Former Wildcat taken late in the first round of recent CBS Sports Mock Draft

This first round of the 2024 NBA Draft is coming up on June 26th, and some former Wildcats will hear their names called by the commissioner as they take the next step in their basketball journeys.

One of those former Wildcats who will likely be taken in the first round of the draft is Justin Edwards. Heading into his freshman season, there was talk that Edwards could be the number-one pick in the 2024 draft, but he didn't quite live up to the hype at Kentucky.

During his lone season in Lexington, Edwards averaged 8.8 points per game while shooting 48.6% from the field and 36.5% from three. The 6'8 freshman heated up toward the end of the 2023-24 season, which is why he has climbed back up mock drafts.

A new mock draft just came out from Kyle Boone of CBS Sports, and Edwards went 26th overall to the Washington Wizards. While Edwards didn't have an elite season in Lexington, he still has a ton of upside and raw talent, which is why an NBA team will take a shot on him with their first-round pick.

Here is Boone's reasoning for Edwards going 26th overall to the Wizards, "Washington could stand to take some big swings given its situation -- in the doldrums of the NBA standings for years --, and Edwards presents as one of the biggest available on the board. He's a 6-foot-7 wing who was active and aggressive at the combine after an up-and-down year at Kentucky with theoretical upside as a future starter."