The NCAA basketball champs, Kentucky Wildcats, will be sending off their five starters into the 2012 NBA Draft.
Freshmen Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Marquis Teague, and sophomores Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb all declared for the draft at a news conference alongside Kentucky's head basketball coach John Calipari. Calipari spoke about his views about the departure of his star players.
"I want to first talk about that this is a 'players first' program. I said it three years ago," said Calipari. "During the season, it's about our team. You saw it in this year's team. They were about each other. It's about how we play together, how we share. When the season is over, it's about moments likes this. It's about these young people getting with their families, getting information and making decisions about their future."
The Wildcat's star forward-center, Anthony Davis, was named NCAA basketball player of the year and appears to be a favorite to be the number one overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
"Davis is a virtual lock to be the No. 1 overall pick, Kidd-Gilchrist and Jones should be gone before the end of the lottery and Teague will go in the latter half of the first round in what promises to be a weak draft for point guards," writes Yahoo's Jeff Eisenberg.
The five Kentucky players dominated their Southeastern Conference by moving up to the number one rank and topped off the season with an NCAA championship title over Kansas.
"It's been a great opportunity playing here, I'll miss this team, the way we played together. We all love each other," said Davis. "I'm just going to miss this place. We won an NCAA championship here and did a lot. We all did a lot for this school and I'm going to miss it."
Kentucky will lose all of their starters but hopeful new recruits such as Nerlens Noel is expected to lead a new starting lineup for the championship squad.
