# Willie Cauley-Stein
**Willie Cauley-Stein** (born Willie Durmond Cauley in 1993) is an American professional basketball player, a 7-foot center who played seven seasons in the NBA after being selected sixth overall by the [Sacramento Kings](https://www.edgepedia.org/sacramento-kings) in the 2015 NBA Draft[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1626161/willie-cauley-stein) • [2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/). He played three seasons of college basketball at the [University of Kentucky](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-kentucky), where he established himself as one of the most decorated defensive players in the program's history[3](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2014-15/player/willie-cauley-stein/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1993, Spearville, Kansas[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1626161/willie-cauley-stein) • [2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/) |
| Physical profile | 7'0" (2.13 m), 240 lb; 7'3" wingspan and 9.5-inch hands at the 2015 NBA Combine[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1626161/willie-cauley-stein) • [4](https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/738859/scouting-report-willie-cauley-stein-c-kentucky) |
| College | Kentucky, 2012-13 to 2014-15; consensus First Team All-American and NABC National Defensive Player of the Year as a junior[3](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2014-15/player/willie-cauley-stein/) |
| NBA Draft | 2015, first round, sixth overall, Sacramento Kings[5](https://ukathletics.com/news/2016/05/19/573e19e4e4b06f885b434e22-131467827273547367/) |
| NBA career | 422 regular-season games, 22.0 minutes per game, 8.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game; career-high 29 points[6](https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/draft.cgi?college=kentucky&lang=en) • [1](https://www.nba.com/player/1626161/willie-cauley-stein) • [7](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/caulewi01.html) |
| Honors | NBA All-Rookie second team (2016); SEC Defensive Player of the Year and SEC Tournament MVP (2015)[5](https://ukathletics.com/news/2016/05/19/573e19e4e4b06f885b434e22-131467827273547367/) • [3](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2014-15/player/willie-cauley-stein/) |
| Kentucky record | 233 career blocked shots, second in school history; first UK player with 200 or more blocks and 100 or more steals[3](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2014-15/player/willie-cauley-stein/) |
## College career at Kentucky
Cauley-Stein arrived at Kentucky as a four-star recruit and stayed three seasons under coach [John Calipari](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-calipari), working his way from that ranking to a top-10 [NBA draft](https://www.edgepedia.org/nba-draft) pick[8](https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article289568196.html). His scoring stayed modest, around eight points per game across three seasons, but his defensive value defined his college career[4](https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/738859/scouting-report-willie-cauley-stein-c-kentucky).
His junior season of 2014-15 was his peak. He started all 39 games for a Kentucky team that reached the Final Four with a 38-1 record, averaged 9.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 1.2 steals, and led the Wildcats in steals[3](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2014-15/player/willie-cauley-stein/) • [9](https://ukathletics.com/news/2015/06/26/55aefc21e4b05936b846fd9f-131467880063397907/). The honors followed: consensus First Team All-American, National Defensive Player of the Year from the NABC, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-SEC, and Most Valuable Player of the SEC Tournament[3](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2014-15/player/willie-cauley-stein/). He finished with 233 career blocked shots, second in Kentucky's record books, and became the first player in program history with 200 or more blocks and 100 or more steals[3](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2014-15/player/willie-cauley-stein/).
His per-season college statistics show the steady development:
| Season | PPG | RPG | BPG | FG% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | 8.3 | 6.2 | 2.1 | 62.1% | 37.2% |
| 2013-14 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 2.9 | 59.6% | 48.2% |
| 2014-15 | 8.9 | 6.4 | 1.7 | 57.2% | 61.7% |
[4](https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/738859/scouting-report-willie-cauley-stein-c-kentucky)
The 2014-15 Kentucky roster was unusually deep with NBA talent. In the 2015 draft, [Karl-Anthony Towns](https://www.edgepedia.org/karl-anthony-towns) went first overall, Cauley-Stein sixth to Sacramento, Trey Lyles twelfth to Utah, and [Devin Booker](https://www.edgepedia.org/devin-booker) thirteenth to Phoenix, four lottery picks from the same college team[9](https://ukathletics.com/news/2015/06/26/55aefc21e4b05936b846fd9f-131467880063397907/).
## Athletic profile
Cauley-Stein's combination of size and mobility was the core of his draft value. At the 2015 NBA Combine he measured 7'0.5" in shoes with a 7'3" wingspan, 9.5-inch hands, and 6.3% body fat[4](https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/738859/scouting-report-willie-cauley-stein-c-kentucky). A DraftExpress scouting report noted that he ran three-quarters the length of the court in 3.15 seconds the previous summer, a mark comparable to the one NBA All-Star Dwight Howard posted before turning pro, and called him the gold standard for athletic ability among college centers[10](https://uwbadgers.com/documents/download/2015/9/4/sports_m_baskbl_auto_pdf_2014_15_release_release_20150331aaa_kty.pdf).
Scouts described a defender who could protect the rim, switch onto guards in the pick-and-roll, and run the floor with fast offensive players, a range of coverage few centers could match[4](https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/738859/scouting-report-willie-cauley-stein-c-kentucky). CBS New York's draft profile called him unique, with the agility of a small forward or shooting guard but the height of a center[11](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nba-draft-willie-cauley-stein-knicks-schmeelk/). Calipari at one point compared him to [Dennis Rodman](https://www.edgepedia.org/dennis-rodman)[2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/).
