2009-10 Upper Deck NBA Draft Edition Alma Mater #FC Fred Couples

Here's an interesting card... the 2009-10 Upper Deck NBA Draft Edition Alma Mater card #FC featuring Fred Couples. Why is a golfer included in an NBA set? Several non-basketball players from several sports are featured showing the school they came from.

This card features a picture of Couples post-swing. It includes the University of Houston "wet cougar" logo on a shield, a logo not in existence when Fred played at UH. It also has a Fred Couples autograph. With only 99 cards printed, this is a pretty nice collectible despite the oddity of it being in a basketball product. Other variations of this card without an autograph are a black card (1/1), blue card (#'d to 99), green card (#'d to 50), red (#'d to 25), and a non-numbered base card.

Hakeem Olajuwon is also featured in this set with Draft Pics and Tournament Titans inserts.

Of course Fred Couples is one of many Cougar golf greats. He played golf at UH from 1977 to 1980. He later went on to the PGA where he won the Masters and was Player of the Year in 1992.

In 2000, he was inducted into the University of Houston Hall of Honor.