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On Tuesday last week, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s former teammate at St. Patrick’s High School in New Jersey was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year. The presentation took place just down the street from where he was working out. Before making his way into the weight room with Coach Purtor, I asked MKG if Kyrie Irving had offered him any advice heading into this NBA Draft process. “That’s my best friend,” Kidd-Gilchrist said of last year’s No. 1 overall pick. “I talked with him earlier today actually, and he just told me that the NBA is a man’s League. He said to just take my time with everything, off the court and on the court stuff, and just take my time in general. But most importantly, he just said to continue to keep working hard.” SLAM

Cleveland Cavaliers, Draft, Kyrie Irving, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

“Of course, I’d love to play with Kyrie,” Kidd-Gilchrist told SLAMonline. “But at the same time, I’m going into my own professional career and I’d be happy to play with any team that drafts me. I’m looking forward to being a part of an organization that believes in me, and I’m working hard to be able to bring an impact and positive light to that organization.” SLAM

Cleveland Cavaliers, Draft, Kyrie Irving, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

While watching him move through the skill work with a motor that never slowed down, I spoke with his strength and conditioning coach, Jon Purtor. We talked about the training regimen Kidd-Gilchrist has been on since cutting down the nets in New Orleans. “We are working on a six-day per week plan with Michael (Kidd-Gilchrist),” Purtor told SLAMonline. “In the middle of the week, on Wednesdays and then again on Saturdays, we work soft tissue and recovery, mobility and flexibility. Then we do split routines on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. Sunday is his off day, and he just shoots.” SLAM

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

“I love playing defense, that’s my thing,” MKG went on to tell me during a break in the session. “I feel like I’m a guy who can guard [positions] 1 through 4 in the NBA. Offensively, I believe I can play the 2 or 3 in the NBA too, and I’m just working hard in order to prepare myself for that. SLAM

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Because his perimeter game is so lacking, there are some who think the Cavaliers should shy away from Kentucky small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in the June 28 NBA draft. That opinion is not shared by Ryan Blake, senior director of NBA scouting operations. News-Herald

Cleveland Cavaliers, Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

"Teams realize and project that he (Kidd-Gilchrist) needs a consistent perimeter game," Blake said. News-Herald

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

"He is a great athlete who has a great motor," (Ryan Blake) said. "He's a tough, physical defender. He attacks the rim and is a good finisher. He's a good rebounder. When you think about the ability he has, along with his (basketball) IQ and maturity, it's very important." News-Herald

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

He might have the best motor in the draft, and nothing makes scouts happier than a player who never stops. Kidd-Gilchrist is also a tenacious defender with a 6-10 wingspan. His inconsistent perimeter game is a concern, but his work ethic and approach have NBA teams drooling. "He has all the intangibles," one assistant general manager said. "And he plays extremely hard." SI.com

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

“This is a one-player draft,’’ agent David Falk told the Observer Monday, referring to Kentucky freshman big man Anthony Davis. “Picks two through eight, there’s not a lot of separation. There’s just not a lot of difference between (Michael Kidd-)Gilchrist, (Andre) Drummond or (Harrison) Barnes. A lot of teams will be looking to trade down because the difference from two through eight is miniscule". Charlotte Observer

Draft, Agents, Harrison Barnes, Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

I figured that Leon Rose of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) was good for at least one of Kentucky’s talented underclassmen headed for the NBA. And I have heard from multiple sources that Rose has signed Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who just finished an outstanding freshman season. businessinsider.com

Draft, Leon Rose, Agents, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

While Kentucky power forward Anthony Davis is the overwhelming favorite to be the first player taken in the draft, two other players appear to be vying for the No. 2 spot. In a Journal Times’ survey of four long-time NBA scouts, two of them picked Kansas power forward Thomas Robinson as the second-best player in the draft with the other two scouts choosing Kentucky small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Racine Journal-Times

Draft, Anthony Davis, Thomas Robinson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

F Anthony Davis , F Terrence Jones , F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist , G Doron Lamb and G Marquis Teague all announced they would enter the NBA draft. The five underclassmen comprised the starting lineup of Kentucky's 38-2 national championship team. Their NBA draft projections range from first overall (Davis) to late-first or early-second round (Lamb). CBSSports.com

Draft, Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Chris Mannix: Two NBA personnel execs agree, UK's Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, Jones making smart move, Teague, Lamb should have gone back. Twitter

Draft, Jeremy Lamb, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

There will be a men's basketball press conference on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the Joe Craft Center men's basketball practice gym with UK head coach John Calipari and underclassmen Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Doron Lamb and Marquis Teague. LEX18.com

Draft, Terrence Jones, John Calipari, Doron Lamb, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marquis Teague 

Kentucky's Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Terrence Jones are expected to declare for the draft soon, according to sources. Kansas' Thomas Robinson is a lock to declare. Florida's Bradley Beal and UConn's Jeremy Lamb are also leaning strongly in that direction. ESPN.com

Draft, Terrence Jones, Anthony Davis, Jeremy Lamb, Thomas Robinson, Bradley Beal, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has a stutter. This is not surprising to anyone who knows or has spent time around him, but it's probably news to most reading this column. You might've seen him conduct an interview on television or listened to him on radio and thought he must be shy in front of cameras or uncomfortable around strangers, but that's not it. He has an actual stutter that was diagnosed at an early age and has been noticeable for as long as his mother can remember. But it's not a stutter like you might think. It's more like he just freezes in certain thoughts. CBSSports.com

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

He'll be talking and talking and then he just … stops. He's a smart and thoughtful young man who knows what he wants to say, but the words don't always come out smoothly. There are pauses in many answers. The length varies depending on the subject and setting, and the local media in Kentucky have grown used to the exercise over the months and handled it with terrific sensitivity. It only gets awkward when reporters who have never been around Kidd-Gilchrist are around him in large groups like the Final Four produces and interpret a pause as the end of an answer rather than just what it is -- a pause caused by a diagnosed stutter. "Michael has done speech consistently for the majority of his life," Cindy Richardson, Kidd-Gilchrist's mother, told CBSSports.com in her first public comments about the issue. "He gets help with it. He deals with it. He's not embarrassed by it." CBSSports.com

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

The reason Cindy said she's OK speaking about the issue is because it's a non-issue to her son, just another thing he's had to overcome but not something that ever brought grief into his childhood. Yes, she knows some kids with stutters are picked on because children can be immature and foolish and cruel. But that was never the case here. "Michael has been a leader since he was in the sandbox -- a leader and a protector," Cindy said. "His father and I used to give him $5 for the week for snacks at school to try to teach him the value of a dollar, and he'd treat everybody because nobody else had money. He'd have no money by the end of the first day because he always took care of people and was compassionate toward people. So I think that's why he never suffered from the negativity or harshness of other children. He always took care of everybody. He showed compassion to other children so they showed him compassion, too. So he really never had an issue." CBSSports.com

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

On Thursday, ESPN's Chad Ford reported that Kidd-Gilchrist will enter the 2012 NBA draft after Kentucky's season ends. Kidd-Gilchrist then responded on Twitter: I don't know where this is coming from. This is MY decision. Right now all I'm focused on my Teammates and winning Games. After the season Ill make a decision that's best for me and my family! It's probably best to just wait and see at this point -- let the Wildcats' season finish and see what MKG does. USA Today

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 

F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist tweeted in response to an ESPN.com report that he plans on entering the NBA draft after the season: "I don't know where this is coming from. This is MY decision. Right now all I'm focused on my Teammates and winning Games." CBSSports.com

Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist