Stokes had it, and put that loss on his shoulders. Three days later, his free throws held off Kansas. The next night, he had seven assists to one turnover against George Washington, but Shawnta Rogers beat the Terps' pressure and Stokes was blamed again. Mark Duffner never got as much heat when he was getting fired as the university's football coach in 1996. It's a shame, because now that's he's playing so well, nobody wants to talk about it.
Profit is a protective member of a small circle around Stokes.
It includes Stokes' mother and father back in Philadelphia, and Alexis Edwards, his girlfriend who drives down from there so often she's mistaken for a student. Stokes constantly seeks advice from Bill Ellerbee, his high school coach, but he can withdraw even from his hometown support. Even though I wanted to play ACC basketball, I was going to go to Temple. Some TV crews couldn't come, it was pushed back a day, and then I announced Maryland. I didn't tell anyone I had changed my mind.