June 29th: On this date...

... in 2002, Tayshaun Prince was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 21st pick of the NBA Draft. NBA teams were hesitant on taking the long, lanky fella from Compton. I can remember watching the McDonald's game that Tayshaun participated in and thought the rail thin kid would be overmatched at the college level. He proved me and twenty NBA teams wrong by becoming one of the steals of the Draft. He earned his playing time by becoming a defensive specialist frustrating the best players in the world. His key block on Reggie Miller in the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals was the signature play in what became a Championship winning season for the Pistons. An All-American at Kentucky, Prince became the first UK alum to win an NBA title since Rick Robey in 1981 with the Boston Celtics.

Also June 29th: On this date in 2000, Jamal Magloire was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 19th pick in the NBA Draft. Somehow, this massive Canadian has built a career out of blocking shots/goaltending after the whistle. He has stayed in the League for a decade+, and even gotten an All-Star nod. He was the ultimate, "I love this guy on my team, but I would despise him if he wasn't" bad guy and should have a career in the WWE after basketball is over.

Big Blue Booyah on Tom Leach