LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Seven former University of Kentucky Wildcats will appear in Indianapolis this weekend for NBA All-Star Weekend.
It's the most players from any school voted into the NBA All-Star Game. The previous record was four, held by UCLA in 1983 and Kentucky in 2022.
The seven players are making a combined $208 million this season. Lakers forward Anthony Davis makes the most ($40.6 million) and 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey makes the least ($4.3 million).
"We should cheer these kids," UK head coach John Calipari said recently on his radio show. "We should be so happy for what they've done for us. And now they get an opportunity to do what they do on a big stage."
Calipari listed their accomplishments at UK, which include five SEC regular season championships, four conference tournament championships, four Finals Fours and one national title.
Here are the seven former Wildcats who will be in Indianapolis this weekend:
Anthony Davis | F | Los Angeles Lakers
The No. 1 overall pick in 2012 is averaging 24.6 points and 12.1 rebounds a game this season. Davis is a reserve for the Western Conference.
Davis led Kentucky to a national championship in 2012 and won national player of the year.
This is his ninth all-star selection.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | F | Oklahoma City Thunder
Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the frontrunners for MVP this season after being named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in 2023. He is second in the league in scoring this year at 31.1 points per game. He is a starter for the Western Conference.
This is his second all-star appearance.
Devin Booker | G | Phoenix Suns
The 27-year-old is averaging a career-best 28.0 points a game this year and is 10th in the league in assists at 7.1. He had a 62-point game against the Pacers on Jan. 26.
Booker was part of the 2014-15 Kentucky team that was 38-0 before losing to Wisconsin in the Final Four. This is his fourth all-star appearance.
Karl-Anthony Towns | C | Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are having their best season in years as they sit atop the West standings, and the man known as KAT is a big reason why. Towns is averaging 22.5 points and 8.4 rebounds a game, and shooting a career-best 43.6% from the 3-point line.
Towns was also part of the 2014-15 UK squad and was a second-team All American. He was drafted No. 1 overall the following June.
This is his fourth all-star appearance.
Bam Adebayo | C | Miami Heat
Adebayo is averaging a double-double with 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He pulled down 20 boards in a game against the Nets on Jan. 15.
He was named Second-team All-SEC in his one season with the Wildcats in 2016-17. This is his third all-star appearance.
Julius Randle | F | New York Knicks
Randle will miss the All-Star Game due to a shoulder injury, but he's still putting together one of his best professional seasons with 24 points and 9.2 rebounds a game. He's helped turn the Knicks - currently fourth in the East - into legitimate contenders for the first time in many years.
Kentucky reached the national title game with Randle in 2014 before losing to UConn. This is his third all-star selection.
Tyrese Maxey | G | Philadelphia 76ers
The fourth-year player is having the best year of his young career, averaging 25.6 points and 6.4 assists a game. He is a reserve for the Eastern Conference.
Maxey led the Wildcats to the SEC regular season title in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the NCAA Tournament. This is his first all-star selection.
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