The offensive limitations were equally clear in pre-draft evaluations. He had little jump shot, could not score with his back to the basket, and was not an adept passer; scouts also flagged a need to add strength to hold position against larger centers and to improve his defensive rebounding[4](https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/738859/scouting-report-willie-cauley-stein-c-kentucky). Common pro comparisons were defensive specialists such as [Tyson Chandler](https://www.edgepedia.org/tyson-chandler) and [Chris Andersen](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-andersen)[12](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2161301-pro-player-comparisons-for-the-top-2015-nba-draft-prospects) • [13](https://thebasketballsociety.wordpress.com/2015/05/20/society-scouting-report-willie-cauley-stein/).
## NBA career
The Sacramento Kings selected Cauley-Stein sixth overall in 2015, and he made the NBA All-Rookie second team that season[5](https://ukathletics.com/news/2016/05/19/573e19e4e4b06f885b434e22-131467827273547367/). He spent his first four seasons in Sacramento, initially as a backup to [DeMarcus Cousins](https://www.edgepedia.org/demarcus-cousins), whom Cauley-Stein described as the best pivot in the league[2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/). After Cousins was traded, Cauley-Stein's role grew, and in his third and fourth seasons he reached double-digit scoring averages, including 11.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in 2018-19, a season in which he received votes for the league's Most Improved Player award[2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/).
Sacramento did not re-sign him at the end of his rookie contract. He joined the [Golden State Warriors](https://www.edgepedia.org/golden-state-warriors) on a minimum salary in 2019, where his defensive box plus-minus, an advanced statistic measuring defensive impact against the league average, reached the best level of his career[2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/) • [14](https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/ex-cats/article238998003.html). He later played for the [Dallas Mavericks](https://www.edgepedia.org/dallas-mavericks), was waived on January 15 after 18 games in the 2021-22 season, and finished his NBA account with a ten-day contract with the [Philadelphia 76ers](https://www.edgepedia.org/philadelphia-76ers)[2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/).
Across his NBA career he played 422 regular-season games, averaging 8.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 22.0 minutes, with a career-high game of 29 points[6](https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/draft.cgi?college=kentucky&lang=en) • [1](https://www.nba.com/player/1626161/willie-cauley-stein) • [7](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/caulewi01.html).
## Later career and personal life
Cauley-Stein was born in Spearville, Kansas, and grew up without his father present, cared for largely by his maternal grandparents; he changed his surname from Cauley to Cauley-Stein to honor them[2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/). His NBA career ended in late 2021, when he entered a drug rehabilitation center and stayed 65 days; he later said publicly that he could easily have died[2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/).
After leaving the NBA he spent a year with the [Houston Rockets](https://www.edgepedia.org/houston-rockets)' G League affiliate, had a short stint with Pallacanestro Varese in Italy, and tried out with Indios de Mayagüez in Puerto Rico[2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/). Now in his thirties and sober, he has sought a return to professional basketball[2](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/).
## References
1. [Willie Cauley-Stein player profile, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/player/1626161/willie-cauley-stein)
2. [El adiós de Cauley-Stein a la NBA por culpa del fentanilo, AS (2024)](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/el-adios-de-cauley-stein-a-la-nba-por-culpa-del-fentanilo-podria-haber-muerto-n/)
3. [Willie Cauley-Stein 2014-15 roster bio, UK Athletics](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2014-15/player/willie-cauley-stein/)
4. [Scouting Report: Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky, theScore (2015)](https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/738859/scouting-report-willie-cauley-stein-c-kentucky)
5. [Wildcats Towns, Booker, Cauley-Stein Make NBA All-Rookie Teams, UK Athletics (2016)](https://ukathletics.com/news/2016/05/19/573e19e4e4b06f885b434e22-131467827273547367/)
6. [Draft Picks From Kentucky, Basketball-Reference](https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/draft.cgi?college=kentucky&lang=en)
7. [Willie Cauley-Stein Stats, Basketball-Reference](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/caulewi01.html)
8. [A history of John Calipari's 50 NBA draft picks at Kentucky, Lexington Herald Leader](https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-basketball-men/article289568196.html)
9. [Wildcats Make History Again with Six NBA Draft Picks, UK Athletics (2015)](https://ukathletics.com/news/2015/06/26/55aefc21e4b05936b846fd9f-131467880063397907/)
10. [2014-15 Kentucky release notes, UW Badgers / DraftExpress citation](https://uwbadgers.com/documents/download/2015/9/4/sports_m_baskbl_auto_pdf_2014_15_release_release_20150331aaa_kty.pdf)
11. [Schmeelk: 2015 NBA Draft Profile — Willie Cauley-Stein, CBS New York](https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nba-draft-willie-cauley-stein-knicks-schmeelk/)
12. [Pro Player Comparisons for the Top 2015 NBA Draft Prospects, Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2161301-pro-player-comparisons-for-the-top-2015-nba-draft-prospects)
13. [Society Scouting Report: Willie Cauley-Stein, Basketball Society (2015)](https://thebasketballsociety.wordpress.com/2015/05/20/society-scouting-report-willie-cauley-stein/)
14. [Willie Cauley-Stein could be long-term piece for the Warriors, Lexington Herald Leader (2019)](https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/ex-cats/article238998003.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › NBA players, 2011–2018 › NBA centers, 2011–2018*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license