Kentucky coach Mark Pope welcomed back to Rupp Arena by Wildcats fans
Former Kentucky basketball player and new head coach Mark Pope is announced at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
Sam Upshaw Jr.
LEXINGTON — As expected upon his signing, Justin Edwards‘ time with Kentucky basketball lasted only one season.
Edwards, a 6-foot-8, 203-pound wing from Philadelphia, announced on April 4 he would enter the NBA draft and hire an agent, ending his college career. A mainstay in the Wildcats‘ 2023-24 lineup, Edwards started 31 of the 32 games in which he appeared. Edwards averaged 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in 21.4 minutes per game.
Being a one-and-done player at UK was the plan for the Pennsylvania native from the moment he joined former coach John Calipari‘s program, as Edwards was the highest-ranked signee in the nation’s top-ranked 2023 recruiting class. He even entered last season projected as the top overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft by CBS Sports.
But his lone season in Lexington had its share of ups and downs.
He went nine straight games (from late December and continuing through January) without posting a double-digit point total. Edwards ended that skid with 17 points in a win at Vanderbilt. That jump-started a strong finish to the season offensively, as he scored 10-plus points six times in Kentucky’s final 10 games — highlighted by a 28-point outburst against Alabama at Rupp Arena on Feb. 24.
NBA draft projections for former Kentucky basketball player Justin Edwards
Here’s where Edwards might be selected, based on the latest mock draft projections.
- The Athletic: 56th, Denver Nuggets (Updated June 20)
- Bleacher Report: 46th, Los Angeles Clippers (Updated June 19)
- CBS Sports: 29th, Utah Jazz (Last updated June 2)
- ESPN: 39th, Memphis Grizzlies (Updated June 20)
- The Ringer: 42nd, Charlotte Hornets (Updated June 17)
- SB Nation: N/A (Updated June 18; mock draft only included 30 picks in first round)
- USA TODAY: N/A (Updated June 20; mock draft only included 30 picks in first round)
- Yahoo! Sports: 37th, Minnesota Timberwolves (Updated June 17)
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.