Messy

In the winter of 2006 senior-to-be Brandon Krisch elected to leave the Boilers early to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL. This could have been - and was - described as “ill-advised”. Kirsch was a fine QB, a nice dual-threat guy whereas Purdue had traditionally favored the more step-back-and-throw types. He started four games as a freshman and was third on the team in rushing, but his tenure as a Boilermaker was always tenuous. Kirsch had a reputation for thinking quite highly of himself, and courted controversy in weird and unproductive ways, the lowest point probably coming from an incident his freshman year when he injured his hand during a fight at a frat party. I was at Purdue at the same time as Kirsch, and that incident was very much on-brand.

Managing to settle the hell down a little bit off the field after his freshman year, Kirsch struggled with the consistency required to take full rein of Joe Tiller’s offense. The tools were all there, but the offense had been retooled around his dual threat capabilities (something Tiller was ok with, but definitely wasn’t his bread and butter) yet didn’t really lead to the production that we were all hoping for. Halfway through his redshirt junior year Kirsch was replaced by freshman Curtis Painter, and shortly after the season declared for the draft. Joe Tiller made one comment on this unexpected event: “I think the NFL is in Brandon's heart, and he should follow his heart.” Which, if you’re not familiar with grizzly old man speak, it basically translates to “lol k.” Tiller knew what he had in Painter, a statue in the backfield yes but when he uncorked he sure could throw the hell out of the ball. Purdue won eight games the next season, an improvement of three wins over the previous year’s total.

For whatever reason, that asterisk in Purdue football history came to mind when Nojel Eastern left the program last week. I’m loathe to compare Kirsch to Eastern, both of whom could be accurately described as immature, but in polar opposite ways (Kirsch, the brash and arrogant one, Eastern the goofy, less serious one.) I suppose the only connection between the two of them is their inflated view of their abilities, their naked confidence that they had it, were being held back, and their talent would soon be recognized external from Purdue. Maybe we’ll have to shoehorn Eastern’s camp into this conversation to make the comparison work. But regardless, it became evident that the blame spinner had landed on Purdue and Matt Painter for Nojel’s inability to reach his lofty goals.

So it’s announced that Nojel will leave Purdue and less than 48 hours later Nojel announces that he’ll be a Michigan Wolverine. There was barely enough intervening time for a full new cycle to be digested. But, it was enough time for Matt Painter to give a now-(in)famous interview to local blowhard and know-nothing Dan Dakich. Dakich, to his limited credit, managed to stay the hell out of the way and let Painter do the talking. And talk he did.

I read quotes from the interview before I listen to it, and I’ll admit that certain parts hit different, depending on the medium. The clear shots at Matt Haarms sat a little uneasy with me, and to be honest, it felt very much like Painter himself was still working through his emotions and reactions at the time of the interview, leading me to suspect that the benefit of time would have blunted some of his pointier comments. But I think if you’re familiar with Matt Painter and his style at all little of what he said should surprise you. I’ll take it a step further and say that I’m sure everything we heard were things that he has said to Nojel, his circle, and others to their face.

A change such as this one demand retrospection, however Eastern’s career has been litigated and re-litigated a thousand times over during his three years in West Lafayette. An exceptional on-ball defender (the best Painter has had, one of the best in Purdue’s history), Eastern’s impact was centered on his defense and rebounding solely. He has one of the single worst shots that I’ve ever seen, he makes me really nervous when he dribbles, and his court vision was never a strength. But man, that defense…you can do something with that defense. But despite giving Purdue less than five points a game during his junior year - and his negative impact on offense stretched even beyond the minimal point output as defenses could leave him alone and play 5-on-4 if they wished - he was invaluable to have out on the court. That’s just how good his defense is. But this was the season where those visions of the 6’7’’ point guard who was a hell-hound on defense started to fade. The emergence of Eric Hunter Jr., Isaiah Thompson last season, not to mention the incoming top-50 point guard in Ethan Morton, made keeping Nojel at point guard make less and less sense. His terrible offense could be better hid perhaps if he played at the 4. I don’t think anyone wanted that transition to take place, but in three years his already bad offense had only regressed, likely forcing Purdue’s hand. Perhaps even forcing Eastern out of town?

