Four NBA Cats among Sports Illustrated's Top 100-51 players

Sports Illustrated’s annual Top 100 NBA Players list is rolling out this week, and it’s sure to include plenty of former Kentucky players. Today, SI released Nos. 100-51, and four former Cats made the list:

• 98. Patrick Patterson, Oklahoma City Thunder
• 94. Julius Randle, Los Angeles Lakers
• 86. Nerlens Noel, Dallas Mavericks
• 64. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

Despite Booker’s 70-point game last season, Ben Golliver says that the Suns star needs to polish his game if he’s going to live up to the hype.

“Booker, much like Andrew Wiggins at this time last year, is far better and more tantalizing in theory than in practice,” Golliver writes. “While he’s clearly talented, fresh and exciting, his shiny scoring exploits are dimmed by his ultra-green light and by the fact that he’s yet to play in a meaningful game because his team is so bad. Once Booker evolves into a more complete player and transforms Phoenix into a respectable team, he will be fully worthy of the hype many have already bestowed upon him.”

I think it’s safe to say that Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, and Karl Towns will make the top 50 (heck, probably the top 25), but we’ll have to wait until later this week to find out if any other former Cats join them. In the meantime, enjoy the highlights from Booker’s 70-point game.

[Sports Illustrated]

https://youtu.be/PeZEmaX4cEE