It's a conundrum why DePaul has struggled in the BE. Many have commented that Chicago kids want to go elsewhere to play and that may be true. Chicago, while a great, great city, has the nation's highest Murder RATE.. Mostly in the SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN, where a lot of kids who play BB are from. I'm sure players who have college level BB skills are eager to get out of town and, their parents probably encourage them to do so.
DePAUL has a great history of BB success but, not lately. Purnell has a record of being a good Coach BUT, NOT A GREAT COACH.. Do kids who harbor NBA dreams want to play for him? I don't know..He doesn't appear to have the charisma that Lavin has for example.
Maybe asking a Chicago kid like Phil Greene why he didn't choose DepAUL WOULD BE A REVELATION?