Woodbury and Gesell played AAU ball for the All-Iowa Attack this summer along with Cedar Rapids prep point guard Marcus Paige.
The three formed a friendship...and they stay in touch.
Gesell said immediately after he committed to Iowa that he was going to go to work on Woodbury. *My hunch is the two of them may now go to work on Marcus Paige.
Again, Paige is not a signed commit to UNC; you can't sign a binding letter of intent until November. *That means that he and everyone else in this class is fair game.
I am not saying I think Paige will end up as a Hawkeye; Iowa has a lot of work to do and Paige must be willing to listen. *Roy Williams has been in his life now for more than a year and he has spent countless hours imagining himself as a North Carolina Tar Heel. *Those are strong bonds.
So are the bonds of friendship forged on long bus rides crisscrossing the nation during these past summer months. *My guess is Paige will imagine playing along side his AAU teammates in Iowa City, a short trip from his Cedar Rapids home, if only for a few fleeting moments. *It will be interesting to see if those thoughts develop roots, or if they are easily dismissed by Roy Williams whispering sweet nothings into his ears.
Paige can go to North Carolina and join a great tradition, there is no doubt in that. *But for some, becoming a part of something that already exists and being just another face in a crowd isn't enough.
Some people like to blaze trails. *Some people like to be a part of something in perhaps a more meaningful way.
Some people are builders.
Adam Woodbury showed on Wednesday night that he is a builder and that he is comfortable taking the road less traveled...at least it's been less traveled as of late. *Both he and Gesell turned down a free Stanford education and the doors that diploma opens. *Both he and Gesell feel like they can be a part of something special in Iowa City, because they think they can help make it special again.
