catmandoo
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posted 12-09-2020 01:52 PM
Kentucky now has nine former Wildcats listed inside ESPN’s top-100 rankings heading into the 2020-21 NBA season, and the list isn’t even complete.
After starting with three players when Nos. 100-51 were released Tuesday in Tyler Herro (No. 59), Eric Bledsoe (No. 67) and John Wall (No. 81), the Wildcats added six more when Nos. 50-11 dropped this morning.
Former Kentucky guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is next on the list below Herro, coming in at No. 38, a 26-spot jump from his 2019-20 ranking (No. 64).
38. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
2020-21 projected RPM (Real Plus-Minus, a player’s estimated on-court impact on team performance, measured in net point differential per 100 offensive and defensive possessions): 1.0
One big question: Gilgeous-Alexander was the leading scorer on the 5-seed in the West, building on his promising rookie season with the Clippers. He got better as a shooter, working out a quicker off-dribble release. He slashed, played off-ball and improved defensively. He has the keys to the car. How does Gilgeous-Alexander handle the responsibility of producing nightly and the frustrations and failures that come with it? — Royce Young
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox fell nine spots from his previous top-25 ranking in 2019 (No. 25), but still holds strong as a top-35 player in the league.
34. De’Aaron Fox
2020-21 projected RPM: 1.4
Swing skill: For Fox to make the jump to superstar status, he’ll have to rediscover his jump shot after dropping to just 29% on 3s last season. According to Second Spectrum data, Fox’s defender went under the screen 312 times last season, the fourth-most in the NBA. Fox ranked just 18th in points per chance among 28 high-volume ball-handlers. If Fox can force teams to defend him above screens, he’s close to unguardable. — Mike Schmitz
Like Fox, Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns saw a small drop from his 2019-20 ranking (No. 18), coming in at No. 23 overall.
23. Karl-Anthony Towns
2020-21 projected RPM: 1.9
One thing to watch for: Towns is a prototypical modern big, with shooting, passing and handling skills. He can flex between the 4 and the 5, he can play the roll man alongside a stretch big, or he can space and play alongside a traditional 1. But as he enters his sixth season, that big bag of tools needs to translate to the most important skill: consistent winning. — Royce Young
From there, all remaining former Wildcats rose in the rankings, starting with Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray. Originally listed at No. 27 overall last season, Murray is now ranked No. 21 heading into 2020-21.
21. Jamal Murray
2020-21 projected RPM: 2.5
One thing to watch for: We saw how lethal Murray can be during Denver’s playoff run, and I think he’ll take his game to even greater heights thanks to the addition of Facundo Campazzo. The former Real Madrid floor general will allow Murray to focus more on scoring efficiently, as opposed to creating so much of the perimeter offense, which should lead to fewer tired-leg nights. — Mike Schmitz
Following a breakout bubble performance on the NBA’s biggest stage, Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker jumped from No. 30 in 2019-20 to No. 17 this season, solidifying himself as one of the league’s premier guards.
17. Devin Booker
2020-21 projected RPM: 2.6
One thing to watch for: All-NBA honors are the next milestone for Booker, who made his first All-Star Game as a replacement and was even better in Phoenix’s 8-0 run in the seeding games (30.5 ppg, 6.0 apg, one game-winning shot). To reach the top 15 of these rankings, Booker will need to show his game translates to the postseason, an opportunity he should get with Chris Paul joining him in the backcourt. — Kevin Pelton
Finally, former Wildcat forward Bam Adebayo saw the greatest leap of anyone in the league, jumping from No. 81 in 2019-20 to No. 13 in 2020-21.
13. Bam Adebayo
2020-21 projected RPM: 1.9
Secret talent: Did you know that Adebayo executed far and away the most fake handoffs in the NBA last season? The Heat scored a handsome 1.14 points per possession on “Bam Scams,” which is no surprise. Adebayo has evolved into one of the craftiest, most versatile big men in the game, a defensive stalwart who can also function as an offensive fulcrum in Miami’s offense. — Kevin Arnovitz
With just Nos. 1-10 remaining on the list, you can guarantee Anthony Davis – No. 5 in last year’s rankings – will be included in the final update, potentially even jumping into the top three. If and when Davis is included, Kentucky will have ten of the top 100 players in the NBA, easily the most in the league.
10 percent of the top 100 basketball players in the world came from the University of Kentucky. Unreal.
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