Sunday will be Patterson’s Senior Day
March 1st, 2010 | 
Author: By LARRY VAUGHT
LEXINGTON — He’s only been at Kentucky for three years, but it has been more than enough for Patrick Patterson to endear himself to UK fans.
It has also been long enough for him to be in position to complete his degree in a few months — and also go through his Senior Day with teammates Ramon Harris, Perry Stevenson and Mark Krebs Sunday when UK closes regular-season play by hosting Florida.
There has been no official announcement that Patterson will be part of the Senior Day ceremony and Patterson has yet to officially confirm he will enter the NBA draft when the season ends. But both are going to happen.
Patterson will have extra family and friends at the game and he’s sure to receive a huge ovation from Kentucky fans for all he’s done for the program.
He’s averaged 16.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in 88 career games. He has 1,452 points and 727 rebounds and if he did return for a senior season would have a chance to make a run at Dan Issel’s all-time scoring record.
However, Patterson has done all he can to improve his draft status with his perimeter play this year. He’ll soon get to play in the NCAA Tournament — another reason he wanted to come back for a junior season — and he’ll have his degree.
His numbers have dipped slightly this year as he has been more than willing to defer to freshmen John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins because Kentucky has won more. Patterson has been content to be the team leader and concentrate on one thing — winning.
“We all expected a lot from Pat. I think he has been coming through the whole season. We would have lost a lot of games without him. He is really doing a good job and he is definitely our leader, and has been all season,” said UK sophomore Darius Miller.
Patterson is hitting 58.5 percent from the field and is a career 59 percent shooter. This year he’s made 20 of 49 3-pointers after going 0-for-4 his first two seasons. He has eight double-doubles this season and 29 career double-doubles.
Yet there have been times this year when some have wondered about his numbers and if he was doing enough. Patterson says he often feels that fans and/or media members worry more about his numbers than he does.
“I have seen articles about how Patterson is not getting enough touches and the Cats are not able to finish out the game because when teams fight back maybe John and Eric (Bledsoe) turn the ball over or take a bad shot and Patrick doesn’t touch the ball,” he said. “Fans worry about me not getting the ball enough or me not scoring enough a lot more than I ever would.”
One who never worried about him was Florida coach Billy Donovan, who tried to recruit him out of Huntington, W.Va., before he signed with the Cats and then coach Billy Gillispie.
”I always felt he was a guy that really played very hard out of high school. He was physical. One thing about being a good frontcourt player at this level is being willing to put your body in play. He has played physically without regard for his body and has given up his body,” Donovan said.
“Give him a lot of credit. The first two years under Billy (Gillispie) they really pounded the ball inside more and he was a relentless post player and rebounder. With John (Calipari) in there, there has been an opportunity to expand his game on the perimeter. I felt he was always a pretty good jump shooter and had a pretty good touch. As he has got older, his game has evolved and developed.”
Count South Carolina coach Darrin Horn as a Patterson fan, too.
“Early on when he was not scoring as much there was a lot of talk he was not playing well,” Horn said. “The key to their team is Patterson. We all know how special the freshman are and the impact they have made, but to have a guy like Patterson who is a hard work and plays hard — I never watch film or a play and think he is not bringing it — and has that presence, and I am guessing he does it daily in practice, too.
“There’s no question he is capable of big nights, but there are other things he has done to help the team more than has been noticed because of some of the numbers.”
So get ready to say farewell to a special player who endured two years under Gillispie, has embraced the Kentucky tradition and now has helped put UK in position to win that elusive eighth national title. He’s been special from day one and my guess is that he’s going to be missed as much as any player who has played at Kentucky for all he’s done on and off the floor.
Posted in UK Basketball
I echo the sentiments of everyone else on here about what a special young gentlemen Patrick is, and I am very glad that UK is honoring him at Senior Day. I know from first hand experience how tough it is to graduate early while being on an athletic team (I was a student manager at EKU and graduated in 3 and a half years). Patrick is, and will always be, one of my favorite players. He is a very rare individual, and we will miss him greatly. I hope that they show the Senior Day celebration in its entirety on This is Kentucky Basketball, if not in the game telecast. For, truly, this really is what Kentucky Basketball is all about.
