Harlem's Isaiah Washington, 'Jelly Fam' founder, hopes to 'feel love again' at Iona

[BleedGopher]

per Josh:

By his teenage years, Isaiah Washington had already become a star attraction.

He drew the gaze of fans as both the co-founder of a grassroots basketball movement and a player with the slight-of-hand to pack gyms and line park fences.

With everyone eager to see what he did next, Washington buried whatever troubles he endured. That continued throughout two underwhelming seasons at the University of Minnesota when he needed to confront them more than ever.

"I just wasn't myself and because of all the stuff going on back home, there was a lot on my mind," the former St. Raymond star said during an interview this week. "I never really told anybody anything. I didn't tell any of my coaches or teammates. Since I grew up, I always kept things to myself. I don't know what made me do it, but I finally just came out."

Late in his tenure in Minneapolis, Washington began to address those demons. He transferred to Iona in May, expressing a desire to move closer to home.

Now, the former Top 100 recruit is eager for a new start and feeling more secure with his ailing grandmother, Janie Pugh, just a short ride away.

"Coming back home, I feel that love again," he said.

https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/...nd-harlems-isaiah-washington-iona/1688186001/

Go Gophers!!

 

[bemidjigopher]

Best of luck to the young man, hope he finds whatever it is he's looking for

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[macgopher]

Best of luck to the young man, hope he finds whatever it is he's looking for

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Indeed, he had a handful of games where it appeared that he might just surge to a new level but it just never happened.

 

[theczar]

Will blossom in MAAC all league player

 

[OSUfan]

Will blossom in MAAC all league player

No doubt. Dude will be a monster at Iona.

 

[abrams]

It's Iona. He should, his stupid jelly roll will work against 6'6" centers, not 6'10 monsters in the Big 10.

 

[LesBolstad]

Will blossom in MAAC all league player

No. Still can't shoot. He'll be ok in that league; not a standout.

 

[Gopherfan84]

No. Still can't shoot. He'll be ok in that league; not a standout.

Agreed, he was incredibly inefficient. That doesn't just "change" overnight. Statistically I would expect an improvement, but it's not guaranteed. Iona still has 2 SR guards who played a bunch last year returning. IW isn't even guaranteed to start.

 

[bemidjigopher]

Agreed, he was incredibly inefficient. That doesn't just "change" overnight. Statistically I would expect an improvement, but it's not guaranteed. Iona still has 2 SR guards who played a bunch last year returning. IW isn't even guaranteed to start.

Pretty sure he has to sit out this year

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[Gopherfan84]

Pretty sure he has to sit out this year

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I'm just assuming the NCAA gives him a waiver, but good point if he doesn't get his waiver.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

No. Still can't shoot. He'll be ok in that league; not a standout.

I think he'll be really good. He wont be a great shooter, but I think he'll get to the rim much easier against weaker defenses. He had the skills to dominate lower competition, I think he just struggled to figure out how to utilize those skills to be effective when he wasn't head and shoulders more talented than the opponent.

 

[WoodburyTim]

No. Still can't shoot. He'll be ok in that league; not a standout.

Yep. To think that he will all of a sudden be a star because it is the MAAC is pipe dream. He'll be a high volume shooter that will score a fair amount of points, but overall isn't going to be a difference maker in the wins and loss column.

 

[John Galt]

For those experts who now want to rip IW and declare he won’t be a difference maker at Iona, what does it say about the HC at Minnesota who thought he’d be a player to build around here?

 

[Gopherfan84]

For those experts who now want to rip IW and declare he won’t be a difference maker at Iona, what does it say about the HC at Minnesota who thought he’d be a player to build around here?

I'm not an expert, I just said it's not a guarantee he stars at Iona. That says nothing about the staff honestly. Kid had plenty of P5 offers. Sometimes it just doesn't work out. Now I am kind of glad we are cutting off our east coast pipeline (Kimani) as we have struck out there besides Dupree.

 

[bemidjigopher]

For those experts who now want to rip IW and declare he won’t be a difference maker at Iona, what does it say about the HC at Minnesota who thought he’d be a player to build around here?

What does it say about PJ Fleck that Vic Verrentes went back to JUCO to he a linebacker?

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[MennoSota]

For those experts who now want to rip IW and declare he won’t be a difference maker at Iona, what does it say about the HC at Minnesota who thought he’d be a player to build around here?

It says that Richard's assessment of IW was wrong. It happens. I wish IW noting but the best at Iona.

 

[John Galt]

What does it say about PJ Fleck that Vic Verrentes went back to JUCO to he a linebacker?

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Why do you keep interjecting football on the basketball forum? For the sake of people that want to discuss basketball, please stop.

To answer your question one time, Viramontes found himself third on the depth chart and we got solid QB play from 2 other guys. Pitino, on the other hand, was forced to move a small forward to point guard because he literally had no one else on the roster.

 

[bemidjigopher]

Why do you keep interjecting football on the basketball forum? For the sake of people that want to discuss basketball, please stop.

To answer your question one time, Viramontes found himself third on the depth chart and we got solid QB play from 2 other guys. Pitino, on the other hand, was forced to move a small forward to point guard because he literally had no one else on the roster.

Well we all know your blowing Fleck as you completely ducked the question. Amir showed more as a PG than either TM or ZA have as a qb. Just funny how you pick on one and not other

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[John Galt]

Well we all know your blowing Fleck as you completely ducked the question. Amir showed more as a PG than either TM or ZA have as a qb. Just funny how you pick on one and not other

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I’ll keep it positive unlike your childish rants. Why do you find it so fascinating that someone can have different opinions on different coaches?

One has been here 6 years and has one of the worst records in history. The other could potentially have one of the best winning percentages in a long time after this season.

 

[builtbadgers]

Well we all know your blowing Fleck as you completely ducked the question. Amir showed more as a PG than either TM or ZA have as a qb. Just funny how you pick on one and not other

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Why is it that whenever we post praise for another coach someone plays the blow card ? When people praise Pitino they are not accused of blowing him. Who exactly is thinking of the blowing then ?

 

[WoodburyTim]

For those experts who now want to rip IW and declare he won’t be a difference maker at Iona, what does it say about the HC at Minnesota who thought he’d be a player to build around here?

Not thinking he'll be a difference maker is ripping the guy? Just another in a long line of well thought out Galt posts.

 

[John Galt]

Not thinking he'll be a difference maker is ripping the guy? Just another in a long line of well thought out Galt posts.

Saying that IW will just be a high volume shooter and won’t be a difference maker isn’t ripping him? Sorry, it should have been obvious to all it was a compliment.