By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
A list of potential invites to the NBA Combine has been compiled and includes five former University of Kentucky players.
Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley, Nick Richards and former Wildcat Kahlil Whitney made the list. EJ Montgomery didn’t make the cut of 60-70 top invites to the Combine, which has been postponed until next month, although a date has yet officially been set for the combine.
The date for withdrawal is Aug. 3 and the NBA Draft is now set for Oct. 16.
Nick Richards (4) and EJ Montgomery exchange a fist bump last season. (Photo by Tammie Brown, Kentucky Today)
The Wildcats finished with a 25-6 record in 2019-20 and won the Southeastern Conference regular-season title. Kentucky compiled a 15-3 mark in the SEC. Quickley was named SEC Player of the Year.
“My hope is this becomes one of the favorite teams in at least my era here, that this team becomes that,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said. “And the individual stories were incredible. From Nick (Richards) to Immanuel (Quickley) to Tyrese (Maxey) to Ashton (Hagans) to EJ (Montgomery), how he’s improved, to Keion (Brooks Jr.).”
Calipari enjoyed watching Quickley blossom into one of the team’s top players last year.
“I think, again, (he is) one of the great kids that I’ve ever coached,” he said. “One of the most grounded young men that I’ve ever coached.”
UK ATHLETES RETURNING: A total of 60 student-athletes mostly from men’s soccer, swimming and diving have returned to campus since July 8 and five of those tests positive for COVID-19. Three tested positive for past infection through antibody tests and two tested positive for the coronavirus.
The school’s 25 staff members tested and one was positive and was required to quarantine and adhere to CDC guidelines.
The women’s basketball team currently is in the process of returning to campus and will undergo several tests before voluntary workouts begin.
Keith Taylor is sports editor for Kentucky Today. Reach him at keith.taylor@kentuckytoday.com.
