July 9th: On this date....

...... in 1969, Tom Payne, of Louisville, became the first African-American player to sign with Adolph Rupp and Kentucky. Academic issues kept Payne from playing as a freshman, but as a sophomore, his grades and play improved immensely. In 1971, he scored 30 points vs. Auburn to help clinch the SEC Championship for the Wildcats. However, with the possibility of playing the next year looking slim, he opted to declare hardship and declared for the 1971 NBA hardship draft. He was taken by Atlanta in the first round.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach