What’s next? The former McDonald’s All-American was expected to be a “project” in his first season of college, and the emergence of Tshiebwe as national player of the year further limited Collins’ playing time. Season stats: 2.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 7.5 minutes. He’s one of those guys - he’s a super talent.” ![]() “I hope I get a chance to coach him in real games, because I’ve really enjoyed him in practice. “But he’s gotta make a decision on, ‘All right, do I want this right now? Am I ready for this right now? Is it where I thought it was? Or where people are saying?’ Because as you go through the process, the information comes back from the NBA - not an agent or anybody else around you - it comes from the NBA, and you have a better idea of what everything is. “I think he’s gotta explore,” Calipari said. Calipari sounded less sure about a Sharpe return on his final radio show of the season, saying he’d already sat down with the star recruit and his parents to talk about what’s next, and the NBA Draft is clearly a possibility there. That has been met with skepticism outside of the program, however, and it sounded more and more as the season went on that those at UK also thought he’d be gone this offseason. He has not been available for any outside interviews since arriving on campus in January, but those in his camp have repeatedly said that’s still the plan. What’s next? Sharpe came to UK with the stated intention to sit out the remainder of this season, train with the team, and debut as a Wildcat in the 2022-23 campaign. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him take a long look at a pro career again this offseason - even though he’s not on ESPN’s Top 100 list - and it’s safe to say Calipari and the UK coaches will be vetting possible transfer point guards in the meantime. He tested the NBA Draft waters last year before pulling out late in the process. What’s next? Wheeler led the SEC in assists for the second consecutive year, but his frenetic style was sometimes at odds with Kentucky’s team objectives, and the loss to Saint Peter’s was an example of that. Season stats: 10.1 points, 6.9 assists, 31.2 minutes, 30.8% threes. If he’s back, he’d join Alex Poythress as just the second out-of-state scholarship player to spend four seasons at UK in the Calipari era. Throughout the season, there were murmurs that this would be Brooks’ last run at UK, and he was awfully reflective on the postgame podium following the loss to Saint Peter’s, speaking almost in the past tense when talking about his Kentucky career. He could come back to UK for a senior year if he pulls his name out of the draft - he’s not even on ESPN’s list of Top 100 prospects - or he could even transfer to another school for a fresh start. The former five-star recruit finally emerged as a starter at Kentucky in his junior year, but he was still riddled with inconsistency in his third season of college. What’s next? Brooks announced April 4 that he would enter his name in the NBA Draft, though he is maintaining his eligibility, so he could return to college next season. Tshiebwe was non-committal on his future in the immediate aftermath of the NCAA Tournament loss, and Calipari said he would talk soon with the UK big man about his best path forward. Tshiebwe, who could make a boatload of NIL money with a UK return, has also been trending higher in NBA Draft projections, and the Herald-Leader was told before the tournament that he could be a late first-round pick on at least one team’s board. In the past few weeks - starting before UK’s loss to Saint Peter’s - that narrative was shifting toward uncertainty. That was the word both inside and outside the program. What’s next? Two weeks ago, it sure sounded like the national player of the year would be back at Kentucky for another run. ![]() ![]() Season stats: 17.4 points, 15.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.6 blocks, 31.9 minutes. Status: Projected as second-round NBA pick. Here’s the latest look at what to expect from those Wildcats, and this page will be updated throughout the offseason on with the latest news on each player’s decision.
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