[Stardust]

NEW ORLEANS, LA. — The University of Kentucky men’s basketball team has as many as six players who’d be strong candidates to be selected in the next NBA draft if all the underclassmen choose to turn pro after this season. But with the postseason under way, coach John Calipari doesn’t want them distracted by such thoughts.

In attempt to be proactive and relieve stress over that impending decision, he brought in Billy Hunter, executive director of the NBA Players Association, to speak to the team Wednesday before it left Lexington for the SEC Tournament.

“To basically tell the kids: You together, collectively, have a chance to do something special. Worry about this,” Calipari said. “There’s no reason to be talking, thinking (about the NBA). Just do your thing. … There’s time to worry.”

Calipari said because the deadline to declare for the draft was moved up this year, giving players only a small window to make their decisions, he is afraid they’ll be focused on that. He’d rather they be dialed in for a run at UK’s eighth national title.

“I’m trying to take that off their plate,” he said, “which is why I did what I did.