Two Wildcats ranked among top 50 NBA Draft prospects in 2025 NCAA Tournament

Kentucky doesn’t have any lottery picks on the current roster, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any NBA talent.

Going into the 2025 NCAA Tournament, ESPN’s NBA Draft team of Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo released their top 50 pro prospects of players who will participate in this year’s Big Dance. Unsurprisingly, Duke’s Cooper Flagg — the projected No. 1 overall pick this June — held down the top spot. A couple of Wildcats also cracked the top 50 though.

41. Koby Brea (SG/SF)
46. Amari Williams (C)

The NCAA tournament's top NBA prospects: Intel and scouting reports on the best 50

ESPN: https://t.co/ewcykgX5sY pic.twitter.com/o2PBEqhm8X

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) March 18, 2025

Throughout the season, Brea’s name has continued to pop up in draft discussions. ESPN’s latest mock has him going 58th overall to the Houston Rockets. Three-point shooting is what Brea does best and it’s a skill the NBA is always looking for, especially with a wing who is 6-foot-7 like the Dayton transfer. But Brea has also shown the ability to get in the lane and facilitate for his teammates more and more often over the last few weeks. A productive stretch in the NCAA Tournament could bump his stock even more.

As for Williams, he’s tougher to project to the next level. But as a seven-footer with plenty of size, rebounding traits, and playmaking touch, he is expected to have a spot on an NBA team sooner rather than later. A lack of an outside shooting touch hurts his stock, but he does things on the floor no other big man in college can do right now.

“Williams has put himself in the mix for a two-way contract, with NBA teams constantly searching for depth at center — a position that could turn out somewhat thin in this draft class,” Woo wrote. “His tools, rebounding ability and chance to be a passable defender, should see him make the back end of a pro roster.”

Troy, Kentucky’s first-round opponent on Friday, does not have anyone on ESPN’s top prospect list. But the Wildcats’ possible second-round matchups sure do. 6-seed Illinois has three players among the top 50: Tomislav Ivisic (No. 49), Will Riley (No. 15), and Kasparas Jakucionis (No. 6). Xavier’s Dailyn Swain checks in at No. 45 while Texas’ Tre Johnson lands at No. 3. Texas and Xavier will battle for the 11-seed in the First Four on Wednesday with the chance to play Illinois on Friday.

So regardless of who the ‘Cats would play in the Round of 32, there will be some NBA talent on the opposing roster.