Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein Lead Kentucky's NBA Draft Declarations

After falling just short of a perfect season, the Kentucky men's basketball team announced Thursday that seven of its top players, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein, will enter the 2015 NBA draft.

According to SportsCenter, Towns and Cauley-Stein will be joined by Trey Lyles, Devin Booker, Dakari Johnson and Andrew and Aaron Harrison: 

Per Kentucky Basketball on Twitter, head coach John Calipari had every intention of grooming his players for the NBA prior to the start of the season:

According to ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello, Calipari said Alex Poythress opted against declaring since he was limited to eight games in 2014-15 due to injury:

Art Stapleton of The Record made reference to the NBA declaration press conference likely aiding in Kentucky's recruitment moving forward:

The 2014-15 Wildcats were one of the deepest and most talented teams in college basketball history. Their season ended in disappointment with a loss to Wisconsin in the Final Four, but Calipari clearly prepared his players for life in the NBA.

Many assumed that Towns would be a one-and-done player, and considering he will almost assuredly be one of the top picks in the draft, his declaration isn't surprising.

The Piscataway, New Jersey, native averaged roughly 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks per game, which are respectable numbers but were undoubtedly limited by Kentucky's depth.

As pointed out by Reid Forgrave of FoxSports.com, Towns was willing to sacrifice massive stat lines in exchange for wins with the Wildcats:

That can be said for the entire Kentucky roster, but it didn't stop a plethora of stars from deciding to make the leap to the NBA.

Cauley-Stein was the driving force behind Kentucky's dominant defense, as the junior used his length to frustrate opposing shooters and register more than six rebounds and nearly two blocks per contest.

Following the Wildcats' loss to the Badgers, Cauley-Stein made it clear that the NBA was likely his next step, per ESPN.com: "It's time to take another step. I mean, obviously, I'm not 100 percent on it, but I'm pretty sure I know what I want to do. Gotta talk to a couple more people, but probably was my last game here."

Towns and Cauley-Stein may be the headliners, but they are far from the only key players Kentucky is losing heading into the 2015-16 season.

The Harrison twins, who combined to average more than 20 points and five assists per game, will be tough to replace in the backcourt.

Despite having two solid seasons at Kentucky, the Harrisons were much maligned at times. Their decision to declare may ultimately be second-guessed as well, since ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman is hearing that they are second-round prospects:

Lyles, Booker and Johnson were often overshadowed by the aforementioned players during their time at Kentucky, but they all have a chance to be high picks and make a massive impact in the NBA as well.

Lyles and Booker were both excellent in supporting roles, with the former providing size and athleticism, while the latter was among Kentucky's best shooters.

T.J. Beisner of KSTV expects them both to come off of the board within the first 30 picks:

Johnson averaged six points and 16 minutes per game, but the 7'0" sophomore has a ton of potential, and he has a chance to be selected in the first round, too.

This mass exodus is far from ideal for Kentucky and its fans, but it isn't as if it hasn't dealt with something similar before, according to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv:

Calipari is the best recruiter in the nation, and he somehow always finds a way to replenish his roster.

It may be difficult to bounce back immediately, but don't be surprised if the Wildcats are vying for a national title in the very near future.

As for the players who declared, their decision has added a ton of depth and talent to the 2015 NBA draft, which should make it much more intriguing.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.