The 2012 Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team wasn’t just dominant—it was iconic. With a 38–2 record and a national championship under their belt, they were a blend of raw talent, unselfish play, and defensive brilliance. But more than a decade later, the paths of those title heroes have diverged dramatically—some rising to NBA stardom, others fading into obscurity, and a few finding purpose far from the hardwood.
**Anthony Davis**, the towering centerpiece of that squad, fulfilled every ounce of his promise. Drafted No. 1 overall in 2012, he became an 8-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA title with the Lakers in 2020. Now with the Dallas Mavericks after a blockbuster trade, Davis remains one of the league’s most dominant two-way forces and a future Hall of Famer [A](https://wildcatbluenation.com/where-are-they-now-revisiting-kentucky-s-2012-national-championship-team?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tEZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93aWxkY2F0Ymx1ZW5hdGlvbi5jb21cL3doZXJlLWFyZS10aGV5LW5vdy1yZXZpc2l0aW5nLWtlbnR1Y2t5LXMtMjAxMi1uYXRpb25hbC1jaGFtcGlvbnNoaXAtdGVhbSIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19jb252ZXJzYXRpb25JZCI6IjFVMmZQV0drZkh5UzdGY2pCNEJuVCIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19tZXNzYWdlSWQiOiIya0NCSldaWDVvZGt0WVUxWFF3VlkiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsifQ%3D%3D&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
**Michael Kidd-Gilchrist**, the No. 2 pick that same year, had a solid NBA career, mostly with Charlotte. Known for his defense and hustle, MKG never quite developed a consistent jump shot, but he left the league with respect. Today, he’s making a difference off the court through his nonprofit, Change & Impact, which supports individuals who stutter—a cause close to his heart [A](https://wildcatbluenation.com/where-are-they-now-revisiting-kentucky-s-2012-national-championship-team?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiMmtDQkpXWlg1b2RrdFlVMVhRd1ZZIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NvbnZlcnNhdGlvbklkIjoiMVUyZlBXR2tmSHlTN0ZjakI0Qm5UIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd2lsZGNhdGJsdWVuYXRpb24uY29tXC93aGVyZS1hcmUtdGhleS1ub3ctcmV2aXNpdGluZy1rZW50dWNreS1zLTIwMTItbmF0aW9uYWwtY2hhbXBpb25zaGlwLXRlYW0ifQ%3D%3D&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
**Doron Lamb**, the sharpshooter from Queens, had a brief NBA stint before carving out a successful career overseas, particularly in Italy. His silky shooting stroke still earns him a paycheck and admiration in European leagues [A](https://wildcatbluenation.com/where-are-they-now-revisiting-kentucky-s-2012-national-championship-team?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiIxVTJmUFdHa2ZIeVM3RmNqQjRCblQiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiMmtDQkpXWlg1b2RrdFlVMVhRd1ZZIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrU291cmNlIjoiY2l0YXRpb25MaW5rIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd2lsZGNhdGJsdWVuYXRpb24uY29tXC93aGVyZS1hcmUtdGhleS1ub3ctcmV2aXNpdGluZy1rZW50dWNreS1zLTIwMTItbmF0aW9uYWwtY2hhbXBpb25zaGlwLXRlYW0ifQ%3D%3D&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
**Terrence Jones** showed flashes of brilliance in the NBA, especially with the Houston Rockets, but injuries and inconsistency led him to a global basketball journey. He’s played in the Philippines, China, and Puerto Rico, continuing to chase the game he loves [A](https://wildcatbluenation.com/where-are-they-now-revisiting-kentucky-s-2012-national-championship-team?