Former Kentucky sharpshooter Koby Brea was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 41st pick in the 2025 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn Thursday night.
Brea's draft rights are being traded to the Phoenix Suns.
Brea is the eighth Wildcat to be drafted by the Suns all-time, joining Skal Labissiere and Tyler Ulis (2016), Devin Booker and Andrew Harrison (2015), Rajon Rondo (2006), Kyle Macy (1979), and Jimmy Dan Conner (1975).
He is the first-ever NBA Draft pick for Kentucky head coach Mark Pope.
Since 2010, no school has produced more total NBA Draft picks (50) than Kentucky. Since the NBA went to a two-round draft in 1989, the Wildcats now have the most players drafted overall with 66, 48 of which have come in the first round.
UK has also had at least one player selected in 18 consecutive NBA Drafts, the longest active streak of any school. Prior to 2025, Kentucky had a first round pick in 15 straight drafts, the longest streak in the common era. The Cats have also produced multiple draft picks in 15 consecutive drafts.
At the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Brea once again proved himself to be one of the top shooters in the draft, shooting 70% off the dribble (21 of 30) and 15 of 25 in the 3-point star drill. His 57% composite percentage ranked among the top 10 prospects at the combine. He also measured at 6'5 ¾" barefoot, 201.8 pounds with a 6'5 ¼" wingspan and 8'5 ½" standing reach.
After spending his first four collegiate seasons at Dayton, Brea averaged 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 36 games with 16 starts while shooting 47% from the floor, 43.5% from 3-point range and 91.4% from the free throw line in his lone season with the Wildcats, helping lead Kentucky to a 24-12 record overall, an NCAA-record-tying eight wins over top-15 teams, and its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2019.
He scored in double figures in 22 games with seven games of 20+ points, including 23 points on 7 of 9 3-pointers in a 106-100 win over No. 6 and eventual national champion Florida in the Wildcats' SEC opener at Rupp Arena on Jan. 4 and 23 points on 10 of 16 shooting in an 84-75 win over Illinois in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Brea made at least one 3-pointer in 35 of 36 games, multiple 3s in 27 games, and three or more 16 times. His 93 triples are tied for seventh on Kentucky's single-season list for made 3s and are the most since Malik Monk made 104 during the 2016-17 season.
"There's no doubt in my mind Brea has a chance to be a specialist at the NBA level," Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman said. "With his size and just a very projectable stroke and you have a very believable NBA shooter. If you're an NBA team late in the second round and you need shooting, I don't know how you don't consider Brea. He checks every box."
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