The Michigan Wolverines received reinforcements earlier in the week in the form of 6’7, 225 lb. former Purdue Boilermakers guard Nojel Eastern, who officially transfered to Ann Arbor.
But that wasn’t the only loss for Purdue – center Matt Haarms decided to transfer to BYU.
Naturally, that will leave a sour taste in the mouths of Boilermakers fans. Head coach Matt Painter was no exception, essentially saying that a player couldn’t be considered a Boilermaker if they left for a different school.
“They don’t get the big picture of just how good you’ve got to be (to make the NBA) and how much work you’ve got to put in,” he said while appearing on “The Dan Dakich Show”.
“I don’t mean to hurt anybody’s feelings, because I like the guys who have left my program,” Painter said. “I like both of them. But transfers don’t get drafted pretty much. It’s a very, very small percentage. …
“… You might’ve got your degree from Purdue, but you’re not a Boilermaker if you walk out the door at the end and say, ‘Hey, I want to make the league.’”
While some might view the comments as harsh, Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo came to Painter’s defense, saying that he believes Painter does what’s best for his team.
“I’ll just speak for Matt Painter because I know him so well. I recruited Matt, and I know Gene (Keady) so well. There’s never been a time where Matt Painter doesn’t do what’s best for his kids over himself,” Izzo said. “I’m not saying everybody should stay at one school. But to just pick up and leave without even talking to your coach, that’s wrong. When they make decisions and you don’t even know what’s going on, that’s wrong.”
How do you feel about Izzo defending the comments of his fellow collegiate coach?
– – Quotes via Riley Gates of 247 Sports Link – –
