BASKETBALL

Where NBA mock drafts have Kentucky, Louisville and Indiana players

Gentry Estes
Courier Journal

NBA mock draft season is upon us, and this year sets up to be a particularly eventful — and unpredictable — stretch for pro prospects with ties to colleges in Kentuckiana.

From Kentucky to Indiana to Louisville to Western Kentucky and Murray State, each of these programs has at least one underclassman projected by someone to be going in the first round of the 2019 NBA draft.

We've examined 13 of the latest NBA mock drafts (from the following sources: CBS Sports (which has two), SI.comBleacher Report, NBADraft.net, NBC Sports, Sporting News, Heavy.com, DraftSite.com, NBADraftRoom.com, Free Agent Forecast, Drafttek.com and ESPN's best available list of prospects) to determine highs, lows and averages of where players are being projected, many of whom still have a decision to make about whether to stay in the draft or not.

Beyond the widespread belief that Murray State's Ja Morant (who will surely not be back at school) is going second behind Duke's Zion Williamson, however, there are differing opinions. All of the projections have Indiana freshman and former New Albany High School star Romeo Langford as a first-round pick as well as Kentucky's Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro. Nearly all of them have Kentucky's PJ Washington in the first round, too.

You may like:Romeo Langford's Indiana career wasn't what most thought it would be

The range varies wildly on Western Kentucky's Charles Bassey, who played his final year of high school for Aspire Academy in Louisville, and some have Louisville's Jordan Nwora on the fringe to the first round.

Take a look below at how each prospect was rated by the 13 sources.

Ja Morant, guard, Murray State (Sophomore)

Murray State's Ja Morant (12) celebrates with Shaq Buchanan (11) during the second half of a first round men's college basketball game against Marquette in the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 21, 2019, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

High: No. 2 pick

Low: 3

Average: 2.2 

Romeo Langford, guard, Indiana (Freshman)

Indiana's Romeo Langford shoots over Michigan's Zavier Simpson during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, Bloomington, Ind. Michigan won 69-46.

High: 6 

Low: 23

Average: 13.1

Keldon Johnson, guard, Kentucky (Freshman)

Kentucky's Keldon Johnson flexes during NCAA tourney practice Wednesday afternoon in Jacksonville. March 20, 2019

High: 7

Low: 23

Average: 15.2

PJ Washington, forward, Kentucky (Sophomore)

Kentucky's PJ Washington grabbed a rebound over Houston in the second half of the Sweet Sixteen game. March 29, 2019

High: 11

Low: 35 (Second Round)

Average: 20

More:How PJ Washington earned a place in Kentucky basketball history

Tyler Herro, guard, Kentucky (Freshman)

Kentucky's Tyler Herro celebrates after he hit the three that put the Wildcats up over Houston late in the Sweet Sixteen to advance to the Elite Eight. Herro finished with 19 points. March 29, 2019

High: 14

Low: 26

Average: 20.4

Read this:The day John Calipari visited Tyler Herro instead of Zion Williamson

Charles Bassey, center, Western Kentucky (Freshman)

Western Kentucky center Charles Bassey (23) hugs guard Patrick Murphy and forward Carson Williams after the team's win over North Texas during an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, March 14, 2019, in the Conference USA men's tournament in Frisco, Texas.

High: 9

Low: Second Round at best

Average: Seven of the 13 mock drafts had Bassey listed (some were two rounds), and four of those seven had him in the first round. Of those seven, his average spot came to 31.6, which would be early in the second round.

More:Should Western Kentucky’s Charles Bassey stay in school or go to the NBA?

Jordan Nwora, forward, Louisville (Sophomore)

Louisville Cardinals forward Jordan Nwora (33) shoots the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half in the ACC conference tournament at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.

High: 27

Low: Undrafted

Average: Four of the 13 mock drafts had Nwora listed in the first two rounds, and two had him among the final selections of the first round. ESPN's best available list has Nwora ranked at No. 78.

Read this:What would it mean for Louisville if Jordan Nwora stays in the NBA Draft?

Others

Kentucky freshman guard Ashton Hagans was as high as No. 40 in one two-round mock draft, and ESPN has him at No. 61 in its best available list.

Louisville junior center Steven Enoch was listed at No. 56 in one two-round mock draft. 

And ex-Louisville player Brian Bowen popped up in the second round of a couple of mock drafts. ESPN has Bowen No. 56 on its best available list.

Not mentioned at all: Kentucky's Reid Travis.

Gentry Estes: 502-582-4205; gestes@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @Gentry_Estes. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/gentrye.