June 25th: On this date....

..... in 1997, UK's "Air Pair" was drafted in the top 13 of the NBA Draft -- Ron Mercer (6th), Derek Anderson (13th). The two members of the 1996 NCAA Championship team were two of the most athletic players our generation of Wildcat fans had ever seen. A first team All-American, Mercer was drafted by the Boston Celtics and newly hired coach Rick Pitino with the sixth pick. Derek Anderson was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers at selection thirteen. Mercer would play until 2005, averaging 13.6 points per game. Anderson won an NBA ring with in 2006 with fellow '96er Antoine Walker for the Miami Heat. They were the sixth and seventh Cats to win both a NBA and NCAA Championship. The others are: Frank Ramsey, Rick Robey, Lou Tsioropoulos, Cliff Hagan, and Nazr Mohammed.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach