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Pacers Meet With Kentucky Prospects Willie Cauley-Stein, Devin Booker, Trey Lyles

By Jared Wade

Mar 25, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Devin Booker (right) speaks during a press conference for the semifinals of the midwest regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 25, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Devin Booker (right) speaks during a press conference for the semifinals of the midwest regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Yesterday, the Indiana Pacers interviewed D’Angelo Russell, Frank Kaminsky, Myles Turner, and Stanley Johnson, among others, at the NBA Draft Combine. Today, they were hard at work again, meeting with several big-name University of Kentucky prospects.

According to Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star, the team has interviewed Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles, Devin Booker, and Dakari Johnson — and Larry Bird is a big fan of “Trill” Cauley-Stein

I am also a big fan of Cauley-Stein, and if I was a GM with the number-one pick, I would have to be talked out of taking him first overall. (I also watched a total of two NCAA games this season, so I’m no expert on most of these fellas.)

And though he is probably way too high on the draft board of other GMs for Indiana to actually draft him, he will work out with the Pacers. And as they did with Kaminsky and Turner yesterday, Bird and the Pacers are talking up their plans to play smaller next season.

Here are the DraftExpress rankings for each of the four former Wildcats.

6. Willie Cauley-Stein, C
15. Devin Booker, SG
17. Trey Lyles, PF
34. Dekari Johnson, C

Presuming Trill Willie is a pipe dream, the highest-rated Kentucky player who the Pacers may have a chance to draft, presuming they get the 11th pick, is Booker. And it sounds like the 18-year-old, 6’5″ guard enjoyed his meeting with Bird.

Here are some video highlights of Booker in action, via Draft Express.

As for Lyles, a 6’9″ power forward with a 7’2″ wingspan who “could even see some minutes as a small-ball center,” according to Draft Express … it’s the same ol’ same ‘ol.

The Pacers are telling him he could fit in as a stretch four who can space the floor in a faster, smaller lineup.

Here is a video of Lyles, via Draft Express.

Next: Pacers Interview Frank Kaminsky, Myles Turner at Combine

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