It’s been no secret that Eastern’s goal since Day 1 was to make it to the pros, as he’s entered his name in the draft after each season as a Boilermaker. Such a decision has been confusing and thus derided each time. But on a certain level it did make sense. If you had a singular career goal and were afforded multiple opportunities to interview for it, consequence-free, wouldn’t you take it as well? Gestures of goodwill to Matt Painter resulted in teams working Eastern out despite the fact that he was not on any serious list to be taken in the draft. But as he matriculated through Purdue, each subsequent decision to enter the draft portal befuddled more and more. The dude’s offensive game is most akin to a walk-on’s, he can’t even shoot free throws at a respectable clip, and this is not new information. What additional insights could possibly be gained from pro scouts? I myself am very pro-player, especially in college ball, and I struggled to apply reason in this situation. Over 200 players typically test the waters before exhausting their eligibility, and the vast majority of those 200+ aren’t ready. But Nojel was especially not ready. The ingredients were there, sure, but the cake wasn’t baked yet. And in fact, the bowl has tipped onto the floor and no one pre-heated the oven. We’re certainly further away in 2020 than I would have thought when he first arrived on campus.

So what drove these decisions? A dogged, singular focus on one’s goals? (Admirable) A stubborn reluctance to admit deficiencies in the face of all evidence? (Somewhat admirable. Somewhat.) A desire to prove that it isn’t his own weaknesses holding him back, but his myopic and potentially malicious coaches who have against all reason and self-interest prevented his ascent into the pros?

We certainly know that those around him may fall closer to the latter explanations than the predecessors, and this is where things get thorny. People are allowed to have biased views towards those they love, all of us are emotional, mercurial things, and the openness that social media, print media, forums, and the like often shorten the distance between people who’s only interactions with each other orients around a singular facet of one’s personality. These narrow interactions flatten people onto a single axis, and that becomes the story of that person. No doubt that story was abetted by a very public stance that Nojel’s certain destiny lie in the NBA and the NBA alone, and that roadblocks to that destiny were solely external constructions. And that stance perhaps lead Nojel and those closest to him to the conclusion that his own considerable limitations were mere phantoms, created by those who didn’t know best how to steward Eastern into the NBA. And the next logical jump from there has to be, if not the NBA this year, then somewhere else so that it can be the NBA next year. And here is where we find ourselves.

The rumor mill continues the swirl as my personal interest in this story beyond the broader story about what it tells us about the pressures young athletes face begins to wane. Rumor has it this transfer to Michigan is contingent upon a waiver being granted to Nojel to play immediately next year, and if that doesn’t come to pass then he’ll just stay in the NBA draft where we’ve been assured that numerous NBA teams have expressed ravenous interest in the 6’7’’ guard whose jumper is most akin to a newly birthed giraffe trying to stand.

Make no mistake about it: Nojel isn’t even a fringe NBA prospect. His name will not be called on draft night, he will not get an invitation to summer league or to camp, and the G League will likely pass him over as well. While our baser instincts may nudge us to delight in the schadenfreude such an epic faceplant I’d caution that this whole situation is tragic, full stop. Kirsch’s inability make something of himself as a pro football player is perhaps just desserts for a young man whose ambition outstripped his ability. But I can’t help but feel like Nojel is merely being dragged behind a boat that is going too fast, unable to control the circumstances that pull him about.

Ronnie Johnson left Purdue before his eligibility was up because he had been convinced that Painter was holding him back, and that it would take a new coach and new circumstances to allow him to fully bloom into the dominant, NBA-ready force that he was destined to be. So highly his circle thought of him that a family member started shopping him around as early as the December of his last year, arrogantly telling anyone who would listen “Blue Bloods only.” Johnson found himself at Houston, then Auburn, and now collects a paycheck playing for the Niagra River Lions in the NBL Canada. Not a bad outcome; he’s getting paid to play basketball. But certainly a far cry from the Mike Conley comparisons that his circle was oh so fond of.

Best case scenario, Nojel plays in some capacity for Michigan, fixes some of his deficiencies, and discovers a reasonable path to professional ball in some capacity. I think this is the outcome we should all root for, as wishing failure is crass and unbecoming. Maybe a change truly is needed, maybe a different style will produce a different outcome, maybe Nojel and those around him will reflect back one day and recognize the authentic help and guidance in Eastern’s best favor that Matt Painter and his staff were trying to give. Or maybe not. We’ve seen this script a thousand times before. I don’t need to spoil the likely outcome.

Despite the loss of two at-times starters, Purdue is going to be young, but very talented next year. There’s a lot to be excited about, and Purdue can more than sustain the loss of both Eastern and Haarms. So, we look forward to the opportunities these changes open up. Always looking forward.

Stay safe, stay healthy. Boiler up.