But, we shouldn’t forget about Ramon, Perry and Mark, who kept the faith through 3 coaches in 4 years. This Senior Day celebration should be very special.
I love this young man. Tony Delk has been my favorite player for years and now Patick Paterrson sits beside him. Patrick is a great ambassdor for UK and the KY state.
Patrick,
I don’t know where to start. My respect and admiration for you are off the charts. I have never referred to a player as my “favorite player” while eligibility remains, for I truly love all of our players and don’t want to “play favorites.” You, though, are an exception to that rule. I simply must call you “my favorite player,” not only because of your passionate play on the court, but especially because of the outstanding human being you are off the court. Your character and choices and behavior have touched my heart to the point of naming you that now, not after you leave the university.
You are the Heart and Soul of our basketball team. You are Pure Class. Every article I read about your team-first attitude or something kind you’ve done for others, that respect, admiration, and love grow. Thank you, young man, for having become a Wildcat. Thank you for your tremendous play on the court and how you have represented the university off the court.
Thank you, too, Mr. and Mrs. Patterson. What a great job you have done in raising your son. How lucky Patrick is to have you as parents– and how blessed we Kentucky fans have been to have had all of you as part of the Kentucky family.
Last, Patrick, when games are especially close, I will say to my husband that I so badly want to win “for Patrick.” That is how big of a spot you have in my heart — and always will. The tears always flow on Senior Day. How they will especially flow Sunday, though, because of you.
May God bless you, ALWAYS a Wildcat, with the wonderful future you so deserve. Again, we Kentucky fans have been so blessed.
Jack, because this America, you are entitled to your opinion. But I whole-heartedly disagree with you, as I am sure most of Big Blue Nation does as well. I would have to assume by your comments that you also believe UK and the BBN were wrong to honor John Stewart on what would have been his sennior night. That was one of the classiest moments ever in Rupp and demonstrates how the BBN is more concerned about doing what is right for the young men of OUR program. Kentucky basketball is not a factory with a home office in Indianapolis which dictates who, when and how we honor those that have brought honor to us.
Jack, I have to disagree. For all this young man has done and knowing he is going to graduate, I see no reason not to honor him. It would be wrong not to in my opinion. This is a changing world and players leaving early is a fact of life. But when one still finishes his academic work and then leaves early, I say salute him and guessing the overall sentiment will be that way
Patrick Patterson has been a joy to watch over the past three years. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s one of the all-time UK greats and on top of that he seems to be a really good guy. I’d take a hundred Patrick Pattersons on my team any day.
No matter what the rule or its rationale is, we all like to make exceptions for those people we like. The tradition as it stands is both fair and well known. It is not an injustice to not make an exception for a guy we like.
Larry, I understand your argument (and others here), though I cannot even imagine how it would be “wrong” to not make an exception in this case. There is nothing wrong with what we do now and have done for years. Why is it ‘wrong’ to recognize that Patrick has another year of eligibility, so like all those before him he isn’t a basketball Senior?
Tom, your assumption lacks any basis in what I said. I know my position makes you want to vilify me, but I am not a bad guy. I did not have a problem with what we did for John Stewart. He passed away. He did not choose to leave the UK team before his eligibility expired – which is exactly what Patrick will be doing. There is a differece between dying and going to the NBA early.
Patrick is making a choice. If he wants to be treated like all those before him that played out their eligibility at UK, then he should play out his eligibility.
Larry did not “attack” me – he just commented on the arguments, but others will. I am shocked at how many fans want to attack me as some sort of monster (I debated this at another site as well well such attacks were more frequent). I am not doing anything to dishonor Patrick. I just don’t want to change the rules or tradition for Patrick when the situation is not unique (think about it – it isn’t).
If we do treat Patrick as a “senior,” what is the new rule in the future? Do we even care to be consistent?
