After an ACL tear ended his freshman year at Kentucky, the flat-topped big man will officially enter the NBA draft and forgo his sophomore season at Kentucky. Noel is the consensus number one pick on every major outlet's board and seems to be the only sure thing in this draft class that could be one of the weakest in recent history. Noel was the top recruit coming into last year and his projection as the number one pick isn't a shock to anyone as he showed more NBA level talent in his shortened season than anyone in college basketball did all year long. Nerlens carried this underachieving Kentucky team all the way up until he tore his ACL, which of course happened on a hustle play where he blocked a shot. That play tells everything you or any NBA GM needs to know about the kid. He plays all out and has incredible ability on the defensive end.
For Noel, this was a no-brainer to leave for the NBA draft. While his college career didn't end the way he wanted and had to be hard to accept for a kid who genuinely loved the Kentucky program and fans, he simply cant pass up being the number one over all pick. Next year's draft will be loaded and could be the greatest ever so there was no lock he would be a consensus number one pick next June. If he had decided to come back, it would have been a festivus miracle for the Kentucky fans, but the best choice for him is to turn pro and everyone knows it.
On a team last year that showed little heart and effort at times, the one guy who brought it every single night and left everything he had on the court was Nerlens Noel. He played with a fire in his stomach and a chip on his shoulder and the Kentucky fans (including myself) will always remember and love him for that. This kid really loved his time at UK and fully embraced the fan base. There aren't very many kids like him and BBN will always appreciate him. On an underachieving team, Nerlens was the best player on the floor every night and he will always have a place in the Kentucky basketball pantheon.
Good luck in the NBA big fella.
Go Cats.
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