Kentucky freshman James Young is headed for this year’s NBA draft, the school announced. The swingman is the No. 16 prospect in the rankings that Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress puts together, and 17th on Chad Ford’s ESPN.com list.
Young was a three-point gunner this season for the Wildcats, knocking down 82, the second most ever by a Kentucky freshman. However, he needed 5.9 three-point attempts per game to hit that mark, and he was only a 34.9% shooter from behind the arc. He averaged 14.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 32.4 minutes per game.
The 6’7″ 18-year-old is the first Kentucky underclassman to declare for the draft this year, though a few more will likely follow. Young is one of five Wildcats in Givony’s top 60 prospects. Willie Cauley-Stein had been the sixth, but he’s decided to return to school.