I have only heard two rationales given for having Patrick treated as a “senior” when no one else leaving UK early has been given this treatment. (1) He is really a senior b/c he is going to (we assume) graduate this May. Response: That has never been relevant before, either for those “juniors” in eligibility that were going to graduate in May who didn’t get senior day until the next year or those “seniors” in eligibility that were not going to graduate who did get honored. Other than being academically eligible to play in the game, anticipated graduation dates have never a factor in senior day eligibility. We have football players who are already grad students (b/c so many redshirt as freshmen) at Senior day nearly every year (see, he isn’t unique).
(2) To paraphrase most of you, “we like Patrick for lots of reasons, one important one is he is a really good player, he played for Billy G who was a big meanie, and he played an extra year when he could have gone pro.” To respond: Is this just b/c Patrick is popular? What about the next kid in similar circumstances but not as popular or as good as Patrick? Do we make the same exception? (A: not likely) Half our team played for Billy G. Lots of others played for him and the reward was an encouraging suggestion to transfer. Lots of UK players came back despite having a chance at being drafted in the previous year. This list includes Rondo, Mashburn, Prince and maybe Delk.
I think if we are going to make an exception, it should be part of the rule so we can apply it consistently in the future. In Stweart’s case, it is easy. A signed recruit or player who passes away can be treated as a senior on his hypothetical senior day. That is a great tradition that hopefully never needs to be used again.
In this case, the rule would be so specific to Patrick’s situation as to be funny. Is the new exception we will honor all future “non-seniors” in eligibility who MIGHT graduate in May and plan to leave early for the NBA?
The current tradition is fair and I happen to like it. I like telling kids that if you want a senior day moment, you have to FINISH your college eligibility at UK. To make exceptions, especially an exception for a player voluntarily leaving UK before his eligibility is expired, reduces the importance of the moment to me. With Coach Cal bringing in lots of early NBA talent (we assume), the number of Senior Day eligible players will be smaller than in the past. That is good. It makes for a speical day for those kids that played out their eligibility. If we change that, it is just a good bye ceremony to everyone we like. I think those of you wanting to make an exception for Patrick forget what part of the current tradition makes the other Senior day players special. The other players finished their eligibility. Patrick is voluntarily choosing not to do that. I think the kids that do should have their day without having to share it with others who may be special but not in the same way.
Before claiming that I kill kittens in my spare time: I LOVE PATRICK. I THINK HE IS A CLASS ACT AND I’M GLAD TO HAVE HIM AT UK. I LOVE UK BASKETBALL. I DON’T LIVE IN KY, BUT THIS YEAR ALONE I FLEW TO NY TO SEE THE UCONN GAME, DROVE TO AUBURN FOR THAT GAME AND WILL BE AT THE GAME WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN ATHENS.
Larry, thank you for a great site and for letting me state my position.
Wow – that was long. Sorry. Let me add that I don’t want Patrick to leave. He has been a class act on and off the court and one of the best examples of what UK basketball can be. I hope they show some pre-game senior day moments on the TV since I won’t be able to be there.
would love to see 24,000 huge red heart posters lifted up on Sunday. That’s how much we want to honor you. And someday number 54 will fly high in Rupp. What an emotional day Sunday will be.
Jack, I certainly was not “attacking” you. Sorry that you took it that way. I was stating my opinion as well and will do so sucinctly: I am glad to be affiliated with a university that does make exceptions for exceptional student athletes.
No problem Jack. We all have opinions. I love Dave’s idea bout the 24,000 hearts. That would be cool.
I think as long as Cal is here, you will see exceptions made when they are merited and this is a case where it is merited. And it is his senior day in my mind. I have a hard time penalizing a kid for graduating early.
I might be wrong, but I think Jared Carter went through Senior Day last year when he technically had a year of eligibility left
It boils down to people talking about the rules and traditions. If there is truly a rule discussing who should be honored, then someone be kind enough to show me something in writing. If there is no such thing in existence, then we are back to what someone is calling “tradition.” Unless Webster has changed his mind, tradition means “handing over, passing on.” It is a pattern that may be passed on from year to year, such as a Christmas tradition. They are started for various reasons. Just as my Christmas traditions have changed over the years due to the children growing older, children having children, one child moving far away – UK senior traditions can and should change based on what is best for the university and, if we believe what we preach, best for the student. I graduated from college in 3 years, and I was honored as a senior at the end of that time. I had one more year of scholarships available, but that didn’t mean I had to stay to enjoy my graduation. If we are about honoring seniors, by George, let’s honor our seniors – including Patrick. Senior is a college term for the year you are in; it is academic. It is not a sports term. Go Patrick. Enjoy your special day.
