Aside from leading all college programs in overall wins and NCAA Tournament appearances, Kentucky men’s basketball has gained another accolade… this time it’s a little less serious; nonetheless, it still proves the program’s dominance.

In Take-Two Interactive’s newest edition of its second-highest-selling video game series, NBA2K, 13 former Kentucky men’s basketball players were rated in the 2K27 top-100 list, the most out of any college basketball program in the entire country.

The Wildcats’ pipeline to the big leagues is historic, as they have sent over 130 players to the NBA over time; UK has historically produced the most NBA players all time, and it currently holds the record for the most active players in the NBA (27).

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who played one season for the Cats (2017-18), is rated a 97 overall, which not only makes him the highest-rated Wildcat, but it ties him with Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic as the highest-rated players in the entirety of the game.

While Gilgeous-Alexander is the highest-rated player of the bunch, UK still has four other players rated 90 overall or above; those players include Karl-Anthony Towns (93 overall rating), Tyrese Maxey (92 overall rating), Devin Booker (91 overall rating) and Anthony Davis (90 overall rating), again, the most of any school in that category.

The eight other former Cats that are rated in the top-100 all sit in the 80’s; the list includes Jamal Murray (89 overall rating), Bam Adebayo (87 overall rating), Tyler Herro (85 overall rating), De’Aaron Fox (84 overall rating), Julius Randle (83 overall rating), Immanuel Quickley (82 overall rating), Cason Wallace (81 overall rating) and Shaedon Sharpe (81 overall rating).

The 2026-27 NBA season is set to officially begin on Tuesday, Oct. 20, and four of the former Cats that were rated in the top-100 (Gilgeous-Alexander, Wallace, Towns and Maxey) will be taking the court on that opening day slate.

The New York Knicks (Towns) will actually be facing the Philadelphia 76ers (Maxey) at 7 p.m. ET on NBC, so you get to watch two former Cats go toe-to-toe on opening night.

While the ratings provide a fun way to measure Kentucky’s standout presence in the NBA, the numbers are just another reflection of a pipeline that has been built for decades throughout numerous shifts in head coaches.

From all-time wins and NCAA Tournament appearances to NBA players and now NBA 2K ratings, Kentucky continues to find ways to stand out amongst an association (the NCAA) that houses 365 Division I programs.

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