LEXINGTON, Ky. _ More than any other Kentucky player this year, EJ Montgomery seemed to epitomize the uncertainty involved in the UK-or-NBA basketball crossroads that precedes the NBA draft. He announced his decision Wednesday, fittingly as the last of five UK teammates to do so. He said he would enter the draft and forego his remaining two seasons of college eligibility.
Montgomery followed Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey, Immanuel Quickley and Nick Richards in entering this year's NBA Draft. Of the five, he had the lowest averages in points (6.1 per game) and minutes (24.0).
But, as his father, Efrem Montgomery, said this spring, UK coach John Calipari downplays the importance of statistics.
"Cal always says numbers don't matter at Kentucky," the elder Montgomery said. "Winning matters."
Montgomery, who averaged 4.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in his two college seasons, would not be the first Kentucky player drafted who posted modest statistics. Daniel Orton, who averaged 3.4 points and 13.2 minutes in his one UK season, was a first-round pick in 2010. So was Skal Labissiere (6.6 points and 3.1 rebounds) in 2016. Archie Goodwin, a shooting guard who made only 26.6% of his 3-point shots and 63.7% of his free throws, was a first-round pick in 2013.
Earlier this offseason, Mississippi State coach Ben Howland suggested that Montgomery would be wise to follow Richards' example and return for a third college season. Richards blossomed as a junior and was voted to the coaches' All-Southeastern Conference First Team.
"EJ Montgomery is going to be an NBA player," Howland said. "I don't have any doubt about that. But, I think that he would be smart to come back next year."
Howland likened Montgomery to former UNLV standout Stacey Augmon in terms of being a versatile defender and capable scorer.
Montgomery, who came to UK as a McDonald's All-American and five-star recruit, entered his name in last year's draft. His father said that working out for seven teams last year should help make his son a known commodity this year.
Calipari often cited Montgomery as a potential difference-maker. When Montgomery came within a rebound of a double-double against Fairleigh Dickinson (career-high 25 points and nine rebounds), Calipari gushed, "EJ was ridiculous. That's my vision of him. That's what I think he is."
Before Kentucky played Alabama in early January, Calipari suggested another breakout performance could be coming.
"EJ may step up and be the monster we want him to be," Calipari said.
Montgomery defined being a "monster" as: "He just wants me to go out there and compete. Fight every possession. Go get rebounds and just do the little things I can do. I think I'm breaking out of my shell. Me and Cal had a talk. He just wants me to go out there, not think, and have fun."
Before UK played Vanderbilt later in January, assistant coach Joel Justus described Montgomery as "a young guy who's still trying to figure out how hard this is. The burden of success and failure right on your shoulders ... . EJ is practicing at an all-time high where he is focused and in a great mindset."
Montgomery punctuated his sophomore season with an exclamation point. His tip-in with seconds remaining capped a Kentucky rally that erased an 18-point second-half deficit to beat Florida 71-70.
