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Note: This story has been updated to reflect conflicting reports.
Once thought to be in the running as the No. 1 pick, Kentucky product Julius Randle has now slipped to sixth, seventh or eighth in most mock drafts -- but could he fall further?
If so, a reported necessary surgery on his right foot could be the culprit. Yahoo Sports is reporting Randle will go under the knife after the draft. The foot was previously worked on during Randle's senior year of high school after he fractured a bone in it.
But shortly after Yahoo Sports' report came out, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported a story quoting Randle's mother, Carolyn Kyles, who said her son would not be needing surgery. Her exact words: "a lie."
"Everything with Julius is fine," Kyles said. "There is no surgery scheduled whatsoever. Nothing. They don't have a clue. They haven't spoken to us. They haven't spoken to Julius' doctor. I know for a fact, because he is my son, there is no surgery scheduled, period, now or after."
Yahoo's report states the healing process hasn't been fully cooperational -- the screw implanted in his foot has to come out -- and now one team source tells ESPN.com Randle's likelihood for surgery "is an issue." If -- if -- surgery happens, it would mean Randle sitting out for 6-8 weeks, per Yahoo's report. He'd be a go in time for next season but would miss summer league play in Las Vegas, which has become more and more of a big part of the transitional process.
With Randle's right foot clearly not in too much pain, the UK power forward is still going through team workouts. ESPN.com reports he'll show off for the Boston Celtics on Friday.
Randle's freshman season pretty much lived up to the hype. He was a dominant force for Kentucky, wound up being a major factor to getting the Wildcats to the national title game, and along the way proved to be a fairly dynamic/aggressive force. He was the SEC Freshman of the Year and a Third Team All-American.
