She makes a former player Mom seem stable...
Purdue dodged a bullet...talented kid, but, really poor influences around him (as evidenced here).
The commitment to Illinois is odd, but, his entire recruitment has been...he is as likely to honor it as he is to decommit in a month...the kid has bounced around repeatedly...it is a pattern...and, all in search of attention and acclaim.
The little that I know or have heard, it was a case of handlers not wanting him at Purdue...some of his own ego getting tapped into...some negative recruiting that you alluded to...and, ultimately, him/them more worried about him being showcased than anything else (which, aligns with Underwood taking a shot at Painter regarding Ivey, but, with all of the guys he has brought in, hard to believe that he could promise him what he seemingly wanted (or, can deliver on it if he did).