Larry Bird called Willie Cauley-Stein ‘$100 million player’

After three seasons at the University of Kentucky, Willie Cauley-Stein declared for next month’s NBA Draft, along with several of his teammates. The SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year is projected to be a top-10 pick and someone who can step in and help a team immediately.

Among those who think highly of the 21-year-old is Hall of Famer Larry Bird, who feels Cauley-Stein’s skills will one day secure him quite a lucrative contract.

WCS on his meeting w/ #Pacers: "Larry (Bird) told me, ‘I think you’re a $100 million dollar player.’ I hear that and I’m like, ‘Really?!’"

— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) May 15, 2015

WCS on #Pacers: "They see me as a player in the five position & put Paul (George) at the four. Now I’ll have a mismatch…"

— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) May 15, 2015

More WCS on his meeting w/ #Pacers: "…They know that I can score the ball. They know the stuff I bring to the table."

— Candace Buckner (@CandaceDBuckner) May 15, 2015

The best part might be Cauley-Stein’s reaction, not the valuation placed on him by Bird.

While Bird’s admiration of Willie Cauley-Stein is one thing, having him in a Pacers uniform may take a bit of work, and luck. While the Pacers are in the draft lottery, their chances of landing one of the top picks is slim due to their 38-44 record this season. Ten teams finished with a worse record than Indiana.

The NBA will hold its draft lottery on Tuesday. At that point we should have a better idea of who may be paying Willie Cauley-Stein a handsome sum of money in the future.

H/T SLAM