Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Top Players at Each Position in the John Calipari Era

Dec 11, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) makes a pass in the first half of the game against Portland Trail Blazers at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

#1 Eric Bledsoe

Eric Bledsoe. It’s as simple as that. I could wrap this post up right there and you’d understand why I chose Eric Bledsoe as the #1 shooting guard in the Calipari Era.

I know, I know, he’s one of the strongest point guards in the NBA right now, but he wasn’t a point guard when he played at the University of Kentucky, John Wall was. Eric Bledsoe held down the shooting guard position, and he was good at it.

Sure, this decision was hard, but I tell you, ranking other positions was harder. I knew exactly who I was going to choose at #1 for this position for a while.

Bledsoe was a vital part of the 2009-2010 Kentucky Wildcats that had a 35-3 season, losing in the Sweet 16. Even to this day, many believe that Kentucky Wildcats team was and still is the best overall, even after the 2012 and 2015 season. It is the team that has the most successful NBA players as a whole with Bledsoe, Demarcus Cousins, John Wall and Patrick Patterson all having success with their NBA programs.

Bledsoe was picked 18th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Playing behind Chris Paul, Bledsoe lost playing time and was traded to the Phoenix Suns, or now you can consider them the West Kentucky Wildcats with the roster they have (Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Devin Booker, Josh Harrellson).

After a successful few seasons for the Suns, Bledsoe signed a new 5-year $70 million deal with the Suns.

It’s not hard to see why he was chosen as the #1 shooting guard in the Calipari era.