Kentucky Among Favorites to Land Thon Maker's Cousin if He Doesn't Go to NBA

Makur Maker is trying to follow his cousin, Thon Maker, to the NBA. The Kenyan-born prospect entered the NBA draft in April, but is reportedly considering pulling out of the proceedings.

The younger Makur Maker has been living in America of late, and has caught NBA attention with his play on the AAU circuit. Maker is one year removed from high school, and has been deemed NBA eligible, although he fell two credits short of graduating in 2019.

But the league isn't the big man's only option, as he's been drawing attention from collegiate programs if he chooses to remove his name from the NBA Draft. That picture's now coming into clearer focus.

University of Kentucky and UCLA are currently the leaders to land Maker, if he chooses not to remain in the Draft. Maker is currently listed as the No.75 overall prospect in the NBA Draft by ESPN. That would put Maker outside of the 60 players picked, should everything play out according to ESPN's prediction.

The 6-11 Maker is quick for his size and could find success against the smaller bodies of college basketball to help raise his draft stock for 2021.

Maker's cousin Thon was taken with the 10th overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2016 NBA Draft. He's still in the league, but is holding on by a thread. He averaged jut 12.9 minutes per game for the Detroit Pistons this season, averaging 4.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

Although his cousin appears to be a bust, scouts are clearly still interested in Makur Maker. Where he will be showcasing his talents next season is unclear as of now, but he is definitely a name to watch.