Recruiting stories: Everette Stephens

Everette Stephens always will remember the hard sell Gene Keady gave him coming out of Evanston (Ill.) Township High in 1984.

“It was intense,” recalled Stephens, who played in West Lafayette from 1984-88. “He was talking pretty loud. He wanted me to commit.”

While Stephens played a little hard to get, Keady eventually got the smooth point guard to say “yes.”

It was a big commitment for Keady, as Stephens was the cherry on top of a strong 1984 Boilermaker class that also was highlighted by Troy Lewis and Todd Mitchell. The trio, forever known as the “Three Amigos,” would go on to lead Purdue to some of its greatest highlights.

Stephens, Mitchell and Lewis led the program to back-to-back Big Ten title as juniors and seniors, including a No. 1 NCAA seed their final season. That same year—1987-88--Purdue ranked No. 2 in the preseason AP poll and entered the NCAA tourney with the same ranking before finishing No. 3 in the poll with a 29-4 record.

So, how did the 6-2 Stephens end up in West Lafayette, where he scored 1,044 career points and went on to be a second-round pick of the 76ers in 1988?

The 54-year old Stephens--who spent a season with the Pacers and part of another with the Bucks-- shares his recruiting story.