needs to learn to navigate space better, but Onyenso has undeniable appeal as a bare-bones rim protector and workhorse.

6. Antonio Reeves can get buckets, does anything else matter?

Antonio Reeves is averaging 20.0 points on .508/.441/.869 splits. Does anything else really matter here? Sure, he's 23. Sure, he doesn't create much for teammates. No, he's not a great athlete, often forced into tough, contested jumpers because he struggles to generate separation. And, yeah, he's not exactly an all-world defender.

What Reeves can do is pour in 3s at a high clip, shoot challenging shots with a high success rate, and offset his lack of burst with a beautiful floater and plenty of craft around the rim. He's a fairly thin 6-foot-4 wing, so again, there is a lot working against him from a prospect point of view. But, when push comes to shove, it's impossible to ignore the sheer magnitude of Reeves' production for a premier program.

Teams in search of bench buckets should give him a long, hard look.

5. Justin Edwards is still that five-star recruit, deep down inside

Justin Edwards was No. 1 on a lot of boards when the season started. What happened? Well, maybe we overrated the 20-year-old freshman without self-creation skill or much defensive polish. Edwards still offers prototypical wing physical tools at 6-foot-7, but it was a little silly to think the guy earning tentative Malik Monk comps was going to be the first pick.

Edwards has made a lot of progress since the season started. He put together his best performances in SEC play, building up a rhythm from 3-point range and settling into his ideal off-ball role. Edwards possesses a great sense of when to cut or relocate, frequently making himself available in motion and connecting dots with underrated passing chops.

He still doesn't create his own offense at a high level, but Edwards plays within the flow of the offense and shows a promising feel for the game. If he can continue to feast at opportune moments and find his stride in the NCAA Tournament, expect teams to start reconsidering him as high as the first round.

4. Zvonimir Ivisic needs time and patience, but the upside is considerable

Zvonimir Ivisic was not cleared to play by the NCAA until midway through the season. It has been a sharp learning curve for Ivisic, who mixes tantalizing flashes with the hallmark mistakes of inexperience. The 7-foot-2 Croatian will need to prove that he can navigate space and defend without fouling, but at the end of the day, NBA teams will take a gamble on bigs who can shoot, dribble, and pass as fluidly as Ivisic.

It only comes in short bursts at this stage, but Ivisic is a legitimate 3-point shooter (37.5 percent) with the coordination to beat closeouts or handle the rock in transition. He drops a few intriguing passes, even if his decision-making has a long way to go. Stripped down to his most essential elements, Ivisic should be able to provide basic value as a rim-runner with a wide catch radius and plus mobility.

The defensive progression is the real key. Ivisic blocks a ton of shots, averaging 1.4 in 11.6 minutes per game, but there's a difference between being extremely tall in college and being a viable defensive anchor in the NBA.

3. D.J. Wagner can turn on the jets, but he needs to shoot better

D.J. Wagner got off to a rough start this season. Like Justin Edwards, however, Kentucky stuck with him through the low points and helped him emerge in a much better place. Wagner has found his grove as a slasher, showcasing the twitchy handles and persistent rim pressure that made him a lottery prospect on a lot of early draft boards.

The lottery is no longer within reach for Wagner — at least, not without an a major March Madness heater — but NBA teams should still take interest in his downhill speed, efficient playmaking (3.3 assists to 1.5 turnovers), and intense point-of-attack defense. He hasn't quite lived up to expectations, but when thought of more as a bench spark plug than a franchise cornerstone, it's much easier to see the appeal.

Wagner is going to collapse the defense, which is arguably the most valuable skill in a lead ball-handler. Constant pressure on the rim opens up so much for an offense, and Wagner still has plenty of time to evolve and grow beyond his current skill set at 19 years old. If he can start hitting more 3s (30.4 percent), it will unlock quite a bit for him.

2. Reed Sheppard is the best freshman in college basketball

The general NBA Draft consensus is catching up with the longstanding (correct) opinion of Kentucky fans. Reed Sheppard is the best freshman in college basketball, and to take it one step forward, he's on the shortlist of best players, period. He has been truly historic beyond the arc, shooting 52.5 percent on 4.4 attempts per game. We are in March, folks, and Sheppard has hit over half his 3s as a focal point on scouting reports.

Sheppard is more than a middling 6-foot-3 athlete who can shoot, though. Kentucky has gradually piled more on his plate, with John Calipari learning to trust the 19-year-old as the greatest sixth man in recent college basketball history. In addition to spot-up 3s and rapid-fire processing, Sheppard is attacking downhill, getting two feet in the paint, and operating as a dependable point guard. He's best suited to a combo guard role at the next level, but Sheppard has plenty of feel and craft to exceed his reputation as a 3-point bomber and connector in the NBA.

The defense is frequently impressive, too. Sheppard is a pest in passing lanes (3.2 stocks) and a hard-nosed, fundamentally-sound point-of-attack stopper. He's not the most dexterous athlete by NBA standards. Teams will naturally target the 6-foot-3 guard with a net-zero wingspan, not to mention twitchier point guards who can get the better of Sheppard in isolation. But, in terms of overall basketball I.Q., competitive spirit, and skill level, few prospects in the 2024 draft are on Sheppard's level.

1. Rob Dillingham has too much star-power to ignore

Rob Dillingham should get real consideration as high as No. 1 overall next June. He is the best prospect in college basketball. I'm at the point where that's no longer "bold," it's just a fact. Given the lack of obvious future stars at the top, NBA teams should be willing to look past Dillingham's slender 6-foot-1 frame to see what every college basketball fan sees: one of the most dynamic, confident shot creators in the nation.

The Darius Garland comps are coming fast and furious, and that's a solid baseline to apply to Dillingham. Smart teams will relentlessly target Dillingham on defense — we don't have to pretend like he's going to generate a positive impact on that end — but Dillingham will make up for it with his multi-faceted skill set on offense.

Whether he's a point guard or a combo guard, Dillingham should have no trouble generating points. He's the most electric pull-up shooter in the draft, constantly shifting gears to keep the defense off-balance. Dillingham has a hummingbird quality to his game, darting side to side, or forward to backward with extreme precision. He has a robust collection of moves to generate space, capped off by his quick-trigger jumper that frequently finds the bottom of the net.

Dillingham is an elite 3-point shooter, too (44.9 percent), with range well past the NBA line. He's a truly creative passer, comfortable probing the defense out of pick-and-rolls and firing high-level passes from various angles. The defense is a major concern, but Dilly has put together too many show-stopping offensive performances to keep him outside the top five on draft boards when none of his peers are operating on the same wavelength.

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