patrick patterson

For Patrick Patterson, Less is More

Jason Brubaker — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:08:21 -0800

As the 2009 NBA Draft rolled around, there was one name conspicuously absent - Kentucky forward Patrick Patterson. This had to be a mistake, right? After all, Patterson was a McDonald's All-American in high school, had a terrific freshman year, and then had upped his averages to 17 points and nine board per game as a sophomore. He received All-American nominations, and was a lock to be selected in the first round. He had no reason to come back to school. Besides, playing second, or third, or even fourth fiddle to Kentucky's heralded freshmen would only hurt his draft stock, right?

Wrong.

Although his scoring and rebounding numbers have dropped, Patterson's NBA stock is now higher than ever, thanks to a chance to showcase his all-around game, unselfishness, and leadership on a young team. And, following two frustrating seasons under Billy Gillispie, and having never played in an
NCAA Tournament game (he missed UK's 2008 game against Marquette due to injury), Patterson now heads into March with a legitimate chance to cut down the nets as a national champion. For a guy who spent last March watching the Big Dance on television, it has to feel good.

Coming into the season, some wondered how Patterson would mesh with uber-hyped recruits like John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins. Would he be okay playing a supportive role, even though he had every right to demand to be the star? Would his game be affected with Cousins occupying the paint with
him? Would he be able to adapt to John Calipari's offense after two years of Gillispie's high-low attack?

Turns out, there has been little need for worry. By all accounts, Patterson is, and has been, a team-first guy his entire career. Even amidst the turmoil of last season, Patterson never let his frustrations show, always playing the role of the good soldier and letting his play do the talking. This season, instead of worrying about declining stats or the spotlight shining upon his teammates, he has taken on the role of a leader and counselor. He's usually the first one to gather his teammates in a huddle on the floor, and he can be often seen dishing out advice to the freshmen during stoppages in play. And we've even seen something from Patterson that was very rare last year...smiles.

But don't confuse Patterson for an-over-the-hill veteran who's merely passing on knowledge to his teammates. Time and time again, he's proven that he's still the same All-American caliber talent he was the last two years. It's just that this year, he has been able to pick his spots more, and his overall game has improved as a result.

His field attempts have decreased this year overall, and his shooting percentage is down slightly, from 60 percent to 57 percent. However, when you consider that the team is playing at a much faster pace than in previous years (81.3 points per game compared to 74.1 in 2008-09 and 68.5 in 2007-08), and Patterson is playing more on the perimeter than ever before, it makes sense to have a few more missed shots. His teammates still have confidence in him to hit the big shots however, as evidenced by his baseline jumper on Tuesday that sent the game against Mississippi State into overtime.

Of course, Patterson has also added another weapon to his repertoire – the three pointer. In his first two years on campus, with no other post presence, Patterson was rooted under the basket and attempted only four shots from beyond the arc, making exactly none. This year? He's nailed 18, and is shooting 40 percent from behind the line, not bad for a guy who's 6'9” and has the physique of a bodybuilder.

Between his willingness to cede shots and attention to his teammates, and his expanded game, Patterson has seen his draft status steadily climb all year. Pegged as a probably mid-to-late first rounder last year, it now appears likely that Patterson will find himself in the lottery this year. He's still got the size, athleticism and strength to play in the post, but he's now shown the ability to step away from the basket and play in an up-tempo offense, which will serve him well in the NBA. He's also shown the ability to function when he's not the top option on the floor, and his team-first attitude will be a welcome fit on many NBA rosters.

It seems odd, that Patterson could see his numbers go down but his stock go up, but it's also fitting. He's a guy who has done everything right in his UK career so far, both on and off the floor, and it's finally paying off for him, with a great season and a brighter-than-ever future.

It's also a great lesson for young college stars, who feel that big stats are the quickest way to the NBA. By sacrificing his stats for the betterment of the team, Patterson has shown that big numbers don't always translate to success. By embracing his teammates instead of resenting the attention they receive, he's helped set the tone for a team that is on the verge of doing something very special. And because of that, he's going to reap the rewards, with a possible NCAA title and a pretty hefty paycheck in the NBA.

