It could’ve easily been called the John Calipari Fantasy Camp.
The Kentucky coach invited NBA scouts and GMs to a first-of-its-kind workout before the start of the season, so they could get a look at what all these future pros can do. Calipari wanted to get feedback about his own players, as well.
Then, he shut the doors for the season on all the NBA folks and refocused his players on the task at hand.
The dividends have been flowing in ever since. The Wildcats are two wins away from the first perfect season since 1975-76. Three Kentucky players – Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein and Trey Lyles – are projected as top-20 draft picks should they go pro. Save Alex Poythress, whose season ended with a knee injury, everyone has thrived despite nobody averaging 26 minutes a game.
“Pretty much every guy that’s in our first round right now from Kentucky has seen his stock rise from where the year started,” said Jonathan Givony of Draft Express, a website that keeps close tabs on all the NBA prospects.