Move over Prime Time, I've got a new favorite athlete. His name is Eugene Edgerson and he is the coolest thing to hit the hardwood since Darnell Hillman. (okay, I've got to come clean here. I never actually saw Hillman play. I just watched highlights of his ABA aerial show, complete with the most spectacular 'fro this side of Angela Davis.)

Anyway, I'm watching a listless Arizona team struggle with Eastern Illinois midway through the first half. And then Eugene came on the scene. All, um, heck broke loose. The Cat is 6'6" (6'9" with that 'fro) and as old school as a lava lamp and Don Cornelius.

At the time, Zona had been trailing 16-15. Edgerson was greeted by the Panthers fans with mock Dr. J jibes and wisecracks about his bushy goatee. Then the refs handed the ball to Eastern for an inbounds pass and Gene started jumping around like a wild man. Two seconds later, he had a steal and a nasty tomahawk dunk. Five seconds after that, he caused another steal and Gilbert Arenas scooped up the ball and flew in for his own slam.

Edgerson, with his kneehigh socks, retro Nikes and burly elbow and kneepads looked like he walked out of a timewarp to star in Eastern Illinois' worst nightmare. "I come in to give energy and change the tempo," he said afterwards. "And you could see the look in [Eastern's] players' eyes. There was panic there."

Before his seven-minute swarm was done, he battled for two more putbacks and exited with Arizona up 30-18. Never mind that he only gets around 4.5 ppg -- that's fantasy league stat garbage. Where it mattered most, Eugene Edgerson was a plus-13. So what if it's a hockey stat? Never was there a better measure for someone's performance.