So next time you glance over the NCAA's leading scorers, or scan down the list of the country's leading rebounders, don't confuse those names with the best players in the country. As Patterson has proven, sometimes less is more.

Collins, Harangody, Singler Highlight Wooden Award List

Press Release — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:10:42 -0700

Luke Harangody of Notre Dame is the only 2009 Wooden All-American returning to college basketball in 2009-10. Other returning players from last year’s Wooden Award ballot, include Sherron Collins of Kansas, Duke’s Kyle Singler and Kalin Lucas of Michigan State. Purdue’s Robbie Hummel made the Wooden ballot in 2008.

These players and others who excel throughout the season will be evaluated and considered for December’s Midseason list and the official voting ballot released in March.

Nine schools had two players chosen to the Wooden Award preseason Top 50: Kansas (Collins, Cole Aldrich), Michigan State (Lucas, Raymar Morgan) Duke (Singler, Jon Scheyer), Michigan (DeShawn Sims, Manny Harris), North Carolina (Ed Davis, Deon Thompson), Purdue (Hummel, E’Twaun Moore), Connecticut (Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson), Villanova (Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher), and West Virginia (Devin Ebanks, Da’Sean Butler).

Eleven conferences are represented on the Wooden Award Preseason List. Leading the way is the Big East (11), followed by the ACC (10), Big 10 (8), SEC (7), Big 12 (6), Pac-10 (3), and Atlantic 10, CAA, Conference USA, WAC and West Coast with one apiece.

In late December, the Wooden Award Committee will release the Midseason Top 30 list, followed in March by the National Ballot, consisting of approximately 20 top players who have proven to their universities that they are also making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round during the NCAA Tournament.

The 34th annual Wooden Award ceremony, which will include the announcement of the Men's and Women's Wooden Award winner, and the presentation of the Wooden Award All-American Teams and the Legends of Coaching Award, will take place the weekend of April 9-11, 2010.

Created in 1976, the John R. Wooden Award is the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. It is bestowed upon the nation’s best player at an institution of higher education who has proven to his or her university that he or she is making progress toward graduation and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Previous winners include such notables as Larry Bird (’79), Michael Jordan (’84), Tim Duncan (’97), and Blake Griffin (’09). Candace Parker of Tennessee won the Women’s Wooden Award in 2007 and 2008.

Since its inception, the John R. Wooden Award has contributed close to a million dollars to universities’ general scholarship fund in the names of the All-American recipients. The Award has also sent more than 1,000 underprivileged children to week-long college basketball camps in the Award’s name. Additionally, the John R. Wooden Award partners with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC) each year to host the Wooden Award Special Olympics Southern California Basketball Tournament. The day-long tournament, which brings together Special Olympic athletes and the All-Americans, takes place at The Los Angeles Athletic Club on the Friday prior to the John R. Wooden Award Ceremony.

Follow the candidates and get the latest news throughout the season by logging on to www.WoodenAward.com. For more information on the John R. Wooden Award, please contact the Wooden Award staff at 213-630-5206 or email at woodenaward@laac.net.

