Senior Day always give me the chance to reminisce about the guys that we are not going to see at Rupp Arena ever again. And this year’s crop is going to be large, with Monk, Fox, Adebayo, Briscoe, Willis, Hawkins, and Mulder all almost certain to be gone. And in some form or another each of those guys will likely make a paycheck playing basketball at some level somewhere in the world next season. At worst, you’ll probably have 6 of the 7 with Hawkins the odd man out.
But just consider the entire Calipari era. Certainly some guys have worked out better at UK better than others but you just can not argue that Calipari gets guys paid. And at an amazing clip gets them to the NBA and keeps them there:
2009 (Hood and Orton were Tubby commits)
John Wall: NBA, Washington Wizards
Demarcus Cousins: NBA, New Orleans Pelicans
Eric Bledsoe: NBA, Phoenix Suns
Darnell Dodson: South America (Argentina)
2010
Brandon Knight: NBA, Phoenix Suns
Enes Kanter: NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder
Terrence Jones: NBA, Soon to be signed free agent
Eloy Vargas: South America (Argentina)
Doron Lamb: NBDL, Westchester Knicks
Stacey Poole: no longer playing basketball
2011
Anthony Davis: NBA, New Orleans Pelicans
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: NBA, Charlotte Hornets
Kyle Wiltjer: NBDL, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Marquis Teague: Europe (Russia)
2012
Nerlens Noel: NBA, Dallas Mavericks
Willie Cauley-Stein: NBA, Sacramento Kings
Archie Goodwin: NBDL, Greensboro Swarm
Alex Poythress: NBDL, Fort Wayne Mad Ants
2013
Julius Randle: NBA, Los Angeles Lakers
James Young: NBA, Boston Celtics
Andrew Harrison: NBA, Memphis Grizzlies
Aaron Harrison: NBDL, Delaware 87ers
Dakari Johnson: NBDL, Okalahoma City Blue
Marcus Lee: Currently playing college
Dominique Hawkins: Currently playing college
Derek Willis: Currently playing college
2014
Karl Anthony Towns: NBA, Minnesota Timberwolves
Trey Lyles: NBA, Utah Jazz
Devin Booker: NBA, Phoenix Suns
Tyler Ulis: NBA, Phoenix Suns
2015
Jamal Murray: NBA, Denver Nuggets
Skal Labissiere: NBA, Sacramento Kings
Isaac Humphries: Currently playing college
Isaiah Briscoe: Currently playing college
Mychal Mulder: Currently playing college
Charles Matthews: Currently playing college
Tai Wynyard: Currently playing college
2016
*Obviously all 6 guys are currently playing college basketball
TOTAL (43 guys total)
Currently playing college basketball: 14 (32.6%)
Currently playing in the NBA: 19 (44.2%)
Currently playing in the NBDL: 6 (14.0%)
Currently playing internationally: 3 (7.0%)
Currently out of basketball: 1 (2.3%)
And then consider this, if you take away the guys that are still playing college basketball and thus haven’t had the chance to play professional basketball, 19 out of 29 eligible Calipari recruits are currently playing in the NBA, or an amazing 65.5%! Take that compared to just ONE of those 29 who are not making money playing basketball right now, Stacey Poole. The guy is an absolute magician.