It sounds like his mom had a ton of influence here. But I don't see how you can't love the fire and energy of Hop and the HOF credentials of one JAB. It sounds to me like she wanted him at a place where the lights were dimmer and he wasn't under as much pressure to perform. I don't see how having one year at GTown will benefit him much on the court.
Noel said he was all about family, and the family atmosphere. SU BBall alumni ARE FAMILY. You don't see that at many other schools, if any at all. What JB has built is something special. The only guys you ever see or hear about regarding GTown are Ewing, Mourning and Mutombo. Where are the rest of the players? Are team reunions limited to those three and the Thompson Family? I don't see the GTown players being that close knit of a group.
Maybe, in the end, it was about pleasing mom AND getting to the NBA? I would like to know what his mom's reservations were with Syracuse, though. Hopefully it wasn't the Fab academics debacle that tipped her. If so, damn you Fab Melo...twice.
