Former Kentucky freshman Chris Livingston has reportedly canceled his upcoming team workouts ahead of the 2023 NBA draft, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Livingston has worked out with at least five teams as part of his pre-draft process. He was last scheduled to see Atlanta on Wednesday, two days after visiting Indiana. The decision to opt out of workouts has fueled speculation he has received a draft promise.
The 19-year-old isn’t projected to be selected by most mock drafts. Many believed he would return to Kentucky to improve his stock, but he explained that he believed he was ready to stay in the draft.
“I know I’m ready for this jump,” Livingston said Monday after working out with the Pacers. “The feedback I was getting from teams was positive. I’ve been killing my workouts, so that was one of the main things that put me in a position to stay.”
Livingston was named to the SEC All-Freshman team after averaging 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds on 42.9% shooting from the field. He scored in double figures seven times, including a season-high 14 points on Dec. 17 in a loss to UCLA.
The potential promise could explain, in part, why Livingston opted to stay in the draft. He had the opportunity to meet with teams at the combine last month in Chicago, Illinois, and also participated in various on-court workouts in front of executives and scouts.
With two weeks to go until the draft, it will be worth monitoring the situation with Livingston and what his potential draft range could be on June 22.
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