# # #

2009-10 John R. Wooden Award
Preseason Top 50 List

Name	Height	Class	Position	University	Conference
Solomon Alabi	7-1	So.	C	Florida State	ACC
Cole Aldrich	6-11	Jr.	C	Kansas	Big 12
Al-Farouq Aminu	6-9	So.	F	Wake Forest	ACC
Luke Babbit	6-9	So.	F	Nevada	WAC
Talor Battle	5-11	Jr.	G	Penn State	Big Ten
Trevor Booker	6-7	Sr.	F	Clemson	ACC
Matt Bouldin	6-5	Sr.	G	Gonzaga	West Coast
Craig Brackins	6-10	Jr.	F	Iowa State	Big 12
Da’Sean Butler	6-7	Sr.	F	West Virginia	Big East
Sherron Collins	5-11	Sr.	G	Kansas	Big 12
Ed Davis	6-10	So.	F	North Carolina	ACC
Devan Downey	5-9	Sr	G	South Carolina	SEC
Jerome Dyson	6-3	Sr.	G	Connecticut	Big East
Devin Ebanks	6-9	So.	F	West Virginia	Big East
Corey Fisher	6-1	Jr.	G	Villanova	Big East
Luke Harangody *#	6-8	Sr.	F	Notre Dame	Big East
Manny Harris	6-5	Jr.	G	Michigan	Big Ten
Gordon Hayward	6-8	So.	G/F	Butler	Conference USA
Jeremy Hazell	6-5	Jr.	G	Seton Hall	Big East
Robbie Hummel	6-8	Jr.	F	Purdue	Big Ten
Damion James	6-7	Sr.	G/F	Texas	Big 12
Sylven Landesberg	6-6	So.	G	Virginia	ACC
Gani Lawal	6-9	Jr.	F	Georgia Tech	ACC
Kalin Lucas	6-0	Jr.	G	Michigan State	Big Ten
Tasmin Mitchell	6-7	Sr.	F	Louisiana State	SEC
Greg Monroe	6-11	So.	C	Georgetown	Big East
E’Twaun Moore	6-3	Jr.	G	Purdue	Big Ten
Raymar Morgan	6-8	Sr.	F	Michigan State	Big Ten
A.J. Ogilvy	6-11	Jr.	C	Vanderbilt	SEC
Patrick Patterson	6-9	Jr.	F	Kentucky	SEC
Jerome Randle	5-10	Sr.	G	California	Pac 10
Scottie Reynolds	6-2	Jr.	G	Villanova	Big East
Samardo Samuels	6-8	So.	F	Louisville	Big East
Larry Sanders	6-11	Jr.	F	VCU	CAA
Jon Scheyer	6-5	Sr.	G	Duke	ACC
DeShawn Sims	6-8	Sr.	F	Michigan	Big Ten
Kyle Singler	6-8	Jr.	F	Duke	ACC
Tyler Smith	6-7-	Sr.	G/F	Tennessee	SEC
Isaiah Thomas	5-8	So.	G	Washington	Pac 10
Deon Thompson	6-8	Sr.	F	North Carolina	ACC
J.T. Tiller	6-3	Sr.	G	Missouri	Big 12
Evan Turner	6-7	Jr.	G/F	Ohio State	Big Ten
Jarvis Varnado	6-9	Sr.	F/C	Mississippi State	SEC
Greivis Vasquez	6-6	Sr.	G	Maryland	ACC
Deonta Vaughn	6-1	Sr.	G	Cincinnati	Big East
Kemba Walker	6-1	So.	G	Connecticut	Big East
Willie Warren	6-4	So.	G	Oklahoma	Big 12
Terrico White	6-5	So.	G	Mississippi	SEC
Nic Wise	5-10	Sr.	G	Arizona	Pac 10
Chris Wright	6-8	Jr.	F	Dayton	Atlantic 10

(Based on a preseason poll. Players listed alphabetically.)
*indicates 2009 Wooden All-American
# indicates 2008 Wooden All-American

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Preview Interviews

Patrick Patterson Returning to UK

Press Release — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:07:35 -0700

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Kentucky sophomore Patrick Patterson will withdraw his name from the NBA Draft and will return to Kentucky for his junior season.

Patterson, a 6-foot-9 forward, led the Southeastern Conference last season and ranked 11th in the country in field goal percentage with a 60.3 clip. The Huntington, W. Va., native said he had three reasons for returning to UK.

"I have the chance to graduate in three years, which is important to me and my family," Patterson said. "I want to help Kentucky compete for a national title, and even more than that win its eighth national championship. I'm also really excited about playing for Coach Cal and developing my game in the dribble drive offense."

An All-SEC performer, Patterson was the only player in the SEC to rank in the top five in scoring (17.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg). Patterson also led the SEC in double-doubles with 15, the eighth most in a single season in UK history.

"In the month that I've been at Kentucky, I've been blown away by Patrick Patterson," Head Coach John Calipari said. "He is one of the nicest individuals I've met and one of the fiercest competitors that I've been around. I'm thrilled I get to coach him next year."

