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Quotes from the Seven Kentucky Wildcats Heading to the 2015 NBA Draft

By Brian True

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Mar 26, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Andrew Harrison (5) and center Dakari Johnson (44) react during the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the semifinals of the midwest regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Dakari Johnson, center

On his decision process …
“I just feel like it’s my time. Growing up as a kid, you always wait for this moment. I just think I’m prepared. These last two years here have been great. When you go up against people every day that are going to be pros one day, I think it just made me mentally stronger, and stronger as a player and person. After the meeting me and my mom had with Coach Cal yesterday, I just told my mom I’ll call her this morning and tell her my decision. Last night, I just prayed on it. God told me it’s my time.”

On whether making the decision was scary …
“Growing up as a kid, it’s just been my dream. I don’t think I’m really scared. I’m confident in my ability. I’m just ready to compete, and go out there and just try to reach my goals and live my dream.”

On the tipping point in his decision …
“Everybody was just saying either way I’ll be fine. Coach Cal said either way I would go is fine. He has a lot of confidence in me. Yesterday, I just did a lot of thinking with my mom and stuff like that, and just prayed on it.”

On evaluating the past season …
“It was a lot of ups-and-downs, but I still learned a lot. I was just happy to be around this group of guys, and we had a great season.”

On the meeting with Coach Cal …
“If I came back it would be great. But either way, I would be fine. He just wanted me to know that either way, I’m going to have to go and work hard. He thinks I’m a great person, and just making sure that I’m built for this. I think I am.”

On the difference between last year’s decision and this one …
“Last year, I felt like my body just wasn’t all the way there. I don’t think I was mentally prepared for that step. I think I got older. I’m more mature now, so I just feel like I’m ready to just go out there and just get better as a player.”

Trey Lyles, forward

On his assets as a potential NBA player …
“Being an all-around good player offensively and defensively.”

On his process deciding to enter the NBA Draft …
“It was a really tough decision. The bonds that I built with a lot of coaches and teammates here makes it hard to say goodbye, but I know this is the next step for me to reach my goal. It’s been my dream since I was 7 years old, and now that it’s time for me to make that move, it’s crazy for me to think about. I would shoot in the driveway or mimic game-winning shots at the park and it’s just crazy to think about the fact that it’s happening now.”

On considering coming back for another season …
“The bonds I built here had a big effect on me, but I had to make the right decision for myself and this was the right one.”

Karl-Anthony Towns, center

On the day feeling surreal …
“It’s surreal. You never think of this moment. You never think of this moment; you dream of this moment when you’re young, when you’re playing on the court and you just think about these moments, like the one today – like hopefully I could be in the same league as the greats like Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie. All these great players, you just want to be a part of the fraternity that they are a part of.”

On being No. 1 in some mock drafts and whether it is important to be drafted No. 1 …
“The one thing I worry about is what I can control. Work hard every day, and get my game better every day and be the best player I can be. That’s all it’s about, and that’s all I’m really worried about and I’m just so happy with this moment not just for myself. It’s not even how happy I am for myself but how happy I am for all the other ones that get to chase their dreams also.”

On what he brings to the table as a potential professional…
“Just, play my game. Just trying to be a versatile big man who could block shots, rebound, also can shoot the J even though I didn’t shoot much, but I was very effective inside so I’ll take that.”

On the type of bond he will have his teammates five years down the road after one season together …
“Lifelong, lifelong. We’ll be having dinners 30 years from now together just joking and just having fun remembering the times we had this year. You know it’s a blessing we have the group of guys like I was able to have, the group of brothers and family I was able to make here. These bonds will never be broken. In other words they’re deep in our blood.”

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