1996 Kentucky National Champions Team Autographed Mini Basketball Untouchables

Description

Guaranteed Authentic and one of a kind Team Autographed 1996 University of Kentucky National Champions Mini Basketball. The Untouchables. A piece of history.
I believe the ball is signed by most, if not all, of the team players as well as others. I identified the easy signatures of Tony Delk, Antoine Walker, Jared Prickett, Ron Mercer and Walter McCarty. Any help on remainder would be appreciated. There are at least 21 signatures.The ball is in excellent condition. A little dirty and a few smears but nothing serious. Includes new presentation case!
Your satisfaction with the purchase is my number one goal. I don’t know everything so if I made an incorrect statement or error please let me know. Likewise if you have knowledge I missed please advise.
I guarantee all items I sell and I guarantee all signatures to be authentic and signed by the actual players. Thank you
The following is from an article, in part, by Mr. Terry Brown...
On April 1, 1996, the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team won its 6th NCAA title by defeating Syracuse 76-67. It was the program’s first championship since the 1978 season. Head coach Rick Pitino, who had arrived in 1989 to cleanup the mess left by his predecessor, Eddie Sutton. Pitino got to Lexington at the program’s lowest point and in short order got it back to the mountaintop. And not only did the 1996 Kentucky Wildcats win the championship, they did it in historic fashion and are certainly in the discussion as one of the best college basketball teams ever.
The Wildcats went 34-2 during the 1995-96 season. After losing the second game of the season to John Calipari coached UMASS, the Wildcats went on a run that was nothing short of dominant, not dropping another game until the SEC Tournament championship game against Mississippi State. After losing to UMASS, the Wildcats defeated Indiana which precipitated a shift in the rivalry. And then the onslaught began. In state rival Louisville was handled 89-66 in the annual matchup. Once the SEC season began, things got even more interesting.
How deep was this group of Wildcats? Derek Anderson didn’t start. Seven players off this team were drafted and nine saw action in the NBA. The team was so good that even as great players left, the key members that remained would lead the Cats to two more NCAA title games, winning it all again in 1998.
There are so many great memories with this team. Whether it’s Tony Delk’s 7 three pointers in the NCAA championship game or Antoine Walker’s celebratory shimmy or Derek Anderson’s suffocating defense or the way Anthony Epps ran the show from the point guard position or Ron Mercer exploding for 20 points in the championship game, there are so many defining moments to that historic season.
The 1995-96 were talented, selfless and completely dominant. They laid the groundwork for what Cal is doing now by asking his talented players to sacrifice personal glory for the good of the team. Whatever Rick Pitino has done since leaving Lexington, there’s no doubt that he was at his coaching peak with that team, balancing egos and minutes and shots. After all, Antoine Walker only shot the ball 13 times a game. And if that isn’t coaching, I don’t know what is.
After 24 years, this team is still considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, college basketball team ever and the one that future Kentucky teams will be compared to. There’s a reason the 95-96 Wildcats are called “The Untouchables.”
Pos. # Name
G 00 Tony Delk
Sr Brownsville, TN
G/F 3 Allen Edwards
So Miami, FL
G 5 Wayne Turner
Fr Boston, MA
C 13 Nazr Mohammed
Fr Chicago, IL
G 15 Jeff Sheppard
Jr Peachtree City, GA
G 21 Cameron Mills
So Lexington, KY
G/F 23 Derek Anderson
Jr Louisville, KY
F 24 Antoine Walker
So Chicago, IL
G 25 Anthony Epps
Jr Lebanon, KY
F 32 Jared Prickett
Jr Fairmont, WV
F 33 Ron Mercer
Fr Nashville, TN
F 40 Walter McCarty
Sr Evansville, IN
C 41 Mark Pope
Sr Bellevue, WA
F 43 Jason Lathrem
Fr Bowling Green, KY
G 51 Oliver Simmons
Head coach
Rick Pitino
Assistant coach(es)
Jim O'Brien
Winston Bennett
Delray Brooks