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tEZXN0aW5hdGlvbiI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93aWxkY2F0Ymx1ZW5hdGlvbi5jb21cL3doZXJlLWFyZS10aGV5LW5vdy1yZXZpc2l0aW5nLWtlbnR1Y2t5LXMtMjAxMi1uYXRpb25hbC1jaGFtcGlvbnNoaXAtdGVhbSIsImV2ZW50SW5mb19tZXNzYWdlSWQiOiIya0NCSldaWDVvZGt0WVUxWFF3VlkiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiIxVTJmUFdHa2ZIeVM3RmNqQjRCblQiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsifQ%3D%3D&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
**Marquis Teague**, the team’s floor general, struggled to find a lasting role in the NBA. After bouncing around the league and overseas, he now plays in Ice Cube’s BIG3 league, keeping his competitive fire alive in a new format [A](https://wildcatbluenation.com/where-are-they-now-revisiting-kentucky-s-2012-national-championship-team?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiIxVTJmUFdHa2ZIeVM3RmNqQjRCblQiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiMmtDQkpXWlg1b2RrdFlVMVhRd1ZZIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd2lsZGNhdGJsdWVuYXRpb24uY29tXC93aGVyZS1hcmUtdGhleS1ub3ctcmV2aXNpdGluZy1rZW50dWNreS1zLTIwMTItbmF0aW9uYWwtY2hhbXBpb25zaGlwLXRlYW0ifQ%3D%3D&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
**Darius Miller** quietly built a respectable pro career, with his best years coming in New Orleans. Now back in Lexington, he’s involved with La Familia in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) and is eyeing a future in coaching [A](https://wildcatbluenation.com/where-are-they-now-revisiting-kentucky-s-2012-national-championship-team?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiIxVTJmUFdHa2ZIeVM3RmNqQjRCblQiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiMmtDQkpXWlg1b2RrdFlVMVhRd1ZZIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrU291cmNlIjoiY2l0YXRpb25MaW5rIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd2lsZGNhdGJsdWVuYXRpb24uY29tXC93aGVyZS1hcmUtdGhleS1ub3ctcmV2aXNpdGluZy1rZW50dWNreS1zLTIwMTItbmF0aW9uYWwtY2hhbXBpb25zaGlwLXRlYW0ifQ%3D%3D&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
**Kyle Wiltjer**, who transferred to Gonzaga after the title run, became a college star again and now plays professionally in Italy. A stretch-four before it was trendy, Wiltjer’s game has aged well in the modern era [A](https://wildcatbluenation.com/where-are-they-now-revisiting-kentucky-s-2012-national-championship-team?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiMmtDQkpXWlg1b2RrdFlVMVhRd1ZZIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvd2lsZGNhdGJsdWVuYXRpb24uY29tXC93aGVyZS1hcmUtdGhleS1ub3ctcmV2aXNpdGluZy1rZW50dWNreS1zLTIwMTItbmF0aW9uYWwtY2hhbXBpb25zaGlwLXRlYW0iLCJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiIxVTJmUFdHa2ZIeVM3RmNqQjRCblQiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsifQ%3D%3D&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
**Eloy Vargas**, the Dominican big man, took his talents to South America and has played in various leagues, most recently in Colombia [B](https://fanrecap.com/where-are-kentuckys-2012-champs-now/?copilot_analytics_metadata=eyJldmVudEluZm9fY29udmVyc2F0aW9uSWQiOiIxVTJmUFdHa2ZIeVM3RmNqQjRCblQiLCJldmVudEluZm9fY2xpY2tTb3VyY2UiOiJjaXRhdGlvbkxpbmsiLCJldmVudEluZm9fbWVzc2FnZUlkIjoiMmtDQkpXWlg1b2RrdFlVMVhRd1ZZIiwiZXZlbnRJbmZvX2NsaWNrRGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJodHRwczpcL1wvZmFucmVjYXAuY29tXC93aGVyZS1hcmUta2VudHVja3lzLTIwMTItY2hhbXBzLW5vd1wvIn0%3D&citationMarker=9F742443-6C92-4C44-BF58-8F5A7C53B6F1).
From NBA superstardom to international journeymen, and from community leaders to quiet retirements, the 2012 Wildcats have scattered across the globe. Their stories are as varied as their talents, but they all share one thing: they were part of a team that captured lightning in a bottle and etched their names into Kentucky basketball lore forever. Some became legends. Some disappeared. But none will ever be forgotten.
