. @YoungIvee puts on a Cal cap after announcing his going to @CalAthletics @ODowdDragons @JeffFaraudo pic.twitter.com/g8U1BCqdTf
— Jose Carlos Fajardo (@jcfphotog) April 14, 2015
Miss Ivan Rabb's commitment to #Cal? Watch our exclusive video of @YoungIvee committing to the #GoldenBears: http://t.co/jOJs4f1mql
— Ryan Gorcey (@RGBearTerritory) April 14, 2015
The one thing that you could see from Ivan Rabb after he made his commitment to Cal was a general sense of relief. He had made his decision to be a Golden Bear and just seemed thrilled to be done with the recruiting process.
"I haven't been this happy in a long time to be honest," says Rabb. "I feel a huge weight off my shoulders."
— Lindsay Brauner (@lindzcatharine) April 14, 2015
What really surprised Rabb was how many Cal students were actually present at the event. You can hear the pro-Cal crowd erupt the moment Rabb made his commitment to be a California Golden Bear. "CALIFORNIA!"
Ivan Rabb at the moment of his announcement that he will attend Cal: pic.twitter.com/QjlAigrkpb
— Lindsay Brauner (@lindzcatharine) April 14, 2015
The theme for Rabb in picking Cal? Home. Being close to his friends and family in Berkeley, and developing relationships with the Cal coaching staff seemed to be the most important thing to assure that Rabb would pick Cal in the end. Rabb knew Cal might be a tougher road than Arizona, but he and his family felt like it was the right decision to make based on all those factors.
Rabb of course avoided any talk of the duration of his stay in Berkeley.
Rabb on how many years at #Cal: "It's easy to say one year. It's easy to say four years.
— Mike Vernon (@M_Vernon) April 14, 2015
With regards to Cuonzo Martin, Rabb says that Coach "didn’t just talk about basketball, he talked about life. He kept it 100% real with me the whole time." Martin was the biggest factor in his final decision, a decision that he admits wasn’t made until Sunday night. Cuonzo went all-in from the beginning. After introducing himself to Cal basketball in his opening press conference last spring, he called up Rabb immediately and started his recruitment as quickly as possible.
"Coach Martin brought so much energy, so much hunger to the campus." ~Jeff Faraudo
Cal commit Oscar Frayer was also there to support his longtime basketball buddy. The fellow East Bay product from Hayward (Ca.) at Moreau Catholic has known Rabb since he was in 4th grade. Frayer definitely seems pleased at the potential prospect of playing with Rabb in a year and is more eager than ever to get to Cal a year from now.
Cal commits and recruits in attendance. "This is gonna help a lot of things," says Oscar Frayer of Rabb committing. "Jaylen brown..."
— Lindsay Brauner (@lindzcatharine) April 14, 2015
Ivan's mom Tami also chatted about possibly throwing people off the scent before the decision was actually made. She did believe that Caleb Swanigan deciding on Michigan State might have changed the equation; Ivan had very much been going back and forth in his mind about whether Cal or Arizona was the best place for him. Ultimately, home, family and the Cuonzo connection won out for Rabb, and he's coming to Berkeley next year. And Tami does believe that there is still things that might happen with Jaylen Brown.
And for Ivan, family was indeed important.
Expect the Cal team to be eating at Ol' Yeller's a lot this next season. That menu looks delicious by the way.
"It means a lot to be able to go to his games," says Tami. She says she is looking forward to "having the boys over to eat."
— Lindsay Brauner (@lindzcatharine) April 14, 2015
GO BEARS!