LEXINGTON, Ky. — An expected exodus of players from the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team began Wednesday, but one Wildcat’s mother says the school jumped the gun on her son’s announcement.
Patrick Patterson has not yet decided whether to enter the NBA draft, Tywanna Patterson said late Wednesday night, despite the fact that a release from UK said the junior forward would join freshmen John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton in submitting their names for the draft.
In a telephone interview, Tywanna Patterson said her son planned to make a decision before the April 25 deadline for entering the draft. Players have until May 8 to withdraw from the list if they haven’t signed with agents.
“If Patrick leaves, he’ll have his day and have a press conference just like he did when he came back (after declaring for the draft last year),” she said.
Patrick Patterson could not be reached for comment.
In the release sent earlier Wednesday, UK announced that five players intended to put their names in the draft. The release included comments from all five, including Patterson, who was quoted as saying: “Lexington and UK will always be a special place to me.”