Patterson had biggest hand in UK's return to national prominence

Patterson had biggest hand in UK's return to national prominence

By Eric Lindsey on March 5, 2010 6:18 PM
Some have called Kentucky great Jamal Mashburn the most important player in the modern era of UK basketball.

Mashburn, who scored 1,843 career points in three years at UK, was Rick Pitino's first big-time recruit following UK's NCAA sanctions in 1989. Knowing full well that he'd be unable to play in the postseason in his first year at Kentucky, Mashburn decided to sign with the Wildcats anyway and helped the rebuilding process of the sport's greatest tradition.

But if Mashburn is considered the most important player in the program's modern revival, in that sense, consider Patrick Patterson a close second.

Patterson never had to deal with a postseason ban or suffer through the effects on NCAA probation, but Patterson can relate to Mashburn in the pressure and rebuilding job he faced when he signed with Kentucky.

Upon Patterson's signing in 2007, the Kentucky program was in serious transition. To a degree, it was stuck in mediocrity, having not advanced to the Final Four since 1998, a long stretch in the minds of the Kentucky faithful.

When Billy Gillispie was hired as the 21st coach of the program, there was no telling what direction the program would head. While things never panned out in the two-year marriage with Gillispie, things would have been considerably worse without the services of Patterson.

During two years of talent malnutrition, Patterson shouldered the scoring load, leadership responsibilities and spotlight of a team that was under fire. Ever more impressive, he did so as a freshman and sophomore, even without so much as a whiff of the NCAA Tournament (Patterson has never played in an NCAA Tournament game because of an injury his freshman season and a National Invitation Tournament bid in 2009).

It should only be so fitting that in his junior and quite possibly final year in the collegiate ranks, Patterson's team has risen from the depths and returned to its rightful spot on top of the college basketball world.

Heading into the final regular-season game of the season, UK has claimed a share of its 44th Southeastern Conference regular-season title, is ranked No. 3 in the nation and is one of the favorites to win the national championship.

While the spotlight has been quick to center on a sensational freshman class, and deservedly so, the Cats probably are never in a position without Patterson to lock up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with one week to play.

Patterson was the one constant during a time of instability. He is the single biggest reason the Kentucky basketball program has returned to national prominence.

If it is indeed his last home game at Rupp Arena on Sunday, Patterson deserves a standing ovation of gratitude like none the historic arena has seen in some time.

"I know when I step on the court, if it is my last game, it's going to be something I have to remember and cherish for the rest of my life," Patterson said. "Stepping one last foot, playing one last game at Rupp Arena in front of all those adoring, loving fans who have supported me throughout the years and this university ... it's something that I'm definitely going to cherish and take with me wherever I go."

When Kentucky was flying high and undefeated at the beginning of the season, it seemed so easy to forget the hardships Patterson had to undergo with two coaches in the last two seasons. Some, including this writer, lost sight of the hard work he put in to keep the program afloat and forgot to appreciate what Patterson had to go through to revive the program.

We failed to remember that Patterson could have just as easily gone to the NBA last season. It would have been the easy choice and maybe the smart thing to do.

Instead, Patterson adopted a reduced role in order to come back to college, achieve his family's lifelong dream of graduating from college (he will graduate in three years in the spring), and to make it to and possibly win the NCAA Tournament for the first time in his career.

Now, when his team needs him the most, he's been on a tear, averaging 16.4 points and 9.2 rebounds over his last five games. On the season, his averages have ballooned to 15.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, all while transforming himself into a hybrid power forward that can shoot the 3 and post up in the paint.

His worth, though, has been priceless.

"I always knew the NBA was going to be there," Patterson said. "If God wanted me to go to the NBA, he would give me the opportunity to go. I always felt like I wanted to enjoy college as long as I can. I love being here at the university, I love playing college basketball. College has definitely always been something that I've always looked forward to going to."

Patterson called it fitting that he'll face Florida in perhaps in his final regular-season game. After all, it was Florida that Patterson chose Kentucky over.

The three-year star admitted that not everything worked out the way he originally planned it but said he was more than satisfied with his collegiate experience at UK.

"Everything that was hard that we went through - all the hardships, all the tough times, all the battle wounds - at the moment, when we were in the moment, it wasn't funny then," Patterson said. "Now that we look back on it, we talk about it all the time, we reminisce , we laugh at the moments, we make fun of each other for the moments and we just share what we lived through."

A chance to make a run at the national championship under unprecedented hype has made the struggles and the revival all worth it, Patterson said.

Patterson's had so much fun watching the end product of UK's reestablishment that he's not so sure he's doesn't want to stick around for one more year to enjoy it.

"It's something I'm not sure if I'm ready to give up or not," Patterson said.

Regardless of what he decides, one of the most important players in modern Kentucky basketball history deserves a proper, albeit tentative, Big Blue goodbye on Sunday.


http://www.ukathletics.com/blog/index.html

Best of luck to Pat in whatever he decides to do and I agree with this article. Things could and would of been alot worse without him and i know i'm not the only one who'd like to thank him for his efforts on the court.

Patterson has always been a class act, that's what I have always liked about him, Patterson never acted like a thug or anything, he just came to play ball.

Pat is a warrior in every sense of the word. He is a team player in every sense of the word. He is every coach's dream, and every player's dream of a team mate. He is awesome. He is also a JUNIOR. He should not be recognized in any special way on senior day.