With Booker Projected as NBA 1st-Rounder, Briscoe's Playing Time Could Open Up at Kentucky | Zagsblog
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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Thursday / November 21.
  • With Booker Projected as NBA 1st-Rounder, Briscoe’s Playing Time Could Open Up at Kentucky

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    Briscoe Peach Jam 2BY CHIP MILLER

    DraftExpress now has Kentucky freshman shooting guard Devin Booker projected to be the 20th pick in the NBA Draft.

    Andrew and Aaron Harrison have fallen to the late second round, at 46th and 50th respectively.

    That means the Wildcats could lose three of their current four guards, with only freshman point guard Tyler Ulis remaining after the season.

    That potentially opens the door for more playing time for incoming 6-foot-3 point guard Isaiah Briscoe and could improve Kentucky’s position with the sole remaining 2015 guard holding a Kentucky offer, Malik Newman.

    Briscoe can play both on and off the ball, and can play both the point in place of the 5–9 Ulis and the shooting guard spot next to Ulis.

    Regardless, Briscoe is signed, sealed and delivered to Kentucky and is ready for whatever happens.

    “I’m going to be at Kentucky,” he told MassLive.com after scoring 20 points on 8-for-20 shooting in Saturday’s 69-45 loss to DeMatha Catholic at the Hoophall Classic. “I haven’t played with them yet, but it doesn’t matter. I’m going to be at Kentucky.”

    Rosalie Catholic, once No. 2 in the USA Today poll, has now dropped two of its last three games entering Monday’s game against Paterson (N.J.) Eastside at the Freedom Fighters Hoop Challenge.

    “It was just lack of effort,” Briscoe said. “But it was a great experience [playing at the Hoophall].”

    Briscoe’s decision to head to Kentucky left several schools empty-handed, especially the home school St. John’s. But Briscoe liked John Calipari’s message and track record of sending point guards to the NBA.

    “He kept it real,” Briscoe said of Calipari. “He’s a man that’s about his business and loves his players. But it’s business first.”

    “It puts me in the best position to play basketball after college,” Briscoe added. “Calipari puts you on the highest stage. In the last couple years, all of his point guards have been in the NBA. I’m just trying to be the next one.”

     

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    Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.

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