July 7, 2012
Charlotte Bobcats President of Basketball Operations Rod Higgins announced July 7 that the team has signed first-round draft pick Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. The Bobcats selected Kidd-Gilchrist with the second overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
Kidd-Gilchrist spent one season at the University of Kentucky, where he was a member of the Wildcats 2012 NCAA National Championship team. He averaged 11.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 40 games.
An early entry candidate, the 6-7 Kidd-Gilchrist earned First Team All-Southeastern Conference and SEC All-Freshmen honors. He ranked second on the team in rebounding, third in blocks (37) and steals (37) and fourth in scoring. During the Wildcats NCAA Tournament Championship run, he captured the South Region’s Most Outstanding Player honors and was nominated for both the John R. Wooden Award and Naismith Men’s Basketball Player of the Year award.