PJ Washington was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 12 pick in the NBA Draft on Thursday night in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The 6-foot-8 forward became the 36th draft pick, the 27th first-round pick, and the 20th lottery selection during John Calipari's tenure as head coach of the Wildcats.

Washington returned to UK for his sophomore season and blossomed into a star. He averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 52 percent from the field and 42 percent from the 3-point arc. He also was second on the team with 43 blocked shots.

The Dallas native was a consensus All-America pick by all four NCAA-recognized selectors -- Associated Press, The Sporting News, USBWA, and NABC.

Washington could become a teammate of former UK standouts Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Malik Monk in Charlotte.