SEC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

12. Willie Cauley-Stein

A 7’0 center from Olathe, Kansas, Cauley-Stein was a Top 40 prospect back in 2012 who spent his collegiate playing days at Kentucky. He watched the Wildcats cut down the nets before arriving on campus a few months later, spending the next three seasons contributing to all sorts of history for this Blue Blood program, though our focus begins in his sophomore season.

Still not a full-time starter in the frontcourt, Cauley-Stein averaged 6.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks. He had developed into a major player by the end of the year, but was injured in the Sweet Sixteen, and missed much of Kentucky’s run to the national title game. Back in Lexington as a junior, Cauley-Stein averaged 8.9 points and developed into one of the nation’s best defensive players, playing a key role as Kentucky would start the year 38-0 before falling in the Final Four.

In that junior year, he was a First Team All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-SEC, and a finalist for several national awards. Cauley-Stein’s offensive numbers don’t stand out, but his performance on the defensive end made him an elite prospect. He was clearly making a significant impact during Kentucky’s legendary performance and would months later be the 6th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, certainly showing his ability in those three collegiate seasons.