Since John Calipari has been the men's basketball coach at the University of Kentucky, the Wildcats have consistently produced NBA-ready talent. The 2014-15 team is no different, and Calipari is looking to show off his latest group of prospects.
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According to a report by Yahoo Sports, Calipari is setting up a two-day scouting combine at Kentucky for NBA executives and scouts. He has invited personnel from all 30 NBA teams to come to Lexington on Oct. 11-12 and get an early look at this year's Wildcats. According to the report Calipari is doing this so he can close off his practices to scouts during the early stages of the season so his players can avoid distractions.
The players will participate in full-court five-on-five games and NBA-style pick-and-roll drills and they will also have the opportunity to show individual skills. In addition to reaffirming his program as a hotbed for NBA talent, Calipari is using this as an opportunity to impress future recruits on campus visits.
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"We're just there as B-roll for his recruiting videos," one executive said.
Kentucky, the likely preseason No. 1 team, features a litany of NBA prospects but this year they aren't based solely in its freshman class. Freshman forward Karl Towns Jr. is the highlight of the team, but junior center Willie Cauley-Stein, sophomore forward Dakari Johnson, and sophomore guards Aaron Harrison and Andrew Harrison all have the potential to be first-round picks in the 2015 draft.
Kentucky lost in the national championship game last season but is poised to make another run deep into the NCAA Tournament with a roster that is likely even stronger than last year's.
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