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”Everything,” Jordan Farmar’s mother Melinda “Mindy” Kolani replied when asked about what made the best impressions on them during their October 25-27 unofficial visit to Spokane and Gonzaga University. That was quickly followed by, “And everyone.” The #2 ranked point guard in the west, who could find himself in the top slot of Prepwesthoops’ ratings before he’s finished, and his mother decided to make the trip to Spokane from their Los Angeles area home, and by all accounts they are thrilled they did.
From a meeting in Gonzaga University President Father Robert Spitzer’s office that was described as “special” to the “character” of the student-athletes who comprise the 2002-03 Zags to the “close and genuine friendships” of the GU coaching staff and their wives, Jordan and Mindy got a good feel for what the close-knit Gonzaga Community and Family is all about. They met with professors and deans, that in one instance actually helped Farmar make a decision right there about a major he had been considering. They met with current Gonzaga basketball players and fellow prospective student-athletes and their parents.
In short, they met Gonzaga and Spokane, the sunny, crisp autumn weather and changing seasonal colors outside…and the loud, spirited atmosphere inside The Kennel.
”Everybody went the extra mile,” she continued. When talking to one of Gonzaga’s nutritionists who helps the Zags bulk up or slim down through various personalized diet plans, Ms. Kolani jokingly wondered if there was a plan for students’ moms. The next thing she knew a diet plan was drafted just for her and one day after returning home she was following it.
”The entire visit was so carefully planned.” For the most part, Jordan hung out with fellow recruits like David Pendergraft, Derek Raivio and Adam Morrison. They checked out the on-campus dorms where they’d be living and Farmar was shown around the second largest city in the state of Washington.
According to Jordan’s mother, they hit it off great, indicating that there was already good chemistry. The manner in which the Gonzaga team constantly keeps things positive and constructive on and off the court also impressed both mother and son.
Needless to say, the athletic 6’1” combo guard from Taft High School is a hot prospect but he is refreshingly grounded and all the hype and attention aren’t affecting his judgment. Farmar knows what he wants and his mother is there to back him up. Already, some impressive schools have been eliminated from consideration. He isn't caught up in names of schools. Of the dozens upon dozens of schools recruiting Jordan, only a select handful are receiving interest from the high school junior. Besides Gonzaga, prominently mentioned are Connecticut, Stanford and Kansas, a mix of large and small, public and private, intimate and expansive.
Gonzaga is among the leaders for Farmar, but he wants to make trips and be certain that his decision is as fully informed as possible. He’ll base his decision on academics, basketball success, the right environment, the type of teammates he’ll have, the coaches and ultimately how comfortable he feels.
New NCAA rules allow official visits to begin after January 1, so it is possible that Farmar could take all of his visits by spring and make a decision before the summer camps and tournaments. Last summer Jordan burst onto the scene and led his AAU team Pump ‘n Run to the Best of Summer Championship. In early July, he opened eyes at an LA camp where he shot over 50% from 3-point land and displayed outstanding point guard skills, seeing the floor and making solid decisions. He was relatively unknown as he had to sit out his entire sophomore high school season due to transferring high schools after his freshman year.
”It [the visit] just could not have been any better,” said Jordan’s mom. “It surpassed all of our expectations. Jordan and I haven’t stopped talking about it since we left.”
Gonzaga coaches, faculty, student-athletes and fans won’t stop talking about it if Jordan Farmar chooses to be a Zag, not just because he’s one of the finest guards in the class of 2004 and would complete an elite dream backcourt of Derek Raivio, Jordan Farmar and David Pendergraft, but because he is also a superb student, a quality person and a young gentleman...also known as “Zag Material.”
Zags Hoops would like to congratulate Jordan on his outstanding SAT score and Zags Hoops will follow Jordan this season as he leads the Taft High School Toreadors.