No. 22 will shine Saturday night when UK legend Mike Pratt has his jersey finally retired

Mike Pratt still ranks in the top 30 on UK’s scoring, rebounding and career assists lists. (UK Athletics Photo)

No matter what happens in the first half of Saturday night’s Kentucky-Florida game in Rupp Arena, halftime is going to be very, very special.

That’s when the jersey of former UK All-American Mike Pratt will be retired — a move that should have been made years ago instead of a few months after his passing at age 73 in June.

Still, Pratt will be just the 39th UK player to receive this honor and the 45th Kentucky basketball figure to be honored this way.

Kentucky fans certainly should be touched — and grateful — when No. 22 is unveiled in the Rupp Arena rafters because Pratt was a great player for Adolph Rupp from 1967-70 and a legendary broadcaster on the UK Radio Network for 21 years before his death after a battle with cancer.

Coach John Calipari announced on his weekly radio show in early January that Pratt would be honored.

Tom Leach, Pratt’s partner on the UK Radio Network, will emcee the halftime ceremony. Pratt’s wife, Marcia, will be there along with the couple’s five children and nine grandchildren. So will Pratt’s brother, Pat, along with a lot of other friends and family members.

Pratt’s All-American teammate Dan Issel, UK’s all-time leading scorer, will also be part of the ceremony and I would guess other former UK players will also be there because Pratt was so beloved by everyone.

Kentucky went 71-12 during Pratt’s three seasons and 48-6 in SEC play when the Cats won three straight conference titles to earn NCAA Tournament bids. In 81 games, he scored 1,359 points and also grabbed 718 rebounds. He also dished out 281 assists.

He ranked in the top 10 in all three categories when he left UK and 52 years later remains in the top 30 in all three categories. The only other Kentucky player in the top 30 or all three lists is Jack Givens, another former All-American.

Pratt’s No. 22 should have been hanging with the other Kentucky greats long ago but he’s probably partially responsible for it not being here. He was so humble, he never wanted anyone to write or talk about his playing career or having his jersey retired.

But Saturday night will be Pratt’s time to shine again and I’m sure he won’t understand what all the fuss is about, especially when he sees some folks might just shed a tear or two during this emotional ceremony.