Kentucky sophomore center Dakari Johnson will declare for the NBA Draft, a source close to the situation told SNY.tv.
Kentucky has a press conference set for 2:30 p.m. on Thursday that “will include UK players who are ready to announce their NBA Draft decisions, as well as head coach John Calipari,” the school announced.
Makini Campbell, Johnson’s mother, told SNY.tv earlier this week: “The family with Dakari is gathering information and will make a decision by week’s end.”
The 6-foot-11 Johnson is currently slotted at No. 39 overall according to the latest DraftExpress mock draft.
After the official announcement on Sunday that Kentucky head coach John Calipari had been selected for induction to the Hall of Fame, he told reporters he expects at least five — and possibly seven — Wildcats to declare for the NBA Draft.
We reported here last week that an NBA scout said as many as seven players “are gone” to the NBA.
Calipari said he expects freshman Karl-Anthony Towns, the projected No. 1 pick by DraftExpress.com, to declare, along with junior big man Willie Cauley-Stein (No. 6), freshman forward Trey Lyles (No. 17) and sophomore guards Andrew and Aaron Harrison.
Calipari also said freshman shooting guard Devin Booker (No. 17) and Johnson are considering.
The deadline to declare for the NBA Draft is April 26.
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