Kentucky players try to recover ahead of NBA decisions

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Already prepared to lose seniors Dominique Hawkins, Derek Willis and Mychal Mulder to graduation, Kentucky awaits its annual NBA draft decisions by talented underclassmen in its latest spring roster cleaning.

The Wildcats’ current group of highly regarded freshmen came within seconds of reaching the Final Four, but they will take some time before announcing future plans.

Kentucky needs a few days to move on from Sunday’s 75-73 loss to topseeded North Carolina in the South Regional final in which Malik Monk’s game-tying 3-pointer with 7.2 seconds remaining was followed by Luke Maye’s game-winning jumper with 0.3 seconds left.

“That (Maye) shot is just playing back and forth in my head,” point guard De’Aaron Fox said, weeping as he put his right arm around fellow freshman Bam Adebayo. “It’s going to be difficult to get over, but I know I’ve got to.”

Kentucky’s question, as always, is who remains in what figures to be its second major overhaul in three seasons. Besides the rarity of losing three seniors, the Wildcats’ top four scorers could depart.

Fox and Monk are projected as possible NBA draft lottery picks, but neither was immediately ready to discuss their futures after the tough loss. Said Monk, “Gotta talk to my mom, brother and coach about it.”

Added Fox, “I love these guys. And I’m not thinking about what’s happening next.”

Odds and ends

Kelsey Plum was a unanimous choice, headlining the Associated Press women’s All-America team after the Washington guard broke the NCAA career scoring record. She is joined on the team by South Carolina’s A’ja Wilson, Maryland’s Brionna Jones and Conneciticut’s Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson. … UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, Villanova’s Josh Hart, Kansas’ Frank Mason III, Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan and Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss are the finalists for the John R. Wooden Award as college basketball’s player of the year. It will be presented April 7 in Los Angeles.