Four UK players projected to be picked in early 2023 NBA mock draft

ESPN analysts have Cason Wallace projected as the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. (Photo by McDonald's All-American)

There’s good news and not great news for Kentucky basketball with a new ESPN mock 2023 NBA Draft.

The Cats likely will have only one player — TyTy Washington — picked in this year’s draft but ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz have four players projected to be picked in their updated 2023 draft.

That’s the good news. However, the bad news is that only one is projected to be a lottery pick and two of the four are slated in the second round. This is how the two ESPN draft analysts see the draft as of today:

12. Cason Wallace (Atlanta Hawks)

22. Chris Livingston (Philadelphia 76ers)

36. Oscar Tshiebwe (San Antonio Spurs)

38. Daimion Collins (Boston Celtics)

Obviously, this is all educated guesses at this time and it’s probably no surprise that Wallace, a freshman guard, is seen as having the biggest upside much like Washington was viewed this season. Wallace was just named the Iverson Classic National High School Player of the Year. He also played well at the McDonald’s All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit. He averaged 19.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game and was a semifinalist for Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year.

“Wallace was one of the best defenders in the high school game, a long-armed combo guard with outstanding toughness, intensity and instincts getting in passing lanes, chasing down blocks and crashing the glass energetically. He is still developing as a shot creator, but has nice fluidity operating at different speeds and plays an unselfish style,” Givony wrote.

Livingston, another five-star freshman, also played well in all-star games and had a solid senior season at Oak Hill Academy for legendary coach Steve Smith. The 6-7 wing is a physical player who should easily adjust to the collegiate game.

“Livingston’s jumper was streaky in high school, but he has shown some ability to make shots with his feet set throughout his career, the evolution of which will play a big role in how he’s perceived as an NBA prospect. He also has some multipositional versatility defensively with his length, strength and toughness,” Givony wrote.

Tshiebwe was the unanimous national player of the year and nation’s leading rebounder. He opted to return to UK because he was seen as a second-round choice this season and the ESPN analysts obviously want him to prove to them he can expand his game before elevating him to the first round.

Collins was a non-impact player as a freshman averaging just 2.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 7.5 minutes per game in 27 games and played even less than that late in the season.

During Calipari’s time at Kentucky, UK has had 43 draft picks — more than any other school. That includes 21 lottery picks and 32 first-round selections.