Salon.com has a fantastic piece up on Kentucky walk-on Sam Malone, of all people. It includes the story of how he ended up at Kentucky, what life is like as a walk-on, and why playing basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats is kind of a big deal.

At the Southeastern Conference tournament in New Orleans earlier in March, Sam was walking down Bourbon Street with his family, when a phalanx of Kentucky fans started chanting his name. "It was crazy," he says. "They were chanting, ‘Sam! Sam! Sam!’ My younger brother couldn’t believe it."

"People were snapping his picture as we waded through the crowd," recalls Joe Malone. "It was a magical moment, a beautiful display of affection."

It's a great read if you have the time. Malone is currently out for the year with a torn ACL (his fourth knee injury in five years). Still, he has a chance to be a part of an amazing experience this year, and hopefully he can recover from his injuries to be a valuable walk-on over the next few years.

H/T: Kentucky Sports Radio