Former University of Kentucky Wildcat Trey Lyles has been spending his time preparing for next month's NBA Draft. Although he has yet to step onto the court as a pro, he feels that he already has first-hand experience going head-to-head with pro-caliber competition.
As a member of Coach Calipari's "platoon system", Lyles - who was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - played a key role on a team that finished the 2014-15 season nearly undefeated. The Wildcats lost to Wisconsin in the Final Four stage of the NCAA tournament. They were just two wins away from a 40-0 record and a national championship.
Since Kentucky's roster was loaded with future NBA prospects, significant playing time was hard to come by. However, Calipari maximized the overall talent boasted by his roster. With Willie Cauley-Stein returning for his junior year, Lyles was one of several McDonald's All-Americans recruited to play for the Wildcats last season.
Lyles on his memories of being exposed to such a large group of highly-skilled teammates:
It was great. You're on a team with nine McDonald's All-Americans, guys who have to share with one another and transition into the NBA. I think it helped all of us out.
This exposure to a wealth of talent during his single year in Lexington had a positive impact on Lyles' game. Although his college stats don't exactly jump off the page (8.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 0.4 blocks), his stock in this year's draft remains high.
