Kentucky Leads the Nation with 27 Players on NBA Opening Day Rosters
The 2025-26 NBA season begins tonight, and the University of Kentucky men's basketball team has set a nation-leading record with 27 players featured on opening day rosters.
This marks the 14th consecutive season that Kentucky has led the nation in alumni representation in the NBA. The total of 27 players includes all two-way and inactive players, as per the NBA's official opening-day roster list.
- UK is represented on 20 NBA franchises.
- The Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, and San Antonio Spurs each have two UK players.
Two Cats from the 2024-25 Kentucky Wildcats earned spots in the NBA to begin the season: Koby Brea on the Phoenix Suns and Amari Williams on the Boston Celtics.
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Author's summary: Kentucky leads the nation with 27 NBA players.