As usual, Sarah a great post. Love your passion and logic.
I am happy for Patrick and will support his senior day moment.
I appreciate Sarah’s passion, but I do not follows Sarah’s logic. Sr. is most defintely a sports term, too. The terms Freshman…Senior can be used for either academic or sports (i.e., how many years of eligibility have been used). In “school” – the terms refers to progress towards a degree. In sports, it always refers to eligibility. Thus, all those redshirted football players are called Freshman though in most cases they are academic sophomores. If we honor our academic seniors on senior day (as Sarah suggests), that creates problems (and we do not do that-never have). Many football players and some other sports players would go through senior day too early (or twice). Many redshirted football players are academic seniors their “junior” (in sports terms) year. We all know this. The athletic dept use of “senior” on senior day has always been about eligibility, just like your graduation day has nothing to do with your athletic eligibility.
Look-let’s just agree that there is no traditional way to explain this-many want to make an exception for Patrick because you like him and that’s that. I get it, love Patterson, but I prefer the tradition.
Larry, Jared Carter had a chance to petition for a medical redshirt to get that extra year of eligibility. Technically, though, he was still a senior when he went through senior day because he had played games in 4 years and had not yet petitioned. Had he petitioned, he may have been granted an extra year for the year he was hurt early in the season, but it would be a discretionary thing with the NCAA.
If the NCAA says something, I am in favor of the opposite. Talk about an organization that has everything BUT the student athlete in mind… I don’t believe they have any rules regarding who can and cannot be honored before their last home game, but I’m sure if you wrote and told them Kentucky was about to do something different, they would call an emergency meeting to create one.
If it bothers you that much, just don’t go to the game and let the other hundreds of thousands of the BBN honor their heros.
I think everyone in rupp will be with you Tom. NOthing personal Jack, but the Big Blue wants to say a proper farewell to Patrick
I consider the “Senior Day” honor to be given to those who are graduating and no longer playing basketball for the University of Kentucky. I also approve of the exception given to John Stewart.
Patrick Patterson easily qualifies in my opinion. I hope he and his parents enjoy the day.
I don’t understand Jack’s logic. No, you can’t be a senior twice – only once. You may be a postgraduate if you graduate from college and stay an extra year. If you finish your postgraduate degree, have a ceremony and honor that. But, you are no longer a senior. Guess it comes down to which came first, the chicken (school) or the egg (sports). I think the education came before the sports, therefore, they trump the term senior. Heck, I’m now considered a “senior” and don’t want recognition or an award. But, I’m not a senior in school.
Patterson certainly qualifies in my opinion, too, and should enjoy his special day. I know I am
I am with my mother, Mr Vaught, and MANY of UK fans out there that agree patterson DESERVES a proper farewell. If you bleed blue and think that patterson should only get a chance at the NBA and a hand shake you are wrong. He helped build the hemistry of them team along with his coach. He was there when they were good or bad, winning or not. Beyond that he was dedicated to wearing blue, and even above that, he has a degree coming to him. And about tradition, I love to see a little change herer and there, without it, it would be boring and we have alot of UK athletic and academic traditions to start, change, mold, create, so whats wrong with Patterson getting the recognition he deserves? GO BLUE………..WHITE!!!!!
If you cant accept change, you might want to look at different school to cheer for, but wait that will not work because every school and program changes constantly whether you see it or not. The only thing you cna do as a FAN, is accept it and go with flow, its probably better you do or you will be left behind. So Patterson, play your hardest and how the what it means to be a student, leader, player, and idol, go get what’s yours and never look back because you an appreciate the memories of the team, coach, calssmates, professors, and last but not leaast the fans.