Top Kentucky basketball recruiting links: TyTy Washington, Shaedon Sharpe leaving for NBA?

ESPN updated its 2022 NBA mock draft Wednesday morning, and two Kentucky Wildcats are in the top 10.

The site is projecting that UK basketball newcomer Shaedon Sharpe will go with the No. 7 pick, while slotting star guard TyTy Washington in as the No. 9 pick. They are the only two Cats in the 58-player mock draft from ESPN (two teams had to forfeit picks this year for violating NBA free-agent rules).

While Washington is fully expected to enter the 2022 draft and be a lottery pick, Sharpe’s situation is a little more murky. NBA teams expect him to be eligible for the draft, but his mentor told the Herald-Leader last week that Sharpe fully intends to be back at Kentucky next season. If Sharpe does leave, that would open a hole on the 2022-23 roster that would be difficult to fill on short notice.

The current ESPN draft rankings put Oscar Tshiebwe as the No. 89 overall prospect, though he, too, is expected to leave for the pros next season. That would leave the potential pool of returning scholarship players as Keion Brooks, Sahvir Wheeler, Jacob Toppin, Lance Ware, CJ Fredrick, Dontaie Allen, Daimion Collins and Bryce Hopkins, with the additions of new recruits Skyy Clark, Chris Livingston and Cason Wallace (and possibly Shaedon Sharpe).

Top Kentucky basketball recruiting links

A deep look at the latest on Kentucky’s top targets in class of 2023

USA Today puts Shaedon Sharpe at No. 8 in its 2022 NBA mock draft

247Sports analyst: Louisville is a sleeping giant on the recruiting trail

National analyst: Now is not the time for the Cardinals to settle

Rick Bozich: Top 10 candidates to replace Chris Mack at Louisville

CBS Sports offers its top candidates for the U of L coaching job

DeCourcy: For Pearl to go from Auburn to U of L would be madness

ESPN Plus: TyTy Washington among “best of the best” freshmen

Will a five-star commitment reclassify to join Duke for next season?

Possible No. 1 recruit GG Jackson wowed by his official visit to Duke

247Sports national analyst breaks down every McD’s All-American

Duke recruit Kyle Filipowski was not eligible for McDonald’s Game

Major UK target DJ Wagner had 31 points in a 100-54 blowout

Kentucky target Mackenzie Mgbako tallies 24 points, 15 rebounds

Inside Shaedon Sharpe’s new NIL deal with shoe-related company

One of 2024’s top recruits eyeing decision before his junior season

Reed Sheppard scored 11 points in his team’s victory Tuesday night

Duke, UNC battle over G.G. Jackson, a top-10 recruit in 2023 class

Rick Bozich: Louisville basketball is broken, and it’s time for change

Pat Forde: After Chris Mack failure, where can Louisville turn now?

Former UK target Bryan Antoine finally settling in for Villanova

More Next Cats links: Where UK recruits are projected in NBA