Jayhawks Prepping for NBA Draft

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas men’s basketball will continue its tradition of NBA Draft success when guard Andrew Wiggins, center Joel Embiid and forward Tarik Black look to join elite company on Thursday, June 26. The trio will await their names being called in the 2014 NBA Draft live on ESPN at 6 p.m. CT, from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
 
Wiggins and Embiid are unlikely to have a long lull as both have been projected top picks, while Black, who is also being looked at by NFL teams, is a late second-round choice. Should Black not be selected in the two-round NBA Draft, he would plan on competing in upcoming the NBA summer league. Wiggins will be attending the NBA Draft in New York, while Embiid will not be at the Barclays Center.
 
Last season, Ben McLemore and Jeff Withey were the 15th and 16th, respectively, players drafted during the Bill Self era at Kansas. McLemore’s seventh overall pick was the highest Jayhawk taken since Thomas Robinson was selected fifth overall the year before in 2012. Last year, Withey was the 39th overall pick in the second round.
 
With Wiggins and Embiid as first-round selections, it will be the seventh time Kansas has had multiple NBA first round picks in the same year: 1997 (Scot Pollard and Jacque Vaughn), 1998 (Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce), 2003 (Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich), 2008 (Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur), 2010 (Xavier Henry and Cole Aldrich) and 2011 (Markieff and Marcus Morris).
 
Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996-97, KU has had 25 players drafted to the NBA in the 17-year history of the league, which is the most of any league member. Texas is next with 16. KU has sent 29 players to the NBA during the past 21 years, which is third most among all NCAA Division I schools in that span and only trails Kentucky (32) and Duke (31).
 
What they’re saying about Andrew Wiggins…
SI.com:
“Wiggins possesses arguably the greatest upside of any player in this draft. Elite quickness, a 44-inch vertical and 7-foot wingspan make the Canadian the most physically gifted player in the class. He averaged 17 points as a freshman without an extremely diverse offensive skill set, dominating in the open floor and also being effective on the offensive glass. A great first step lets him get past defenders, and there’s talk of Tracy McGrady-like upside if Wiggins continues to develop. With his tools, he’s ready to step in on the defensive end from Day 1 and make an impact, even if his shooting and ball skills are still catching up. Wiggins, who is set to be a top three pick, could become an elite two-way player with the right development.”
 
Anthony Bennett, the first Canadian to go be the No.1 overall pick:
“It’s history, man. Hopefully we can repeat it next year with Andrew Wiggins coming in.”
 
ESPN’s Chad Ford:
“He’s in the best shape of the three prospects right now and showed off terrific athleticism, and improved shooting and ball-handling mechanics in the 45-minute workout with Drew Hanlen.”
 
NBCSports.com’s Dan Feldman:
“Wiggins definitely holds a perceived edge. He possesses elite athletic traits – from his lengthy wingspan to his ridiculous vertical. He must become more aggressive and a better ball-handler to capitalize offensively, but his defense – while it comes and goes – looks excellent at times.”
 
 
What they’re saying about Joel Embiid…
“Finch” from SI.com (via Seth Davis):
“He’s more athletic than Greg Oden was. His upside is ridiculous. He’s been playing for four years, and he has moves that 12-year vets don’t have.”
 
ESPN’s Jay Bilas:
“Jabari Parker is the best player in the freshman class, Joel Embiid is the best prospect.”
 
ESPN’s Chad Ford:
“A week ago, Joel Embiid looked like a lock to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. News of a stress fracture in his right foot sent the Cavs spinning. Now the Cavs are wrestling between three options: draft Jabari Parker, draft Andrew Wiggins or trade the pick.”
 
“While the draft is loaded with tall, fast, athletic swingmen like Wiggins and Parker, Embiid is one of a kind.”
 
What they’re saying about Tarik Black…
Tyler Jamieson, Yahoo! Sports, The SportsXchange
“Black was mostly a role player in his time at Memphis and Kansas and at 6-8 is a bit undersized, but his strength and athleticism stand out, which will get him NBA looks.”
 
Memphis coach David Joerger following a Black workout with the Grizzlies (source: Memphis Commercial-Appeal:
“He can take a hit. He can finish around the rim. It’s not like a ‘put-the-ball-up-at-12-feet’ kind of finish. It’s a little similar to Zach (Randolph, Grizzlies) where he keeps a guy on his body and just gets it off the glass before somebody can come over and block it.”
 
Kansas’ All-time Drafts
Year – Name (Overall Pick)
1948 – Otto Schnellbacher
1952 – Clyde Lovellette (10)
1953 – Dean Kelley, Gil Reich
1954 – B.H. Born (22), Alan Kelley (56)
1957 – Maurice King (48)
1958 – Wilt Chamberlain
1959 – Ron Loneski (134)
1961 – Wayne Hightower (5), Bill Bridges (32)
1963 – Nolen Ellison (29)
1966 – Walt Wesley (6), Al Lopes (106)
1967 – Ron Franz (33)
1968 – Roger Bohnesnstiel (120)
1969 – Jo Jo White (9), Dave Nash (48), Bruce Sloan (153)
1971 – Roger Brown (64), Dave Robisch (44), Pierre Russell (207)
1972 – Bud Stallworth (7)
1975 – Rick Suttle (110), Roger Morningstar (144)
1976 – Norm Cook (16)
1977 – Herb Nobles (124)
1978 – John Douglas (118), Ken Koenigs (99)
1979 – Paul Mokeski (42)
1981 – Darnell Valentine (16), Art Housey (47), John Crawford (160)
1982 – David Magley (28), Tony Guy (46)
1984 – Carl Henry (80), Brian Martin (185)
1986 – Greg Drieling (26), Ron Kellogg (42), Calvin Thompson (71)
1988 – Danny Manning (1), Archie Marshall (75)
1990 – Kevin Pritchard (34)
1991 – Mark Randall (26)
1993 – Rex Walters (16), Adonis Jordan (42)
1994 – Darrin Hancock (38)
1995 – Greg Ostertag (28)
1997 – Scot Pollard (19), Jacque Vaughn (27)
1998 – Raef LaFrentz (3), Paul Pierce (10)
1999 – Ryan Robertson (45)
2001 – Eric Chenowith (42)
2002 – Drew Gooden (4)
2003 – Kirk Hinrich (7), Nick Collison (12)
2005 – Wayne Simien (29)
2007 – Julian Wright (13)
2008 – Brandon Rush (13), Darrell Arthur (27), Mario Chalmers (34), Darnell Jackson (52), Sasha Kaun (56)
2010 – Cole Aldrich (11), Xavier Henry (12)
2011 – Markieff Morris (13), Marcus Morris (14), Josh Selby (49)
2012 – Thomas Robinson (5), Tyshawn Taylor (41)
2013 – Ben McLemore (7), Jeff Withey (39)
 
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