15 reasons to watch the Kentucky basketball players in the NBA Playoffs

Anthony Davis leads trio of former UK players on Lakers in series vs Grizzlies

Three former Kentucky basketball players are on the Los Angeles Lakers. Look no further than Anthony Davis as the man of the hour.

Sharing the limelight with LeBron James isn’t easy, but Davis has already accomplished one goal, winning an NBA Championship in 2020.

But this isn’t the bubble anymore, and Davis will be called on to help the 8-seed Lakers try and de-throne Memphis in the first round.

One thing to look at is how well Davis is playing when on the court this season. He’s at his highest points per game average since the 2019-20 NBA season, putting up 25.9 per game. Davis is also averaging a career-best 12.5 rebounds per game, making it hard to ignore his value on a Lakers team that has shocked the world before. Should they do it again, Davis will have to be one of the main reasons why.

Role player Jarred Vanderbilt is another player to watch. He was traded to the Lakers from the Utah Jazz mid-season and has become a key role piece ever since. Vanderbilt had his coming out party with a 15-point, 17-rebound game in a win over Dallas in his fifth game with the Lakers.

Expect Vanderbilt to get anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes of playing time in any given game. He’s a true role player, coming in for whatever is needed to help the Lakers get the job done.

Wenyen Gabriel is the last former Kentucky basketball player to watch in a Lakers jersey this postseason. He doesn’t put up the stats but does the dirty work, still earning about 15 minutes of action per game.

Davis, Vanderbilt, and Gabriel will start their series against Memphis on Sunday:

• Game 1: Lakers at Grizzlies, Apr. 16, 3 p.m. on ABC
• Game 2: Lakers at Grizzlies, Apr. 19, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
• Game 3: Grizzlies at Lakers, Apr. 22, 10 p.m. on ESPN
• Game 4: Grizzlies at Lakers, Apr. 24, 10 p.m. on TBD
• Game 5: Lakers at Grizzlies, Apr. 26 on TBD
• Game 6: Grizzlies at Lakers, Apr. 28 on TBD
• Game 7: Lakers at Grizzlies, Apr. 30 on TBD