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OMAHA, Neb. — Justin Patton used to walk through Creighton's locker room during his redshirt freshman season and make pretend phone calls to NBA scouts and representatives at Nike negotiating his shoe contract.
Patton looked the part of a future lottery pick—a mobile 7-footer with a 7'3" wingspan and a feathery touch—but to think he'd get there soon belonged in the land of make-believe. Lottery picks do not redshirt as freshmen. Nor are their identities unknown to most scouts.
When Patton verbally committed to his hometown college team the summer before his senior year of high school, the locals were stumped.