John Calipari and Mark Pope react to Kentucky basketball’s 2024 NBA draft selections
Kentucky basketball coaches past and present voiced their approval for UK’s showing in the 2024 NBA draft.
The Wildcats had three players from the 2023-24 team — Reed Sheppard (No. 3 overall), Rob Dillingham (No. 8 overall) and Antonio Reeves (No. 47 overall) — selected.
And former UK coach John Calipari, along with current UK coach Mark Pope, have both posted on social media as these ex-Cats learned their NBA destinations.
Calipari attended the first round of the NBA draft on Wednesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. While there, Calipari reunited with both Sheppard and Dillingham, who were at the draft as green room invitees.
Also while at this year’s draft, Calipari met up with the Sarr family: Oldest son Olivier played at Wake Forest and Kentucky as part of a four-year college career, and youngest son Alexandre was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft by the Washington Wizards.
For his part, Pope sent out a pair of congratulatory messages on social media after Sheppard and Dillingham were selected in the draft.
Both Calipari and Pope posted on social media after UK’s lone second round selection in the draft when Antonio Reeves was taken Thursday.
On Tuesday during his first media-only press conference as the Kentucky basketball coach, Pope discussed the importance of the NBA draft to the Kentucky basketball program.
“We’re super excited about the draft. We’ve got five guys eligible for this draft and there’s going to be some more history made with Kentucky basketball in the NBA draft,” Pope said. “We’re super excited for these young men and what they contributed here, what they’re going to do in the future.”
“This tradition at Kentucky of having great players come here, hang banners, then go play in the NBA is part of what makes this place so special,” Pope added.
With the three draft picks that Kentucky had in this year’s event, UK has now produced 141 players that have been selected all-time in an NBA draft.
This year marked the 24th time in Kentucky history that the Wildcats had at least three players taken in one draft.
UK’s Justin Edwards, once a possible No. 1 pick, goes undrafted but is headed to the 76ers
Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves a 2nd-round pick by Magic, traded to Pelicans in 2024 NBA draft
2024 NBA draft first-round wrap-up: New homes for Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham
Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard chosen 3rd overall by the Houston Rockets in 2024 NBA draft
Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham chosen 8th overall in NBA draft by Spurs, traded to Timberwolves
Reed Sheppard is now an NBA draft first-round pick. He joins these other Kentucky natives.
Everything Reed Sheppard said after the former Kentucky star was taken in 2024 NBA draft
Here’s what every first-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft will make next season
2024 NBA draft: Analysts grade the Houston Rockets’ addition of Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard
2024 NBA draft: Analysts grade the Minnesota Timberwolves’ addition of Rob Dillingham
Here are the four former SEC basketball players taken in the 2024 NBA draft first round
Younger brother of former Kentucky basketball player taken second overall in 2024 NBA draft
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Kentucky basketball releases heights and weights for the 2024-25 roster
Kentucky has a strong team for the 2024-25 season.
The Kentucky basketball 2024-25 roster is pretty much finalized, as the Wildcats currently have 12 scholarship players. Coach Pope could still do something with the final scholarship spot, but that is still to be seen.
The athletic department has updated the roster to include heights and weights for all of the players’ Coach Pope added to the roster.
Let’s take a look at the heights and weights of Kentucky basketball’s 2024-25 roster.
Kentucky basketball 2024-25 roster height and weight
Forwards:
Ansley Almonor- 6’7, 232 pounds
Andrew Carr- 6’11, 227 pounds
Brandon Garrison- 6’10, 245 pounds
Amari Williams- 7’0, (No weight listed)
Guards:
Lamont Butler- 6’2, 204 pounds
Koby Brea- 6’7, 206 pounds
Collin Chandler 6’5, 187 pounds
Kerr Kriisa- 6’3, 190 pounds
Trent Noah- 6’5, 209 pounds
Otega Oweh- 6’4, 208 pounds
Travis Perry 6’1, 178 pounds
Jaxson Robinson 6’6, 191 pounds
The first takeaway from looking at the heights and weights of these players is that this is a strong team. Coach Pope’s team isn’t as tall as the Kentucky team from a year ago, but these players are much more built, especially in the frontcourt. This makes sense as these players are older and have spent plenty of years in a college weight room.
Down low, opposing big men won’t be able to push around the Kentucky big men this season, which will help keep points off the board for the other team.
Some of the guards, like Butler and Oweh, are incredibly strong, and this will help them defend but also get to the rim. This 2024-25 Kentucky basketball team is going to be strong and won’t get pushed around.
