Keion Brooks announced he will test NBA Draft waters

Things have been eerily quiet around Kentucky Basketball since the season ended unexpectedly but today we have an announcement from one of the team’s starting players. Keion Brooks told his fans he will enter his name into the NBA Draft but will leave open the possibility of returning to college for a senior year.

“First off, I would like to thank God for blessing me and putting me in this position,” Brooks wrote in a statement. “Secondly, I would like to thank all my teammates and coaches along the way for helping me prepare and pushing me to be the best player I can be. With that being said, I am looking forward to the next chapter and I will enter my name into the NBA Draft while maintaining my college eligibility. I appreciate all the love and support as I work toward chasing my dream of playing in the NBA.”

Blessed and ready for the next step 💙 pic.twitter.com/Y5AOBOJ28N

— Keion Brooks Jr. (@KeionB_12) April 4, 2022

A junior in 2021-22, Brooks averaged 10.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for the Wildcats, starting in all 33 games he played. One game in particular stood out most, Brooks’ career-high 27 points against NCAA finalist Kansas in Lawrence. Other high-scoring performances include the 19 in the SEC Tournament against Tennessee, 18 in the comeback win against Alabama, and the 20-piece he served Vanderbilt in Rupp Arena.

Brooks has some moments he would like to forget, too. For instance, the final minutes of the game at Arkansas won’t make his highlight reel. If he comes back to Kentucky, he will need to improve his consistency issues to maintain his spot in the starting five. He’ll be the rare, four-year Calipari player with unmatched experience, but there will be no shortage of forwards on next year’s roster as things stand now. Jacob Toppin, Lance Ware, Daimion Collins, and Bryce Hopkins are currently expected back, plus the addition of Chris Livingston and maybe one from the transfer portal.

As for the present, the weeks ahead will decide what’s next for Brooks’ basketball journey. Until we know, good luck to him as he goes through the pre-draft process.

A statement from John Calipari

“The rules in place for these young men to make decisions are there for a reason and Keion is utilizing it exactly the way he should. He has made strides during his time here and has continued to improve every year. His thoughtfulness and maturity not only as a player, but as a man, will allow him to go through this process and make the best decision for his future. He and his family know they have my full support with whatever they decide.”