Headlines: Kentucky Wildcats Hold Open Football Scrimmage

• Karl-Anthony Towns Thanks Big Blue Nation in Heartfelt Letter
• Kentucky’s Seven Departures Could Break Yet Another Record
• Who Could Fill the Huge Shoes Left by Near Perfect 2015 ‘Cats?
• Future Kentucky Stars Shine in 2015 Nike Hoop Summit
• Notes From Kentucky Football’s Open Scrimmage on Saturday

Yes, that’s right. Karl-Anthony Towns, who we all know by now is making the next step in his basketball career by declaring for this year’s NBA draft, wrote a heartfelt letter to the Big Blue Nation thanking them for the support in his time with the Wildcats. This is the first time (that I can recall) that somebody has done something like this and it just comes to show the strength of the relationship — though not direct — that the players and the fans share.

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South Bound & Down

"Towns posted hand-written thank you notes to UK fans, his coaching staff and the University of Kentucky on his Twitter accountSaturday. In his letter to the fans, Towns apologized for not bringing “the greatest fans on this planet” a coveted ninth national championship. He thanked the fans for their support and called his decision to turn pro “one of the hardest decisions that I have ever had to make in my life.” Towns thanked the coaching staff for making him a better player and a better human being. He thanked “the best academic staff in the country” for providing him a world-class education and said “I cannot wait to come back and earn my degree.”"

Here it is, if you like crying:

Karl is just one of the seven Wildcats to throw their names into the upcoming NBA draft. Interestingly enough, seven players is the highest number of players declared from any single school. If all seven were to be drafted in June, it would also be the highest number of players drafted by a single school, previously held by (you guessed it) the Kentucky Wildcats back in 2010, when 5 ‘Cats were drafted.

"In a news conference Thursday, 7-footers Willie Cauley-Stein, twin guards Andrew and Aaron Harrison and freshman forwards Karl-Anthony Towns and Trey Lyles all said they will turn pro. Also entering are 7-0 reserve center Dakari Johnson and backup shooting guard Devin Booker, completing an exodus by the Wildcats‘ top seven scorers. The 6-11 Towns could be the first player chosen overall on June 25 and Cauley-Stein and Lyles could soon follow with both projected as possible lottery selections. Booker is also a potential first-rounder, with the rest projected to go in the second. “It was a tough decision for all of us, but we wanted to chase our dreams,” Aaron Harrison said. Seated before a backdrop with blown-up trading cards of recent Wildcats standouts who went pro, Kentucky’s largest group of players explained the decisions that were long expected. Coach John Calipari joined them, after saying this week that five to seven players could enter. Confirmation was more visual than verbal as Calipari asked those who were leaving to stand up. After they all looked at each other, they stood up to applause in the practice gym before answering questions. Such leavings have become somewhat expected in Lexington in a “one-and-done” environment where players and the program succeed despite single-season stays. Calipari has developed 19 NBA draft picks, including 15 first-round selections and two No. 1 overall picks."

Apr 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats players huddle before the 2015 NCAA Men

With a large chunk of Kentucky’s experience headed to the league next season, who will Kentucky turn to next season in terms of production? Steve Jones from the Courier Journal answers that question to an extent:

"Kentucky fans, as you bid farewell to an astounding seven NBA draft entrants, rest assured that your favorite team still figures to be quite stacked and remain quite elite next season, thanks to coach John Calipari’s unmatched recruiting prowess. Here’s a look at who the Wildcats have signed for next year and who they are still chasing, in order of our best guess on the likelihood they pick Kentucky. Skal Labissiere, C, 7-0, Memphis, No. 3 (Scout.com) Labissiere, a highly skilled, athletic, smart center, who can play above the rim, handle the ball, shoot from deep and block shots. He’s the centerpiece of UK’s 2015 class, and he’s as good (albeit thinner) of a replacement for Karl-Anthony Towns as Calipari could hope to find. Pair him with, say, Marcus Lee in UK’s frontcourt, and that’s an athletic duo to be reckoned with. Labissiere, a native of Haiti, has dazzled in practices with the World Select team at this week’s Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, and he’s now projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft by DraftExpress.com. He could still challenge for the No. 1 high school ranking in 2015. Expect to see him have his own “I’m going pro” press conference this time next year. The only concern with Labissiere are questions about eligibility derived from how his American guardian, Gerald Hamilton, has handled his schooling and recruitment. Hamilton admitted in December that he believes the NCAA is looking into Labissiere’s case, but he believes he’s done nothing improper. Isaiah Briscoe, PG, 6-3, 215 pounds, Roselle, N.J., No. 18 Strong, crafty, competitive McDonald’s All American is arguably the best point guard in the country. He’s a competitor and a winner, having led his club team to the Nike circuit championship last summer and his high school team to the all-divisions New Jersey state title this spring. Briscoe is a good scorer and distributor and should thrive as a lead guard or as a complementary off guard to Tyler Ulis. Again, as good a replacement as Calipari could have landed in the backcourt. Charles Matthews, SG, 6-5, 171 pounds, Chicago, No. 65 Matthews is not as highly regarded as most Calipari recruits, but he is a tall, athletic, skilled guard who the coach has liked for a long time. He excels at dribble penetration, and he’s a really good passer. Matthews is a former club teammate of Ulis, and they have good chemistry already. Should be a capable player off the bench next season."