BY JORDAN WELLS
A lengthy list of programs were in
hot pursuit of three-star forward John
Mooney — but in the end, Notre Dame
head coach Mike Brey got his man.
The Altamonte Springs (Fla.) Lake
Brantley senior committed to Florida
and then-head coach Billy Donovan
in September 2013, but the Gators'
leader left the program in April for
the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.
That prompted Mooney to reopen
his recruitment Aug. 13, and coach
after coach lined up to court the 6-9,
245-pounder.
Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Florida
State, Alabama, Florida, Kansas, Stan-
ford, Boston College, Illinois, Indiana
and Georgia were among some of the
programs involved to varying degrees.
But when Mooney, his father Kevin,
and his mother Margaret all made the
trip to South Bend over the Sept. 5
weekend for the home football game
against Texas, he realized attending
Notre Dame was too good an oppor-
tunity to pass up.
"The first day was so great," John
Mooney said. "We sat down Satur-
day night, and we kind of knew then
that it was the place for me. We flew
home, Coach [Mike] Brey called late
that night. He said Notre Dame was
the place for me and that he really
wants to coach me.
Florida Forward Picks The Irish
COMMITMENT PROFILE
JOHN MOONEY
Mooney (in black shirt), a three-star prospect according to Rivals, met with former Irish star Pat
Connaughton and director of athletics Jack Swarbrick, among others, during his official visit.
PHOTO BY ANDREW IVINS
