WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Matt Painter has one indelible memory about his time recruiting Evanston standout Nojel Eastern.
"Any time I tried to track him down and call him on the phone he was always working out," the Purdue coach told The News-Gazette. "He loved basketball. I liked the fact he had a good high school coach and he loved playing and was always working out. I think those characteristics lead to somebody who's going to come and help your program win."
That work ethic didn't change once Eastern, who had half the Big Ten recruiting him, including Illinois, got to West Lafayette.