Patrick Patterson to participate in Senior Day

According to a very well respected Kentucky sportswriter, Patrick Patterson will be celebrating his senior night on Sunday afternoon alongside Perry Stevenson, Ramon Harris, and Mark Krebs.

There has been no official announcement that Patterson will be part of the Senior Day ceremony and Patterson has yet to confirm he will enter the NBA Draft when the season ends. But both are going to happen.

Patterson is just a junior, but he will be receiving his degree at the end of this semester and in all-likelihood is headed to the NBA.

Patrick Patterson will apparently be participating in this year's Senior Day.
(photo credit: MSNBC)

This is not unheard of. UConn's Emeka Okafor graduated in three years and participated in Senior Night as a junior in 2004.

No one should be surprised, or upset, if Patterson actually does leave school. The kid will have completed his degree and is headed for the lottery. To be perfectly honest, I would have supported Patterson going pro after last season.

I'm not a Kentucky fan by any stretch, but Patterson is one of the guys that I find myself rooting for. A good kid and hard worker, he was stuck putting up all-american caliber numbers for a NIT-caliber coach in his first two seasons. When he came back this season, he was more than willing to take a back seat to the uber-talented freshmen populating Kentucky's roster. A star his first two seasons, Patterson had no issues embracing his new role as a screener, a rebounder, and (believe it or not) a jump shooter.

In fact, Patterson might have even improved his draft stock. We all know how much ability Patterson has, but I still don't know if he will ever be a star in the NBA. If he proved anything this season it is that he is a team player; that he has no qualms doing his job and playing his role.

An athletic and strong 6'9" forward with all-american talent as a post, the ability to knock down a 20 footer jumper, the smarts to graduate in three years, and the selflessness to be a role player when necessary?

What team wouldn't want Patterson?

I'm calling it now - Patterson will be our generation's version of Charles Oakley, only friendly.