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 If you watched the Mc-Donalds High School basketball game you would have noticed Patrick Patterson. The 6 foot 8 inch post player held his own against the big name stars raising his stock. Patterson was one of two unsigned players in the Mc- Donalds All- Star game. Was, as in “not anymore.”
The rumors started circulating 24 hours after Florida won the National Championship, Patterson’s first choice. Florida coach Billy Donavan is the hottest name in all of basketball and coveted by many historic programs whom happen to have the resources in offering contracts that are too good to pass up. “Sometimes you just have to look at the situation from a business perspective,” said USC coach Tim Floyd who bolted for the NBA after success in the college game. “Loyalty is great and it is something we preach but man, how can you pass up on so much money,” continued Floyd. Patterson’s first choice was Florida and coach Donavan. “I really liked him, right from the start, we connected and I just wanted to play for Coach D, said Patterson. Yet Patterson was not overly impressed with Florida, his future teammates, and the campus. “When I went on my recruiting trips, I just knew it was not for me, too fast paced, too much things, too much distractions. I just wanted to play basketball and concentrate on my studies,” said Patterson. The rumors had Donavan linked to Kentucky. After all Donavan was an assistant coach under Rick Patino and considers Kentucky is dream job. “I had waited till the end of the season to sign because of all the rumors and I could not wait any longer so I called coach D and asked him to be straight up with me, I told him I had no interest in Florida if he is not going to be there”, said Patterson. Donavan did the right thing and told Patterson something Patterson will not discuss. “That is why I wanted to play for him, he is a good man, we had a long talk and we decided for my own best interest I should be going to school somewhere else, that’s all I will say the rest is between me and coach D,” said Patterson. In came Pacific and coach Bob Thomason. “It was by chance really,” said Thomason. Patterson had a close mentor who had spent his childhood growing up in Stockton before moving to West Virginia in his late teens in the early nighties. Jared “J-Ddub” Durango was an AAU coach of Patterson from ten to fourteen years old and the two had stayed close. “JDdub was like a father to me, he always looked after me, I went to him after all this happened and he told me about Pacific”, said Patterson. Although not familiar with Stockton and 3,000 miles from home Patterson remembered the NCAA tournament and Pacific’s success. “I remember watching them knock off Pitt and Providence and they should have beat Boston College,” Patterson said. J-Ddub always talked about Stockton and he would always tell me how good of a school Pacific is,” Patterson said. So Durango called the athletic office looking for Thomason to get in touch with Patterson. “At first I thought this is a joke but Durango straight up told me, if I do not act now this window will close to Duke or Virginia who were recruiting the heck out of Patrick. So shortly after talking with Jared, myself and coach Ron Verlin jumped on the next plane to West Virginia. A kid like that does not fall in your lap often, and when he does you have to seize the moment” said Thomason. “It reminded me of what happened with us and Christian (Marakar), I can not imagine were this program would be without him, he fell in our laps but we had to grab him,” said Verlin. The meeting could have not gone smoother as both sides quickly grew very fond of each other. “My major concern was the level of competition but what coach Thomason showed me quickly erased all that,” Patterson said. Thomason pulled out the Tiger schedule of last year. The schedule which included nationally ranked teams like Wisconsin, Texas A&M and Nevada eased Patterson. “ If I was here last year I would be playing against two teams ranked in the top 5 and maybe the best big man in all of college. I really liked how Pacific is willing to play anyone anywhere. That was the last thing I needed and so I made an oral commitment,” Patterson said. And just like that Patterson was committed to Pacific. “It must have been the most surreal thing I have ever experienced, we get a phone call, three days later we are in West Virginia and twelve hours later we have signed the best blue chip prospect possible, it has been an unreal past couple of days,” said Thomason. Thomason was not the only one excited and surprised with everything that has just happened. “It happened a little too fast I really thought I would be going to Duke but something just didn’t click, this clicks, it makes sense, I was comfortable with the coaches and just wanted to make a decision, it has been grueling experience and am happy to have landed in California at Pacific,” Patterson said. With Patterson the Tigers become instant favorites to win their conference. With already the best big man in league in Anthony Brown and a very deep and capable back court the Tigers should return back to form from years past. Add a healthy Joe Ford and hopefully another legit big man and the Tigers should look to get past the round of 64. “I am here to win, to get Pacific to the Final Four and from what I know of my teammates the talent is there,” Patterson said. “With Patterson the Tiger program is only going to get better,” Thomason, concluded, "we owe it to our fans and our school”.
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