Kentucky basketball players with best chance to make NBA Draft: Jaxson Robinson, Koby Brea

In his first season as head coach at Kentucky, Mark Pope has made the unprecedented move to replace all 13 scholarship players in one offseason, all while trying to maintain the lofty expectations of Big Blue Nation. So far, he has been successful in walking that fine line.

To build his first roster, Pope relied heavily on the transfer portal. He brought in a combination of talented players from all levels of college basketball looking to take advantage of a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build the foundation of the new Kentucky program.

Among those to transfer in, many also have NBA Draft aspirations. But which players have the best chance to draw interest from professional teams in the coming year?

At this point, Jaxson Robinson and Koby Brea have the inside track. Here is why.

Jaxson Robinson

The scouting report for Jaxson Robinson starts with his physical attributes, his plus wingspan allows him to make an impact across several areas of the court. That raw ability helped him enter college basketball as a highly-touted recruit and has since kept NBA teams interested in his development.

The 6-foot-7 wing projects to be a versatile player able to guard or score from multiple positions on the court.

He is currently averaging 12.7 points on 43.9, 31.6, 76.9 splits. This comes after he averaged 14.2 points on 42.6, 35.4, 90.8 last season at BYU under Pope.

While his scoring can he streaky, he also has the athleticism and speed to get into space and create opportunities on offense. His 3-point shot has remained a slight negative throughout his career, something he must improve to establish himself in a rotation at the next level.

As a late bloomer in his college career, Robinson has moved from the bench, to a sixth-man role, now into the starting lineup. This willingness to make an impact in whatever role provided can also be viewed as an asset for a player in his range.

Koby Brea

Another player who brings good size and athleticism to the wing position, Koby Brea has established himself as one of the best 3-point shooters in the history of college basketball. Even as a one-trick player, shooting the ball at that level will draw looks from the NBA.

Over his career, Brea is a 44.4-percent 3-point shooter, leading the NCAA at 49.8-percent on 6.1 attempts per game last year at Dayton. This season, he is averaging 11.9 points on 55.1-percent from beyond the arc.

At 6-foot-6, Brea has the size to make the jump, but has so far lacked the creation ability to turn his shot into more scoring opportunities for himself and teammates.

The key for Brea to move from a potential G-League talent into an NBA rotation will be gauged throughout the season as he plays against a higher level of competition. Not only are his shooting numbers important, establishing himself as a solid defender will play a key role.