Alex Poythress returning to Kentucky basketball team

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Sophomore forward Alex Poythress on Wednesday became the third University of Kentucky underclassman to announce he's putting the NBA on hold and returning to school, ensuring that the Wildcats will have at least six former McDonald's All-Americans on next season's roster.

"Playing in the NBA has always been a dream of mine, but I want to make sure that I'm NBA-ready before I make that jump," Poythress said in a school-issued news release. "By coming back, I'll be so much closer to earning my degree in business and it will give me another year to prepare my game and my body for the next level."

The 6-foot-8, 239-pound Poythress will be a junior next season. He averaged 5.9 points and 4.5 rebounds as a sophomore coming off the bench after starting 31 games and averaging 11.2 points and six rebounds as a freshman. He shot 68 percent in the NCAA Tournament and had eight points and seven rebounds in the NCAA semifinals against Wisconsin.

Poythress also saved the Cats with six points, two offensive rebounds and a blocked shot in the final 4:33 against Louisville in the Sweet 16. Kentucky trailed by seven before that outburst.

"I'm excited for Alex and the decision he's arrived at," coach John Calipari said in the release. "I'm proud of the work he committed to this past season, on and off the floor, and think he's ready to take that next step and lead this team next season."

Poythress has had an up-and-down college career, showing off his elite athleticism in bursts — ferocious dunks, emphatic blocks, high-flying rebounds in traffic — but too often disappearing. ESPN draft analyst Chad Ford projected Poythress as a lottery pick early in his freshman season but only rated him the No. 51 prospect in this year's draft.

"He reminded people in the tournament why we were so high on him as a freshman," Ford told The Courier-Journal last week. "When he plays like that, he looks like an NBA player. He really needs to continue to polish his offensive game."

As Poythress tries to do that, he'll be joined by sophomore center Willie Cauley-Stein and freshman forward Marcus Lee, who also announced their intentions to return in the last week. Star forward Julius Randle and swingman James Young are headed to the NBA. Center Dakari Johnson and twin guards Andrew and Aaron Harrison have yet to announce their decisions.

If all three returned, UK would have nine former McDonald's All-Americans — four will arrive this summer as freshmen — and 10 former top-50 recruits on next year's roster.

Kyle Tucker can be reached at (502) 582-4361. Follow him on Twitter @KyleTucker_CJ.