UK vs Florida: An Injury, an Ejection, and a Helluva Finish

Matthew Ryter — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:12:48 -0800

The Story: In a game full of twists and turns, Kentucky and Florida put on quite the show Tuesday night. The drama began early on in the second half when Walter Hodge was assessed with a flagrant foul and was ejected for stepping on Kentucky forward Perry Stevenson’s arm. (Video) Hodge walked by Stevenson and stepped on his arm while Stevenson was lying on the court after he had fouled Chandler Parsons. After the officials reviewed the tape they alerted press row that Hodge had indeed intended to step on his arm, hence the ejection. The drama continues. While jumping up to block a shot Patrick Patterson landed awkwardly on his ankle with about nine minutes left. Patterson hit the floor grimacing in pain as medical personnel attended to him. He remained at the end of the bench for the duration of the game and was forced to become a spectator. Patterson, along with the rest of Rupp Arena then got to see a fantastic finish. With the clock dwindling down in the second half and the game tied at 65, Kentucky Coach Billy Gillispie knew who would be taking their last shot. Kentucky got the ball in the hands of SEC leading scorer, Jodie Meeks and Meeks delivered. Meeks scored 23 points on the night, including his fade-away 3 pointer with less than five seconds left. Florida guard, Nick Calathes actually got a piece of Meeks’ shot, but Meeks managed to re-gather the ball in his hands and hit the clutch three. Calathes, who scored a career high 33, had a chance to tie the game. He was fouled while shooting a 3 with .6 seconds left on the clock. Calathes, however missed the first freebie and Kentucky went on to win the game.

Ryter’s Block: This game was made for TV. I actually thought for a second that this game was part of a TV series and that next week would bring upon a new episode. Let’s start with the Walter Hodge ejection. Although it was not as severe as the Chase Budinger face stomp, there’s no need for this. Hodge did apologize to Stevenson and knew that he did the wrong thing. Sometimes when the adrenaline is flowing emotions can get the best of people. The right call was made, it was intentional, Hodge screwed up. He did however do the right thing by apologizing and checking on Stevenson. The Patterson injury added to the drama. As of right now the diagnosis on Patterson is a sprained ankle, and he’s been announced as being day to day. The gym went completely silent when he hit the floor and you could see the pain in his face. Hopefully, Patterson returns shortly. Finally, how does Meeks make that shot? He was forced to double clutch in mid-air and still hit it. Calathes played perfect D on him. A more important question is, why foul Calathes on the other end? That’s the worst thing you can do. Kentucky’s Kevin Galloway breathed a huge sigh of relief once Calathes missed the first foul shot. He lucked out. Calathes played arguably the best game of his collegiate career and you can’t fault him for pulling a Darius Washington Jr. If it weren’t for Calathes, Florida wouldn’t even be in that game.

Kansas Basketball

Patrick Patterson: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:53:17 -0800

Patrick Patterson

College: Kentucky

Class: Sophomore

Position: PF

Height: 6’9”

Weight: 235lbs

Accolades: SEC co-Freshman of the Year (08), Second Team All-SEC (08), McDonald’s All-American - high school (07), Second Team Parade All-American - high school (07).

Scouting Report: A beast of a low post player.

Strengths: Crazy wingspan - over 7 feet. Aggressively attacks the rim. Explosive player. Great low post scorer. Works hard to get position in the post. Nice jump hook. Blocks and alters tons of shots. Athletic for a big man. Good build. Shoots for an extremely high percentage. Great free throw shooter. Can knock down the face up jumper. Good hands. Very strong player. Good rebounder. Can absorb contact and still score.

Weaknesses: Short for an NBA power forward - probably is really only 6’8”. Needs to improve his ball-handling. Can get into foul trouble. Not good at drawing fouls.

Projected 2009 Draft Range: Lottery to mid first round pick.

Consensus: Patrick Patterson should be a very good NBA player, perhaps even an all-star. His length, explosiveness and strong low post game should help him earn an NBA pay check for years to come.

Stats: Patrick Patterson Stats

NBA Draft on CollegeHoops.net

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CHN's Six-Star Ranking System w/ 2008 Equivalents

= Superstar/All-NBA Potential - Michael Beasley

= Potential NBA All-Star - Derrick Rose

= Consistent NBA Starter - Brook Lopez

= 6th Man/Fringe Starter - Russell Westbrook

= Career Reserve - Roy Hibbert

= Fringe NBA Player/12th Man - JR Giddens

0 stars = Life in the Minor Leagues - Drew Neitzel