NCAA News Wire
Kentucky’s Young departs for NBA Draft
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Swingman James Young became the first of Kentucky’s latest talented freshman class to officially declare his intentions to leave after one season for a shot at the NBA Draft.
Young averaged 14.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in his only season with the Wildcats, who reached the national championship game before losing to Connecticut earlier this month.
“My time at Kentucky has been special to me, something I’ll always treasure, but I feel that I’m ready to take the next step to the NBA,” Young said. “I’ve learned more this year, on and off the court, about life from coach (John Calipari) and the staff and appreciate all of their guidance and support.”
Young was impressive as a shooter during the 2013-14 season, making 82 3-pointers and hitting 42.6 percent from behind the arc. CBSSports.com projects Young as high as No. 16 on its board for the June 26 draft.
“I’m excited for James and his family and the decision he’s come to,” Calipari said. “From day one, the NBA people who came to our practices in the preseason raved about him. He’s done everything we’ve asked of him all season, investing himself in his brothers for the betterment of the team, and I think we all saw the end result in the tournament and Final Four.”
Kentucky teammate Willie Cauley-Stein said earlier in the week that he would return for his junior season. Freshman twins Andrew and Aaron Harrison, Julius Randle, Dakari Johnson and Alex Poythress have yet to reveal their intentions for next year.
The deadline for undergraduate college players to declare for the NBA Draft is April 27.
