QUESTION: What has been the toughest adjustment in your transition from college to the Pros? - Jeff

ANSWER: "It has to be my eating habits as well as finding something to do with all of the free time we have between games and practices."

QUESTION: Do you ever see yourself playing with running mate Ron Mercer again? Did Ron Mercer and yourself exceed your expectations as a player? Do you think that transferring to Kentucky was the best move to get to the NBA? - Southpaugh@webtv.net

ANSWER: "Yes, I do see myself playing with Ron again. I think we did exceed our expectations, but I think we can do better. Transferring to Kentucky was a great move because we won the National Championship."

QUESTION: Do you feel like the knee injury suffered your last year at Kentucky has hampered your NBA career? Furthermore, do you think Coach Pitino handled your injury the right way? Did his handling of your injury hurt or help your draft standing? - Jeffrey Haines

ANSWER: "No, because I am still able to do what I did at Kentucky. Coach Pitino played a father role in my life instead of a coach role and he didn't jeapardize my future."

QUESTION: Are you being a role model for other kids out there, that are trying to make it, out there in this difficult world? - DWhite7934@aol.com

ANSWER: "I definitely try to be a role model to kids. I don't drink, don't smoke and don't do drugs. That's half the battle."

QUESTION: My son is on our 6th grade basketball team. He loves playing, but we are not sure what skills we should be working with him on. In your opinion what is the most important? - Doris, Gudino & Carlos

ANSWER: "Learning to play together with the other guys on the team. 90% of the game is mental."

QUESTION: What were your thoughts when you heard you were traded to the Clippers? And what are your thoughts on the Clippers now? - JR

ANSWER: "It was a new challenge in my career. It is still a challenge, but you grow as you get older with the ups and downs."

QUESTION: What was it like to play for Rick Pitino?

ANSWER: "It was exciting and a real learning experience on and off the court."

QUESTION: What are your memories of the 1997 NCAA Championship game and do you think you would have played a deciding role in the outcome if you hadn't been injured? Thanks for your time, Derek and good luck with your pro career! - Anthony Huff

ANSWER: "Yes because I averaged 20 points a game and I was one of the best defenders on the team."

QUESTION: How do the fans at the Gund compare to the fans at the Staples center? - Chris D. from Bethesda, MD

ANSWER: "No difference really."

QUESTION: How do you think you and your team need to improve in order to make the .500 mark? Do you think you can still make the playoffs? - NBA03@aol.com

ANSWER: "We need to stick together and work extra hard now. Yes, I do still think we can make the playoffs"

QUESTION: Outside of basketball, what other sports do you enjoy? - Kenneth Shaw

ANSWER: "I love football, baseball and tennis."

QUESTION: Who would you have considered to be your biggest rival while at Kentucky? I loved to watch some of the epic games between the Wildcats and Razorbacks. - Tim J.

ANSWER: "Playing against Louisville was great because that is where I am from."

QUESTION: Do you hang out with some or a lot of the NBA players or even your teammates, and which of them are your closer friends? - Travis from New Jersey

ANSWER: "Only during the summer with several players from other teams."

QUESTION: What have you found to be the biggest difference between college coaches and professional coaches? - Kywildcatjim@aol.com

ANSWER: "College coaches have more control over what we do in our social life because they dictate how much free time we have outside of basketball."

QUESTION: What do you feel is the most important characteristic someone must have in order to be successful in a professional sport (NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB)? - Joe

ANSWER: "The most important characteristic is you have to have a great attitude."

QUESTION: Being a Stanford fan I would like to know what it was like playing with Brevin Knight? Could he be one of the next great point guards in the NBA? - Joe from Redwood City, CA

ANSWER: "Playing with Brevin was a lot of fun because he wanted to win as much as I do. Brevin will be one of the next great point guards in the NBA, no doubt about it."

QUESTION: Do you still keep up with what the CATS are doing and, if so, how do you think they will do the rest of the season? I wish you continued success! - Christy

ANSWER: "Yeah, I keep up with them. Kentucky is always dangerous during the NCAA tournament."

QUESTION: Did you enjoy playing in Cleveland? - EGliebe@cs.com

ANSWER: "Yes, I enjoyed Cleveland because the fans and city was great. But, I hated the cold weather."

QUESTION: Being from KY, I have been to a few games and I was wondering what it was like playing at Rupp in front of the crowds and how much different it is in the NBA? - Jimmie Burdett from Benton, KY

ANSWER: "It felt like you couldn't lose. The crowds in the NBA are very different because it was always sold out at Rupp, and that is not always the case in the NBA."

QUESTION: Do you think by transferring to UK, your chances were much greater at playing in the NBA, or even being a 1st round pick, than they would have been had you stayed at Ohio State? - Scott