In recognition of their outstanding performances during the 2023-24 NBA season, Kentucky men’s basketball products Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Davis, and Devin Booker were selected to the All-NBA teams, it was announced Wednesday night. Gilgeous-Alexander was a unanimous pick for the first team, while Davis was named to the second team, and Booker earned a spot on the third team.
Since 2015, Kentucky has had eight players earn 17 All-NBA honors, leading all programs in both the number of individual players and total selections during that period.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Unanimous First Team Selection
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the runner-up for the 2023-24 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, was one of just two unanimous first team honorees this season alongside Nikola Jokic. This marks his second consecutive selection to the All-NBA First Team. The Hamilton, Ontario native also earned his second NBA All-Star game appearance in 2024, starting for the first time.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the regular season as the league’s third leading scorer, averaging 30.1 points per game. He led the league with 51 30-point games, marking the second straight year he topped this category. Defensively, he was formidable, tying for the league lead in steals per game at 2.0. Additionally, he contributed 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game, leading the youthful Oklahoma City Thunder to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with a 57-25 record. In the Thunder’s opening series sweep over New Orleans, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 27.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists.
Anthony Davis: Dominant as Ever
In his 12th NBA season, Anthony Davis had a stellar 2023-24 campaign. The Los Angeles Lakers’ center averaged 24.7 points on 55.6% shooting, ranking third in the league in rebounds per game (12.6) and fourth in both total blocks (178) and blocks per game (2.3). Davis was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
Throughout his career, Davis has been a nine-time NBA All-Star, a four-time All-NBA First Team selection, a 2020 NBA Champion, and the 2017 NBA All-Star Game MVP.
Devin Booker: Steady Excellence
Devin Booker rounded out the UK contingent of All-NBA honorees with a third team selection. During the 2023-24 regular season, the Phoenix Suns star guard averaged 27.1 points per game, a career-high 6.9 assists per contest, and 4.5 rebounds. Booker’s scoring average was tied with teammate Kevin Durant for the fifth highest in the NBA, helping the Suns to a 49-33 record and the sixth seed in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, Booker continued his scoring streak, averaging 27.5 points in the series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Booker adds this year’s All-NBA Third Team recognition to his first team selection in 2022. He is also a four-time NBA All-Star and was a member of the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2016.
Kentucky’s Continued NBA Dominance
Kentucky men’s basketball alumni continue to make a significant impact on the NBA scene. For the 12th straight season, Kentucky led the country with 26 former student-athletes on NBA opening day rosters in 2023-24 and 22 representatives in the NBA Playoffs. At the 2024 NBA All-Star game, the Wildcats made history with a record-breaking seven players earning All-Star nods.
The 2023-24 NBA award season has been highly successful for the Wildcats. In addition to the All-NBA nods, Bam Adebayo and Davis were named to the NBA All-Defensive Teams, Karl-Anthony Towns earned the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award, Tyrese Maxey was named both the KIA NBA Most Improved Player and the recipient of the NBA’s Sportsmanship Award, and Cason Wallace was tabbed to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Kentucky’s legacy in the NBA continues to grow, with its alumni consistently demonstrating excellence and leadership on the court.
