By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
Koby Brea was the first Kentucky player selected in this year’s NBA Draft on Thursday night.
Brea was chosen as the 41st overall pick and the second round by the Golden State Warriors, but was traded to the Phoenix Suns and will join former Kentucky standout Devin Booker. He played one season for the Wildcats after a stellar career at Dayton.
“I could not be more excited for Koby Brea and this opportunity,” UK coach Mark Pope said. “Two years ago, Koby had a really tough surgery and spent an entire summer in a wheelchair. To see him come back from that, become a Kentucky legend and now make his way to the NBA has been incredible to witness.”
Brea was joined by his parents, Mayra Villar and Stephen Brea, on Thursday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
“I’m just super happy for them to be able to experience this with me and just knowing that all the sacrifices that they made for me, it paid off,” Brea said. “I’m extremely happy for them, and wouldn’t rather be doing it with anybody else. I appreciate them a lot.”
Following the draft, Brea still felt like he was “dreaming.”
“(I’m) just thanking God and reflecting on everything it took to get here — blessed and grateful.”
Brea added he’s looking forward to joining his new teammates in Phoenix.
“(I’m going to be bringing) anything that’s needed,” he said. “I’m an extreme competitor. I’m someone who is super coachable, and I just want to be there and become the best version of myself. They’re going to get somebody who’s all hands in.”
Brea is the first NBA draft selection under Pope. He is the second player to be taken by the Golden State Warriors in school history.
Brea’s teammate at Kentucky last season — Amari Williams — was chosen five picks later at No. 46 by the Orlando Magic. He was later traded to the Boston Celtics.
“Amari Williams did it all for us this season as a point-center,” Pope said. “He has taken an untraditional path to the NBA, coming from Nottingham, England, to setting records at Drexel before setting records as a Kentucky Wildcat. I could not be prouder of Amari and am looking forward to seeing what he does next.”
Kentucky has had at least one player selected in 18 consecutive drafts, the longest streak in the nation.
Thiero goes to Lakers
Adou Thiero, who played for one season at Kentucky before following John Calipari to Arkansas, was selected as the 36th pick by the Brooklyn Nets. His draft rights were traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I’m so proud of how far Adou has come from a 5-foot-11 ninth-grader to becoming an NBA player,” Calipari said. “An incredible journey — forget what round his is drafted in, he is a player they will look at and go, ‘How did he get drafted there? That was a steal.’”
Calipari pointed to the success of his former second-round draft picks and said Thiero will be a successful player at the next level.
“We have had guys go in the second round or even undrafted that go on to have a great NBA career. He has what it takes to mentally and physically succeed in the NBA.”